Baronfeld Hired To Lead PMG’s New Oahu Group

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HAIKU, HAWAII — In a deal struck June 26, 2019, Pacific Media Group — led by Chuck Bergson, agreed to purchase the four Ohana Broadcast Company stations serving Honolulu for $5.5 million.


Now, the Kahului-based media company — the only in Hawaii to have radio stations on every island in the state — has selected a new Market Manager and GM for the O’ahu stations.

Taking the role is David Baronfeld, who will manage day-to-day operations of the following stations:

  • Class C CHR/Rhythmic KDDB-FM 102.7 “Da Bomb” in Waipahu, Oah’u
  • Class C1 Rhythmic AC KUMU-FM 94.7 in Honolulu
  • Class C Hawaiian AC KQMQ-FM 93.1 in Honolulu, “Da Pa’ina”
  • Class C Alternative KPOI-FM 105.9 in Honolulu, presently branded as “ALT 105.9.”

A media and entertainment industry veteran, Baronfeld since June 2018 has been Director of Sales for Hagadone Media Hawaii’s This Week publications.

From May 2015-March 2018 he was GM for Hawaiian Telecom TV ad sales, managing the ad sales team for Oceanic Time Warner Cable (now Spectrum)’s largest competitor in Hawaii.

He relocated to Honolulu from Los Angeles in spring 2015 after spending three years as GM of KLAA in Anaheim, Calif., the Los Angeles Angels flagship station then owned by the baseball club.

Many may recall Baronfeld for his roles as SVP/Affiliate Relations for the Western Region for Metro Networks, responsible for working with over 1,000 radio and TV affiliates, and as General Sales Manager of Metro Networks/Los Angeles. He was associated with Metro Networks from December 1997-August 2008.

“After an extensive nationwide search, David was the perfect person to step in as the leader of the Honolulu stations,” says Bergson.

Baronfeld’s early career stints include roles as GSM of KOME in San Jose, under Infinity Broadcasting, during its Rock era (1985-88), and as VP/GM of KHTT-FM “Hot 97.7” and KSJO-FM 92.3 in San Jose from August 1988-January 1991.

From summer 1994 until August 1996, he was VP/GM of KHIH & KHOW in Denver.

— Ethan Hunt, in Maui, with additional reporting by Adam Jacobson in Boca Raton, Fla.