Listener-supported Hawaii Public Radio is ready to go live with a second station in Hilo — with award-winning favorites like “All Things Considered,” “Marketplace” and “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.”
Listener-supported Hawaii Public Radio is ready to go live with a second station in Hilo — with award-winning favorites like “All Things Considered,” “Marketplace” and “Fresh Air with Terry Gross.”
“We’re very excited about finalizing the last step in creating a statewide network,” said President and General Manager Jose Fajardo.
“This was a last piece in our puzzle.”
HPR-2 will go live in Hilo within days, he said.
The new station will include more news, local talk and music programs.
All that’s lacking for the station to go live is final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
That typically takes about seven days.
“I think it’s great, because it just adds more variety to what they already offer, which is already good,” said Vicky Perry of Keaau.
“I listen to the news programs; ‘Morning Addition’ and ‘All things Considered.’”
HPR filed its request last weekend, documenting that the antenna is live, has passed testing and is ready for air.
The antenna, atop a pre-existing tower owned by a mainland party, already broadcasts HPR-1, KANO 91.1 FM, which listeners will recognize by its consistent diet of classical music. The frequency for HPR-2 has not yet been announced by Hawaii Public Radio.
HPR-2 will instead feature programs like “BBC World Service” and Saturday programming like “Moth Radio Hour” (true stories told live), “Weekend Edition” (a morning news magazine) and “The Dinner Party Download.”
“The Dinner Party Download,” for example, is “an hour-long celebration of culture, food, and conversation designed to help you dazzle your friends at this weekend’s get-together.”
“I like the idea of BBC because that gives more of a world view,” said Perry, who lived in Tanzania for many years.
Fajardo said the system is built, it’s already broadcasting (HPR-1), the station has a broadcasting license and, “at any moment we could hear back from the FCC.”
When that happens, it’s likely HPR-2 will go live shortly afterward.
Fajardo said startup costs for the second station have been paid for by generous Big Island supporters, but costs for ongoing programming will remain listener-supported.
People who wish to pledge can call:
• HPR-1: 944-8800
• HPR-2: 941-3689
• Go to bitly.com/supportHPRnow