Wednesday, April 9th, 2008...9:11 am
“Radio Free Hawaii” Coming Back as a Clear Channel Brand
Erika Engle reports in her Buzz column that Clear Channel radio is ressurrecting the “Radio Free Hawaii” brand with a new HD broadcast of the format.
Radio Free Hawaii coming back, in HD
Radio Free Hawaii, which prided itself as the island’s anti-corporate radio station in the 1990s, is being resurrected — by the ultimate corporate radio entity.
The seven-station cluster owned by Texas-based Clear Channel Communications Inc., will launch its Radio Free Hawaii format May 24 on 101.9-2, which requires an HD radio to hear.
COMMENTARY
It remains to be seen whether or not Clear Channel and their programmers can keep the brand true to its original format. As stated in the article, the station will never be the same without the presence of the original format’s founder, Norm Winter of Jelly’s Books and Records.
It also remains to be seen whether or not this will contribute to the growth of HD broadcasting and set ownership in Hawaii. The entry price for an average HD radio is around $200, which is quite steep if Clear Channel wants to go for a young demographic. Young people also prefer to listen to and program their own music on an iPod, so that should also be considered competition.
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