MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaiʻi Governor David Y. Ige and Lt. Governor Shan S. Tsutsui have proclaimed February 14 – 21, 2017 “Hawaiʻi Public Radio Week.” The proclamation asks “the people of the Aloha State to join us in tuning in to the two locally grown HPR stations” and recognizes HPR for delivering “the highest standards of independent broadcast journalism, music and entertainment.” It goes on to list the station’s 35 years of accomplishment and community service. The Proclamation may be found in full at bit.ly/hprweek.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio Week coincides with the start of a historic program realignment on HPR’s two stations. On February 14, for the first time, HPR-1 and HPR-2 will broadcast two separate and distinct formats. The group of frequencies collectively known as “HPR-1,” which have long carried the popular drive-time news magazines from National Public Radio, will focus on news and information programming, augmented by local and national talk shows, as well as entertainment, jazz, blues, and world music. Alternatively, HPR-2 has been dubbed “your home for classical music” and, as of the 14th, will provide an uninterrupted classical music environment 24 hours a day. Detailed program schedules may be found at hawaiipublicradio.org.

Dr. Tyrie Jenkins, chair of HPR’s Board of Directors, states “We are immensely grateful for the recognition from the Governor’s office and share his appreciation of the station’s staff of ‘dedicated professionals who work toward engaging and informing the public about current affairs, music and entertainment.’”

Jenkins continues, “What we celebrate on the 14th is the legacy of our visionary HPR founders, whose original intention was to serve the entire state with two programming streams, one for news and another for classical music. It took us 35 years, but every inch of HPR’s expansion from a single broadcast studio in Honolulu to the current fifteen facilities across the islands is also a reflection of the faith and generosity of our local community – countless individuals, businesses, and foundations who prove the ‘public’ in public radio.”

The realigned schedules have provided HPR a variety of new programming opportunities. Flagship programs “Morning Edition” (on HPR-1) and “Morning Café/Morning Concert” (on HPR-2) have each been extended by half an hour. New programs have been added, including the widely syndicated midday news program from WBUR and NPR “Here and Now” (HPR-1), as well as a new HPR-produced music program “Classical Pacific” (HPR-2), which will feature the orchestras, opera companies, and classical artists of the Pacific region. The entire suite of local talk programs, from the public affairs/arts and culture show “The Conversation” to the showcase of Hawai‘i’s tech industry “Bytemarks Café,” will enjoy encore broadcasts in order to make them accessible to more radio listeners.

HPR President and General Manager José A. Fajardo explains, “The goal of this program realignment is, first and foremost, about our mission to enrich our community with the unique news and cultural programming we offer. There is another goal, however, and we’ll be completely transparent about it: we want our audiences to listen longer, because that leads to station loyalty, and loyalty leads to financial support.”

Along with the new formats for its two stations, the station rolls out a new logo and free mobile app (“Hawaii Public Radio”) available for iOS and Android devices. Said Fajardo, “The new visual is a re-voicing of HPR’s enduring qualities. You’ll see in the logo a reflection of HPR’s roots in this place and how we’re enfolded in the public’s trust. It also tells the story of HPR as a bridge: our sound waves and digital tools bringing the world to Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i’s stories to the world. Both the logo and the app demonstrate a refreshed HPR looking forward to the future.”

The mobile application was developed by Public Media Apps and, besides live streaming, gives on-demand access to individual stories and programs (including some no longer carried on HPR). The app also includes a donation link which gives the user the option to immediately connect to the station via phone or online form.

Programming and re-branding decisions were made after analysis of data made available to HPR from National Public Radio, audience measurement services, a membership survey conducted by Hawai‘i research and consultancy firm SMS, and multiple “town hall” meetings with station constituents. The logo was designed by Noa Emberson of Onward Creative.

The station has a corps of “phone concierges” available to answer listeners’ questions about the program realignment. Special hours for these phone lines at (808) 955-8821 are listed at hawaiipublicradio.org. Comments and questions may also be submitted online at bit.ly/hprrealign.