KIKU
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| KIKU | |
|---|---|
| File:Anime20.JPG | |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | |
| Branding | Anime 20 |
| Analog channel | 20 (UHF) |
| Digital channel | 19 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | Anime TV(since September 2006 and November 2007) Animovie on DT2 Funimation Channel on DT3 JTN on DT4 Anivision on DT5 (starting 02/09/08) |
| Owner | Taylor Media Stations Group |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Call letters meaning | KIKU is 菊(きく), or Chrysanthemum in Japanese |
| Former affiliations | Multcultural Independent (1983-2007) UPN(secondary)(2004-2006) Funimation Channel (secondary)(2006-2007) JTN(secondary)(September 2006-September 2007),(primary)(September 2007-November 2007) |
KIKU-TV is an Anime TV based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, KIKU broadcasts on UHF Ch. 20, Time-Warner Cable 9/Digital 89 (O‘ahu), Time-Warner Cable 10/Digital 89 (Maui), Time-Warner Cable Digital 89 (Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i) and Hawaiian Cable 12. Most of the televised content is Anime programming catering to the large Asian community in the Hawaiian Islands. From 2004 to 2006, KIKU was also a secondary affiliate of the now-digital subchannel Japanese Television Network, airing most Japanese programming during the late afternoon hours. With the cable broadcast in place, KIKU can be seen on all the major islands.[1]
Anime Programming
Programs currently come from Anime TV and mostly syndicated programming. Anime programming is its most popular genre, licensing the content from some of Japan's major anime companies, including ADV Films, Funimation, 4Kids Entertainment and Studio Ghibli.[2]
For the Anime content to reach the majority demographic of Hawaii, KIKU partners with Taylor Media Stations Group.
KIKU also presented a selection of anime series in English from the FUNimation Channel from September 2006 to September 2007 which is currently shown on DT3.
Station history
Not to be confused with the current KIKU, the market's original KIKU broadcast on channel 13. It started out as KTRG-TV in 1962 (then owned by the Watumull Broadcasting Company). Its first broadcast aired on July 4, 1962. The TV station was sold in 1966, changing its call letters to KIKU.[3]
The original KIKU was quite popular with Hawaii's children throughout the 1970s, televising several Japanese tokusatsu shows, including Kamen Rider V3, Kikaida, Rainbow Man, Ganbare Robocon, and Sentai Go Ranger.
The Cushmans of San Diego, in partnership with TV Asahi and ten local investors, formed Mid-Pacific Television Associates and bought KIKU on April 9, 1979. Japanese programming was pared-down and moved to late evening; KIKU switched to a "kid vid" format, scoring success with The Children's Hour and Professor Fun.[4]
Separately, on February 12, 1980, KHAI-TV was officially registered with the FCC on channel 20.
In 1984, KIKU was renamed KHNL-TV. In 1986, KHNL-TV was sold to King Broadcasting Company of Seattle, Washington, a large privately owned television company. Along with the purchase, KHNL-TV became the local affiliate for Fox. However, KHNL-TV still retained its Asian roots, and continued to broadcast content -- mostly sumo matches -- from those countries.
In 1992, King Broadcasting was sold to Providence Journal Broadcasting Corporation and its financial partner, Kelso & Company. Some major changes occurred at KHNL-TV as a result of the purchase, including the conversion of its local affiliate status from Fox to NBC.
KHAI-TV would take on the KIKU call sign on September 4, 1993.
In October 2003, General Manager Gregg Mueller left KIKU after a three-year tenure.
After many years together, KIKU and acting president Joanne Ninomiya of JN Productions ended their partnership in early 2004. Today, KIKU produces their own English subtitled programs in-house.
In the fall of 2004, KIKU became a secondary affiliate of the UPN television network. UPN was previously seen in the Honolulu market on KFVE from 1995 to 2002, and then on KHON and KGMB from 2002 to 2004 (also as secondary affiliations).
The station returned to having no national network affiliation in September 2006, when UPN merged with The WB to form The CW Television Network. Although UPN fans anticipated KIKU becoming an affiliate of The CW so they can continue to watch their favorite shows, KIKU announced they would instead become a dual Anime TV/JTN affiliate.[5]
Instead, KIKU became one of the few terrestrial affiliates of the Anime TV and JTN. From September 2006 to September 2007, KIKU ran 2 hours of anime programs every Monday through Friday from 6-7 pm and 10-11 pm local time; the anime lineup changed every so often. In September 2007, due to low viewership, KIKU decided to discontinue Anime TV programming and made JTN as the primary affiliate until Taylor Media bought the station in November.
The late afternoon timeslots formerly reserved for UPN and Funimation programming are now filled Anime TV, JTN, and the syndicated cartoons Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and [[.
The CW is carried throughout Hawaii on a digital subchannel of KHON-TV, which is also Honolulu's FOX affiliate. [7]
Criticisms
As demonstrated on the official message board, fans are pleased with KIKU's overall performance , specifically their prime-time anime. In the last few years, KIKU has displayed more of an interest in keeping its faithful fans, as traditional shows such as Megatokyo and Onsen e Ikou have been given thumbs up. To fill the prime-time slots, KIKU is bringing in mystery/suspense drama series, rather than the trendy drama genres that once made KIKU an envy of the the continental U.S. Vocal fans have even expressed their pleasure by moving their viewing time to its competitors, KBFD and the Nippon Golden Network, while others have resorted to fansubs.
Through the hardcopy publication Kokiku Magazine, fans have expressed their pleasure of KIKU continuing to air comedy shows such as Cracked TV. Phyllis Kihara, General Manager of KIKU, defended the station's position, saying that in the 7:00pm Monday through Friday time-slot, Soko has higher ratings in the local Nielsen Ratings than some of the major network shows.
KIKU is also notable for its dire lack of "reality" programming outside of primetime, as religious programming make up the majority of the station's schedule during the daytime and game shows during the late night hours.
