PBS Hawaii to buy and expand KHNL’s old facility

PBS Hawaii announced in early December that it has purchased KHNL-TV's property at the corner of Nimitz Highway and Sand Island Access Road. KHNL has moved to new studios at the corner of Waiakamilo Road and Nimitz Highway.

According to Leslie Wilcox, PBS Hawaii chief executive officer, the nonprofit will purchase the approximately one-acre parcel and building for $5.2 million and plans to expand "for the next generation in Hawaii."

PBS Hawaii had been unable to obtain a long-term lease for its current facility on Dole Street from its landlord, the University of Hawaii. The station has leased that site since it became an independent, private nonprofit organization in 2000.

PBS Hawaii won’t move into the building immediately. It will first study how it may be expanded and equipped for its needs, Wilcox said. The nonprofit will need to raise funds for the build-out and move and is "asking UH to give us up to seven years to raise money and also do all the things you need to do to move a television station."

KHNL will relocate by the end of the year, according to John Fink, its vice president and general manager. In its new location it will consolidate operations, now split between the Nimitz location and a Puuhale Road facility, and launch Hawaii's first high-definition newscast.

PBS Hawaii combines two shows: In the meantime, PBS Hawaii said it will consolidate two weekly shows, “Everybody’s Business with Howard Dicus” and “Insights on PBS Hawaii” with host Dan Boylan, effective Jan. 15. Dicus, host of “Everybody’s Business” on Friday evenings, will become a contributing editor for “Insights,” which will continue to be moderated by Boylan and aired live at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Dicus attributed the change to trying to reduce costs in the current economic downturn. “My show required more than a dozen people to put on the air including a director, technical director, floor director, TelePrompTer operator, four camera operators, a make-up professional, and a closed-captioning transcriber — and me,” he told Pacific Business News.