Kauai Broadcast Partners Acquires KZZV/Hanapepe, Hawaii

Larry Fuss

KAUAI BROADCAST PARTNERS has filed an application with the FCC to acquire Contemporary Christian KZZV/HANAPEPE, HAWAII, on the island of KAUA'I.

LARRY FUSS, who built KKHJ in PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA, back in 1999, is the man behind the company. According to FUSS, “At the time, it was widely thought I was crazy.  Building a radio station on a small, isolated island 8000 miles from my home base seemed like an insane idea to many.  But, it has been immensely successful and now, 18 years later, has grown to a two-station cluster, plus a cable TV channel and an LPTV.  When the opportunity to buy a station in HAWAII came along, I reached out to a bunch of friends and all agreed that owning a radio station there would be a fun project.  

FUSS' partners in the venture include a variety of broadcast veterans, including WLEN/ADRIAN, MI's JULIE KOEHN, THUNDERBOLT BROADCASTING's PAUL TINKLE, DELTA RADIO NETWORK's TOMMY TATUM, former WLYF/MIAMI PD ROB SIDNEY, syndication pro SCOTT MEYERS, KELK/KLKO/ELKO, NV's PAUL GARDNER, KKHJ/WVUV/PAGO PAGO GM JOEY CUMMINGS, EAST KENTUCKY BROADCASTING's CINDY MAY, SHERIDAN MEDIA's KIM LOVE and WKDZ/CADIZ, KY's BETH MANN. 

Said FUSS, “We have an incredible brain trust assembled, all of whom will contribute to the success of the station.”  He added the current call-letters will be changed, but that a new format has not yet been decided on. The station, which formerly aired a religious format, has been off-air since AUGUST.  FUSS said he hopes to commence operation by next summer.  He adds, “The biggest challenge so far has been listing the broadcast interests of all the partners on the FCC transfer application.”

In addition to his broadcast interests in AMERICAN SAMOA and MISSISSIPPI, FUSS also serves on the Board of Directors of the NAB, representing AMERICAN SAMOA, HAWAII, GUAM, the NORTHERN MARIANAS and SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

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