New history book recaps history of Hawaii television

Local broadcast historian AJ McWhorter’s new book, “Honolulu Television,” sums up 65 years of television history in Hawaii, from the first day this state launched a local signal in 1952, to a major change in the TV landscape in 2009 when two affiliates merged into a duopoly. Hot off the press, the 127-page book tells the story of this visual medium most appropriately – using photographs to convey the message.

Honolulu Television book cover. Courtesy: AJ McWhorter

The book, released in December 2017, debuted at number one on Amazon’s new books in the categories of television and video engineering. McWhorter spent a year putting the book together.

“Honolulu Television” is sold on Amazon. Screenshot of it charting to #1 the first few days it was up for sale.

It’s a labor of love that was borne out of a big change in a different medium: print journalism. It was the fall of 2016, and he had just lost his Honolulu Star-Advertiser column after eight years of penning “Looking Back,” a monthly article that reflected on Hawaii’s media history and personalities.

AJ and his book. Courtesy: AJ McWhorter

“I still felt I had a couple of years’ worth of columns, and I wanted to express it. I thought, ‘Maybe I should write a book,’” recalls McWhorter. Not one to sit still for long, he quickly found a publisher and sold the proposal.

Photos of KHNL’s morning show with Dash & Diane. Our show was the last on air before KHNL merged with KGMB into Hawaii News Now. Bottom photo of morning crew: L to R: Janet Lee, Darin Akita, Carla Young, Mark Shiraishi, Dan Schmidt, Diane Ako, Howard Dashefsky, Dayton Oshiro, Tasha Luke, Lee Richards, Taires Hiranaka, Tracy Gladden, Jessica Hamamoto, Courtney Kono.

The book moves chronologically, recounting Hawaii’s television history through wonderful photographs of both places and people; to kids’ programs (I loved Checkers and Pogo) and favorite local shows (my grandfather loved Let’s Go Fishing); and includes a nod to public broadcaster PBS. McWhorter, also a former KITV and KHON staffer, spent hours combing various sources for photos, like the Hawaii State Archives, media outlet archives, his own collection, as well as asking friends – like me.

More photos from me.

My four photos from KHNL (NBC) made the cut out of over a thousand pictures, and are on pages 122 and 123. As one who has spent most of her career in TV news and much of her life in Hawaii, I love the book. I find it meaningful to look back at shows I grew up with or newscasters I watched as a child. It tickles me to move through the decades and see friends and colleagues – or a few times, myself.

I’m currently on call at KITV Island News (ABC), so I’ve now been employed at all the stations here; I feel a real connection to the material presented. (I’ve not worked at KGMB, but I was at KHNL for 13 years, and it’s half of Hawaii News Now, so if viewed that way…)

McWhorter says he’s been interested in the past his whole life. “I’ve been told countless times I’m an old soul in a young man’s body,” he laughs. “I just have tremendous respect for those who came before. They set the groundwork for us. I respect my elders in general and try to learn from them.”

McWhorter hopes that his book will take readers on a nostalgic walk down memory lane. “People can look back fondly at a time gone by, when there were just a few stations on the dial and life was so much simpler,” he says.

What’s next for McWhorter? He’d like to turn this book into – what else? – a documentary, and possibly produce a book about Hawaii’s radio history. As we say in the business, stay tuned for that.

Honolulu Television is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Honolulu-Television-Images-America-McWhorter/dp/1467127582. It’s also on bookshelves at Barnes & Noble at Ala Moana Center.

He’s also in talks to supply the book to Walmart, Target, Native Book & Beautiful Things, Bookends, and Costco.

Author(s) on this Post

Diane Ako

Peace of mind By Diane Ako I like to reflect on life. Sometimes it’s philosophically. Sometimes it’s humorously. For all its beauty, life is far too difficult a journey to take alone. You need the support and connection with others to help carry you along the way. Writing brings me that connection– within and without. It clarifies my thoughts and feelings. It helps me reach out to others for advice, wisdom, or feedback. Your thoughts become your actions. Your actions become you. A wise yogi- Patanjali- said, “Speak what is true. Speak what is pleasant.” Let’s speak of things pleasant to one another and seek some peace of mind along the way. ABOUT Diane Ako joined Hawaii: In Real Life in October 2016. She likes being part of a community of local bloggers – people who like writing and sharing, like she does. Ako is an anchor/ reporter at Island News (KITV4 – ABC) in Honolulu. She previously anchored and reported at KHON2 (FOX) and KHNL (NBC), and at stations in California, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania. She freelance writes for NMG Network's magazines. In between news jobs, in 2017, she launched and ran her own p.r. company, Diane Ako PR. From 2010-2014, she headed the public relations department at Halekulani Corporation, which oversees luxury resort Halekulani and boutique hotel Waikiki Parc. She’s been blogging since 2009 – before Hawaii: IRL, she wrote for The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the state’s largest daily newspaper, where her stories garnered a dozen journalism awards and an Emmy nomination. Ako has a BA in Communications from Menlo College and an MA in Political Science from University of Hawaii at Manoa. She volunteers as a board member of the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation, a Shinto shrine maiden at Daijingyu Temple, a citizen-scientist studying shrimp, and a yoga teacher at a senior center.

Diane Ako has 274 posts and counting. See all posts by Diane Ako

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