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Our office recently acquired a fascinating book titled the Companies We Keep Amazing stories about 450 of Hawaii's best known companies by Bob Sigall and his students at Hawaii Pacific University. Published 2004.
Along with business categories such as restaurants, industrial firms and banks, there is a chapter in it titled 'Behind the scenes at Hawaii radio and TV stations".
In there is a subchapter titled "The Hidden Meanings of Hawaii Radio and TV Station Call Letters" which I found particularly interesting.
Here's a few...
KCCN - Initials of founders Perry Carle, Dr. Ralph Cloward and Jerry Neville.
KHVH - "Kaiser's Hawaii Village Hotel"
KGMB - Named after 1930's radio station chief engineer George M. Bowls (Bowles). Was rumored in the past to stand for Greater Mormon Broadcasting.
KITV - "Island Television" (obvious)
KHNL - "Honolulu" same designation as Honolulu Airport > HNL (obvious)
KSSK - SS for "Super Station"
KNDI - "Candy" radio.. started as an all-girls rock station to compete against KPOI in the early 60's.
KUMU - thought to have been named for "Kumu" or "teacher", but GM Jeff Coelho said the founder John Weiser named it after the kumu fish.
KIKI - Short for "WaiKIKI"
KIKU - "Chrysanthemum" in Japanese
KINE - "Thing"
KKUA - "Kokua" (help) radio, founded by Jeff Coelho in 1973 after leaving KPOI.
KORL - "Coral", originally 650am
KRTR - "Crater" (obvious)
K-POI - Ron Jacobs suggested adding the dash for emphasis on the word POI or "Hawaiian Super Glue"
There are many more listed, as well as the history of Hawaii's most popular radio and TV stations covered in this really cool book. Perhaps some folks who post here may have even contributed to the research of that chapter.
How much of the book's content is concrete fact may be arguable. Never-the-less it's truly an interesting read that anyone who's lived in Hawaii more than a few years would find fascinating. To note, my company is listed in this book.
the Companies We Keep
Check it out on your next bookstore visit!
Along with business categories such as restaurants, industrial firms and banks, there is a chapter in it titled 'Behind the scenes at Hawaii radio and TV stations".
In there is a subchapter titled "The Hidden Meanings of Hawaii Radio and TV Station Call Letters" which I found particularly interesting.
Here's a few...
KCCN - Initials of founders Perry Carle, Dr. Ralph Cloward and Jerry Neville.
KHVH - "Kaiser's Hawaii Village Hotel"
KGMB - Named after 1930's radio station chief engineer George M. Bowls (Bowles). Was rumored in the past to stand for Greater Mormon Broadcasting.
KITV - "Island Television" (obvious)
KHNL - "Honolulu" same designation as Honolulu Airport > HNL (obvious)
KSSK - SS for "Super Station"
KNDI - "Candy" radio.. started as an all-girls rock station to compete against KPOI in the early 60's.
KUMU - thought to have been named for "Kumu" or "teacher", but GM Jeff Coelho said the founder John Weiser named it after the kumu fish.
KIKI - Short for "WaiKIKI"
KIKU - "Chrysanthemum" in Japanese
KINE - "Thing"
KKUA - "Kokua" (help) radio, founded by Jeff Coelho in 1973 after leaving KPOI.
KORL - "Coral", originally 650am
KRTR - "Crater" (obvious)
K-POI - Ron Jacobs suggested adding the dash for emphasis on the word POI or "Hawaiian Super Glue"
There are many more listed, as well as the history of Hawaii's most popular radio and TV stations covered in this really cool book. Perhaps some folks who post here may have even contributed to the research of that chapter.
How much of the book's content is concrete fact may be arguable. Never-the-less it's truly an interesting read that anyone who's lived in Hawaii more than a few years would find fascinating. To note, my company is listed in this book.
the Companies We Keep
Check it out on your next bookstore visit!
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