By Adam R Jacobson
At the end of 2017, a group of investors led by Larry Fuss came together to purchase what is today KHKU “Star 94.3,” serving the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Now, Fuss is expanding his holdings in the 50th state in a significant way.
The John Detz-led Visionary Related Entertainment is agreeing to sell its radio stations serving Maui to Fuss’s newly created Akamai Broadcasting of Hawaii LLC in a deal totaling $800,000.
This gives Akamai the following stations:
- KDLX-FM 94.3, a Top 40 station with a Class C1 signal licensed to upcountry town Makawao; it has a booster in Lahaina serving West Maui
- KNUQ-FM 103.9, a reggae station with a Class C signal licensed to Pau’uilo with two translators at 103.3 MHz in Paia and Napili, respectively
- Class C1 KAOI-FM 95.1 in Wailuku, the first FM station to serve Maui. It has an Adult Alternative format
- Class C2 Classic Hits KHEI-FM 107.5 in Kihei, branded as “Buzz 107.5.” It also has a booster serving West Maui from Lahaina
- Class B News/Talk KAOI-AM 1110 in Kihei, a 5kw facility with 1 tower
- Class B KEWE-AM 1240 in Kahului, Maui’s biggest city. It airs a traditional Hawaiian music format as “The Spirit”
A $40,000 deposit is being held by Barry Wood of Wood & Maines P.C., serving as escrow agent. Visionary Related Entertainment hired Exline Company as its broker, and will receive a portion of the proceeds from the stations’ sale.
The Maui radio market is measured by Eastlan Ratings each summer. In the 2023 report for the island, Pacific Media Group stations held the top four slots; the company remains the chief competitor to the properties Fuss is acquiring.
Other operators include H. Hawaii Media, led by George Hochman; and non-profit Mana’o Radio.
