New West Broadcasting has expanded its reach on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island with the launch of a new broadcast booster for KWXX, bringing local programming and emergency alerting capabilities to the rural Kaʻū district through a partnership with the County of Hawaiʻi.
The booster extends coverage to the Pāhala, Waiʻōhinu, Nāʻālehu, and Ocean View areas, which previously had little or no reliable access to radio. Along with music and community news, 94.7 FM will carry real-time alerts for natural disasters, civil defense updates, and other public safety messages.
New West President and General Manager Chris Leonard said, “This isn’t just about expanding our reach, it’s about serving our community. Kaʻū has waited a long time for dependable radio coverage, and we’re honored to provide both entertainment and life-saving information to these resilient communities.”
Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda added, “Every community counts. The people of Hawai‘i Island all deserve a commitment to public safety and access to emergency information, and this effort to expand radio coverage is helping to provide that in Kaʻū.”
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno said, “Improving radio coverage to Kaʻū advances our work to reach the last person, in the last house on the last block of every community with the alerts and information they need to help keep themselves and their ‘ohana safe.”
