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KIKU (channel 20) is an independent television station in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, which primarily airs Japanese and Filipino programming. It is owned by Allen Media Group alongside ABC affiliate KITV (channel 4). The two stations share studios on South King Street in downtown Honolulu; KIKU's transmitter is located in Nānākuli.

Key Information

Channel 20 in Honolulu went on air in December 1983 as KHAI-TV. Though built and originally owned by Tennessee-based Media Central, it has specialized in Asian programming for nearly its entire history. International Channel Network acquired KHAI-TV in 1989 as part of Media Central's bankruptcy. JN Productions took over operations in 1993 and changed the station's call sign to KIKU; its owner, Joanne Ninomiya, had been the general manager of channel 13 when that station was Japanese-language KIKU-TV. JN continued to supply Japanese-language programming for KIKU until 2004. UPN programming aired on channel 20 from 2004 to the network's closure in 2006. In addition, the station produced local programming, some of which was aimed at the Vietnamese and Filipino communities in Hawaii.

After passing through a number of owners including AsianMedia Group and NRJ TV, WRNN-TV Associates acquired the station in 2019. As part of a group affiliation agreement, KIKU converted to the home shopping network ShopHQ in June 2021, a switch met with outcry and dismay by Hawaii viewers. Allen Media Group acquired KIKU in 2022 and immediately restored its prior program format, augmented by English-language syndicated programs and local newscasts from KITV.

KIKU on channel 13

[edit]
Main article: KHNL § KIKU-TV: The Japanese-language years

The call sign KIKU first was associated with Japanese-language television in Honolulu in 1967, when Richard Eaton bought KTRG-TV (channel 13) from David Watumull and renamed it KIKU-TV (kiku (キク(菊)) being the Japanese word for the chrysanthemum flower[3]).[4][5] His announced plans to make channel 13 a primarily Japanese-language station had led to scrutiny of the transaction by the Federal Communications Commission; during this time, the station's intended general manager programmed two hours a week of Japanese-language shows.[6]: 77  By 1967, the station programmed entirely in Japanese.[3]

In 1968, it began nightly telecasts of sumo wrestling.[7] The station introduced English-language subtitles on its Japanese-language programs in 1970, which proved popular and expanded to having half of all programs subtitled by 1975.[3] Another channel 13 specialty was children's programming; it aired such tokusatsu programs as Kamen Rider, Rainbowman, and Android Kikaider (known in Hawaii as Kikaida).[3][8] The success of the latter was particularly noteworthy; the show beat Sesame Street in the ratings, and it was noted in an article in Time magazine.[9] A station employee, Hideo Fujii, recalled that "older people in the Nikkei community would sit up straight in bed and weep" watching KIKU's programs.[10]

In 1979, KIKU-TV was sold by Eaton to Mid-Pacific Television Associates.[11][12] The new ownership proposed to reduce the proportion of Japanese-language programming at the station. This prompted general manager Joanne Ninomiya, who had run channel 13 since 1969,[13] to depart in January 1981; she then started her own company, JN Productions, to broadcast Japanese-language shows on cable.[14] The new KIKU-TV ownership instituted a mostly English-language program lineup in June 1981.[15]

Under new general manager Rick Blangiardi, in 1984, KIKU-TV changed its call sign to KHNL.[16] Ninomiya renewed her association with KHNL beginning in 1986, providing six hours of Japanese programs on Sundays as well as a daily newscast from Japan and subtitled sumo broadcasts.[17][18]

History

[edit]

Construction

[edit]

In late 1978, a group of investors known as Sunset Communications Corporation was formed to file for channel 20. Sunset shared investors with Delta Television, a subsidiary of advertising firm Petry Television that had put WPTY-TV in Memphis, Tennessee, on air earlier that year. For one of the principals, John A. Serrao, it was a return to Hawaii, as he had been general manager of KHVH-TV (channel 4) in the early 1960s when it was owned by Kaiser Broadcasting.[19] The channel 20 construction permit was granted on August 12, 1980.[20]

The group sold the permit to Media Central of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1982; under Media Central, the station began broadcasting as KHAI-TV on December 30, 1983, with Japanese-language programming from the Tokyo Broadcasting System.[21] It was the fifth station Media Central built during 1983.[22] In addition to Japanese-language programming, the station added Filipino programming in 1986 and shows in Korean in March 1989.[23] However, its broadcast day was limited. In 1986, the station switched from signing on at noon to beginning at 4 p.m. because Oceanic Cable, the dominant cable provider on Oahu, placed it on the same channel as The Discovery Channel.[24]

ICN/AsianMedia ownership

[edit]

In 1987, Media Central filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[22] KHAI was sold for $1.75 million to International Channel Network (ICN), which owned Los Angeles multicultural station KSCI, in 1989.[23] ICN moved the station to new studios on Sand Island Access Road in 1991, built a new transmitter, and expanded its weekly broadcasting by 28 hours; more than half of the new airtime featured programming in Chinese.[25]

ICN brokered the station's airtime to JN Productions, the programming and subtitling company owned by Joanne Ninomiya, in 1993; JN began handling sales and programming duties. The first move made with the change in management was the consolidation of the cable programming from JN Productions as well as KHNL's Japanese-language shows onto channel 20's schedule.[26] Ninomiya also changed the station's call sign to KIKU.[27][28]

KSCI and KIKU were sold in 2000 to a consortium of The Korea Times and private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, known as AsianMedia Group.[29] In 2004, JN Productions ceased providing programming functions for the station, though it continued to supply KIKU with subtitles for its Japanese-language programming; the station brought programming operations in-house.[30] In 2007, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs honored Ninomiya with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for contributing to "introducing Japanese culture and promoting friendship between Japan and the United States".[31]

KIKU was the last of four stations to air UPN programming in Hawaii when it began airing the network's programs on November 1, 2004. UPN programs were usually broadcast in the late afternoon, leaving Japanese-language shows in prime time.[32] The original UPN affiliate had been KFVE; when it dropped UPN to emphasize The WB, KHON-TV and KGMB then split UPN programming.[32] KIKU was the only Honolulu station that could provide a two-hour block to air UPN prime time programming.[33] When The WB and UPN merged to form The CW in 2006, KIKU passed on the offering because The CW wanted prime time clearance for its programming.[34] In addition to shows it purchased, KIKU produced local programming. This included short-form segments such as The Wisdom of Hawai‘i's Elders, Japanese Word of the Day, and Itadakimasu.[35] Its output also included a local show in Vietnamese and another in English aimed at the Filipino community.[36] For a time, it aired anime syndicated by the Funimation Channel, making it the service's first non-cable affiliate; KIKU broadcast dubbed versions of select shows every weekday from 6 to 7 p.m. and 10 to 11 p.m.[37]

KIKU discontinued analog broadcasting on January 15, 2009, the date on which full-power television stations in Hawaii transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts. The transition in Hawaii had been brought forward from the original February 17 national switch date—itself later delayed to June—because of concern that the dismantling of existing transmitter towers atop Haleakalā on Maui would affect the mating season of the endangered Hawaiian petrel, which begins in February.[38] KIKU continued to broadcast on its pre-transition channel 19, using virtual channel 20.[39]

In January 2012, AsianMedia Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection; the station, along with KSCI in Los Angeles and its San Diego repeater KUAN-LP, was sold to NRJ TV (a company unrelated to European broadcaster NRJ Radio) for $45 million in March 2012, in a transaction that included the assumption of AsianMedia Group's debt.[40][41]

Sale to WRNN-TV Associates; home shopping programming

[edit]

Disappointment, disbelief, indignation. No more Red and White Song Festival at New Year's? No Abarenbo Shogun revivals or cute commercials for Gyotaku restaurants? In favor of another 24-hour shopping network?!

Kathy Collins, opinion columnist for The Maui News, on her reaction to learning of KIKU's switch to ShopHQ[42]

On December 9, 2019, WRNN-TV Associates announced it would purchase NRJ's TV stations;[43] the acquisition received FCC approval in January 2020 and was completed the next month.[44][45] WRNN-TV Associates continued the Asian format until announcing in May 2021 that it would affiliate all of the stations it owned with ShopHQ, a home shopping network, on June 28. For ShopHQ, this deal brought high-definition cable and satellite carriage on TV stations reaching more than 20 million homes in the major markets of New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas–Fort Worth, San Francisco, Houston, Washington, and Boston.[46] The deal included KIKU; eight days later, the station announced that "The Rumor Is True" and that ShopHQ would displace all of KIKU's existing programming.[47] It also meant the closure of the KIKU studio in the Pacific Guardian Center, in part because ShopHQ programming did not include local advertising.[48]

The change led to considerable outcry, including among older viewers that had watched the station for decades and were not necessarily fluent in English.[49] Station manager Phyllis Kihara told Pacific Business News, "We've been getting calls and emails and texts all day. When you look at Facebook, the messages people are leaving, we're really sorry we're going to lose this and I think that's what the people of Hawaii feel like, too."[48] Kihara went as far as to provide aggrieved viewers her direct contact information.[42] Observers, including Ninomiya, noted that running a Japanese-language TV station carried with it significant costs for licensing programs and additional expenses and needed personnel skills to translate and subtitle them.[35][49] While a variety of sources for Japanese- and Filipino-language programming, such as Nippon Golden Network, continued to be available, these were all pay services to which viewers may not have necessarily been able to subscribe.[49] In advance of the change in format, KIKU scheduled episodes in such a way as to complete series, airing some shows twice a week or more.[48]

Sale to Allen Media Group

[edit]

Only three months after the change to ShopHQ, on September 27, 2021, it was announced that KIKU would be sold to Allen Media Broadcasting, owner of KITV, for $4,000,000.[1] The sale was completed on January 31, 2022.[50]

Allen immediately moved to restore much of the prior programming and format to KIKU. On January 31, KIKU returned to airing Japanese and Filipino programming, as well as local newscasts from KITV. It also added Entertainment Studios and other syndicated content to fill the schedule out further.[51][52] The general manager of KITV said that KIKU's new schedule would include about 75 percent of the programs the station had been airing prior to switching to ShopHQ,[53] including some subtitled shows.[54]

On June 1, 2025, amid financial woes and rising debt, Allen Media Group announced that it would explore "strategic options" for the company, such as a sale of its television stations (including KIKU and KITV).[55][56]

Subchannels

[edit]

KIKU's transmitter is located in Nānākuli.[2] The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of KIKU[57]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
20.1 720p 16:9 KIKU Multicultural Independent
20.2 480i 4:3 MeToons MeTV Toons
20.3 LAFF Laff
20.5 JTV Jewelry TV
9.2 480i 16:9 Rewind Rewind TV (KHII-TV)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

KIKU

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
KIKU is an independent licensed to , , , broadcasting on virtual channel 20 (UHF digital channel 19) and serving as a key outlet for multi-cultural programming in the region. Owned by as a to ABC affiliate , KIKU shares studio facilities with KITV on South King Street in . The station's history traces back to the , when it first emerged as a platform for Japanese-language television under different call signs and ownership structures, evolving into a staple for Asian-American audiences in . KIKU primarily airs Japanese dramas, variety shows, and Filipino programming, including popular series like Soko ga Japan and Kuru Kuru Japan, catering to Hawaii's diverse immigrant communities. In 2021, under previous owner RNN Media Group, the station briefly discontinued its ethnic content, prompting community outcry and appeals from Hawaii's congressional delegation to preserve the cultural broadcasts. However, following its acquisition by Allen Media Group in early 2022, KIKU was relaunched with restored Japanese and Filipino programming, reaffirming its role as Hawaii's premier multi-cultural TV outlet. The station is available over-the-air on channel 20.1, as well as through cable providers like Spectrum (channel 1009) and Hawaiian Telcom (channel 1020).

Overview

Station Profile

KIKU is an independent licensed to , serving the Honolulu designated market area via 20 (UHF digital channel 19). It operates as a multicultural broadcaster, emphasizing programming tailored to Japanese and Filipino communities in the region. The station's studios are shared with sister station () at 801 South King Street in , while its transmitter is situated in Nānākuli on the island of Oahu. Launched on December 30, 1983, originally as KHAI-TV, KIKU has maintained a focus on diverse ethnic content since adopting its current call letters in 1993. The call sign KIKU, meaning "" in Japanese, was first associated with Japanese-language television in on channel 13 beginning in 1967. As of November 2025, KIKU remains an active under the ownership of , which acquired it in January 2022 from WRNN-TV Associates. On June 2, 2025, announced it had retained investment bank to explore the potential sale of its ABC, , , and affiliated television stations in 21 markets, amid ongoing financial challenges facing the broadcast industry; as an , KIKU was not included in this process. In August 2025, Allen sold 10 such affiliated stations to Gray Media, and KIKU's carriage was renewed with in May 2025.

Technical Specifications

KIKU originally operated as an station on UHF channel 20 from its launch in late until the digital transition. The station discontinued analog broadcasting on January 15, 2009, aligning with the shutdown of analog signals for full-power stations across at noon that day. Since the transition, KIKU has broadcast digitally on 20.1 and physical RF channel 19, operating as a full-power facility under the call sign KIKU. Its is transmitted with an (ERP) of 60.7 kW using horizontal polarization and a . The (HAAT) measures 606.4 meters (1,990 feet), with the antenna mounted 68 meters above ground level at an above mean sea level elevation of 769 meters. The transmitter site is located at 21°23′40″N 158°5′51″W in the Nānākuli Forest Reserve on Oahu's west side.

Historical Background

Origins of the Call Sign

The call sign KIKU was first introduced in 1967 for a broadcasting on channel 13 in , , marking the inception of dedicated Japanese-language programming in the state. Originally operating as KTRG-TV under previous ownership, the station was acquired by broadcaster Richard Eaton of the United Broadcasting Company, who rebranded it as KIKU-TV to align with its new ethnic focus. Eaton announced plans to dedicate at least 50% of the schedule to Japanese content shortly after the purchase, catering to Hawaii's large Asian-American population, particularly those of Japanese descent. From 1967 to 1984, KIKU-TV on channel 13 functioned as Hawaii's pioneering outlet for Japanese media, airing imported dramas, news, and cultural programs that connected the local Nikkei community with their heritage. This era represented a significant expansion of ethnic in the islands, filling a niche unmet by mainstream English-language stations and fostering cultural preservation amid Hawaii's diverse demographic. The station's operations on channel 13 ended in 1984 when new management, led by , shifted the format toward general audience appeal and changed the call letters to KHNL, effectively retiring KIKU from that frequency. The selection of "KIKU" as the call sign drew directly from the Japanese term kiku (菊), meaning —a flower emblematic of the Japanese imperial , , and nobility, often associated with autumn festivals and cultural identity. This highlighted the station's commitment to Japanese cultural ties within Hawaii's multicultural context, symbolizing renewal and community roots for viewers. The call letters remained dormant until , when they were reassigned to the independent station on channel 20 (formerly KHAI-TV), reviving the name for ongoing Asian-oriented broadcasting in .

Launch and Early Operations

Media Central Inc., a broadcaster based in , acquired the construction permit for UHF channel 20 in from Sunset Communications Corp. in 1982 and completed the necessary facilities to bring the station to air. The station signed on as independent KHAI-TV on December 30, 1983, marking it as Honolulu's second , after KTRG-TV on channel 13, and the first full-power UHF station in the market. From its debut, KHAI-TV operated as an with a mix of general fare, including cartoons, classic movies, and targeted Asian-American programming to serve Honolulu's multicultural audience. The initial schedule emphasized Japanese-language content such as imported dramas, reflecting the city's large Japanese-American population. Filipino programming was incorporated starting in 1986 to further broaden appeal among other ethnic groups. In 1993, following its acquisition by JN Productions, the station changed its call sign to KIKU-TV, reusing the letters from the shuttered Japanese-focused predecessor on channel 13 to evoke cultural heritage. Early operations faced challenges from a limited budget as a startup UHF independent owned by a modest group operator, requiring focused outreach to diverse ethnic communities in a competitive landscape dominated by established VHF network affiliates like KHON-TV (ABC), KGMB-TV (CBS), and KHVH-TV (NBC).

Ownership and Programming Evolution

Initial Ownership and Asian-Focused Format (1983–2012)

KIKU-TV, originally launched as KHAI-TV on December 30, 1983, by Tennessee-based Media Central, Inc., quickly established an ethnic programming format targeted at Hawaii's diverse Asian communities, featuring Japanese-language shows such as dramas and news alongside Filipino variety programs and cultural content. The station, operating on UHF channel 20 from studios in , emphasized imported content from Asia to serve the state's significant Japanese, Filipino, and Korean populations, filling a gap left by mainstream networks. This initial focus helped build a loyal viewership among the Asian , with programming that included educational segments on Japanese customs and Filipino entertainment, reflecting Media Central's strategy of developing independent UHF stations with niche multicultural appeals. Media Central's financial difficulties culminated in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in July 1987, leading to the sale of KHAI-TV in 1989 to the International Channel Network (ICN), a Los Angeles-based company known for its multicultural station KSCI-TV, for $1.75 million as approved by the Federal Bankruptcy Court. Under ICN ownership, the station expanded its international Asian content, incorporating a broader range of imported programming such as Korean serials and Vietnamese news while maintaining the core Japanese and Filipino offerings that had defined its early years. In 1993, JN Productions, led by general manager Joanne Ninomiya, assumed operational control and changed the call sign to KIKU-TV (meaning "" in Hawaiian, symbolizing Japanese heritage), further solidifying its role as a hub for ethnic media without shifting away from the Asian-focused format. The station remained independent until 2000, when ICN's assets, including KIKU-TV, were acquired as part of a $255 million merger forming AsianMedia Group, a consortium involving and private equity firm , which aimed to consolidate Asian-language media for U.S. audiences. AsianMedia strengthened local production under this ownership, introducing community-oriented segments and shows like the travel program Soko ga Japan, which explored Japanese culture and destinations, alongside ongoing imports of Japanese soap operas and Filipino telenovelas to engage Hawaii's communities. The format emphasized cultural events, such as festivals and language lessons, fostering a sense of connection for Asian immigrants and descendants, with viewership sustained by the station's unique niche in a market dominated by English-language broadcasters. In 2004, KIKU-TV briefly became a secondary affiliate of the , airing select English-language shows in off-peak hours while preserving its primary Asian programming schedule, a arrangement that lasted until UPN's dissolution in 2006. Throughout the ICN and AsianMedia eras, the station's commitment to multicultural content contributed to steady growth in its audience share among Hawaii's Asian population, which comprised over 50% of the state's residents by the early , without pursuing full network affiliation that might dilute its ethnic focus.

Shifts Under NRJ TV and WRNN (2012–2022)

In 2012, NRJ TV LLC acquired KIKU-TV from International Media Group as part of a $45 million deal that encompassed the station along with KSCI-TV in and KAUN-LP in San Luis Obispo. The transaction, approved by the FCC following the seller's proceedings, allowed NRJ TV—a company focused on acquiring smaller-market independents—to maintain KIKU's established Asian-focused format, which had been a staple since its early years. Under this ownership, the station continued broadcasting Japanese and Filipino programming, including dramas, news, and cultural shows targeted at Hawaii's diverse ethnic communities. NRJ TV's stewardship of KIKU lasted until late 2019, when , the parent entity of RNN National LLC and owner of New York-based , announced the acquisition of KIKU and seven other full-power stations from NRJ TV for $81.2 million. The deal, aimed at expanding RNN's national footprint to cover over 28% of U.S. households, closed in 2020. Initially, the new ownership preserved KIKU's ethnic programming lineup, with no immediate alterations to the schedule of imported Asian content and local features. However, financial pressures on RNN prompted a significant pivot in June , when KIKU replaced its Japanese and Filipino programming with 24/7 content across its main channel and subchannels. This shift, affecting multiple RNN-owned stations, marked a departure from decades of multicultural and represented a low point for KIKU, as the station aired full-time infomercials and product promotions in place of cultural staples. The change elicited strong community backlash, with viewers lamenting the loss of essential ethnic representation and launching petitions to restore the original format. U.S. Representatives and Kaialei Kahele amplified these concerns by writing to the FCC on June 30, , requesting intervention to preserve KIKU's role in serving Hawaii's Asian-American audiences. The controversy underscored the station's cultural significance and fueled restoration efforts, including negotiations that set the stage for a return to ethnic programming the following year. During the NRJ and early RNN periods, KIKU also expanded its digital subchannels—such as 20.2 and 20.3—to carry supplementary content like syndicated shows and revenue-generating infomercials, helping to diversify income streams amid evolving broadcast economics.

Allen Media Group Era and Recent Changes (2022–Present)

In January 2022, completed its acquisition of KIKU from WRNN-TV Associates for $4 million, marking the end of the station's brief tenure as a affiliate that had interrupted its longstanding multicultural programming since mid-2021. Upon closing the deal on , 2022, the new ownership swiftly restored KIKU's core Japanese and Filipino content, including dramas, variety shows, and cultural programs that had defined the station for decades, while committing to its role as Hawaii's multicultural broadcaster. Under , KIKU integrated operationally with its Honolulu sister station (an ABC affiliate also owned by the group), enabling shared news production resources to enhance local coverage. This collaboration introduced "Island News at 10," a weekday newscast produced by 's team and airing on KIKU, providing Hawaii-focused reporting on community events, weather, and current affairs to complement the station's ethnic programming. To broaden its appeal beyond traditional audiences, augmented KIKU's lineup with English-language syndicated content, including classic television from on subchannel 20.2, alongside local elder wisdom segments and senior resources. By 2025, KIKU continued to emphasize its multicultural roots with high-profile events, such as live coverage of the Grand Sumo Tournament from London, airing October 15–19 and marking the event's return outside Japan after over 30 years. However, the station faced uncertainty amid Allen Media Group's broader financial pressures; on June 2, 2025, the company announced it had retained investment bank Moelis & Co. to explore the sale of its portfolio of local television stations, including ABC affiliate KITV and independent KIKU in Honolulu, to address over $1 billion in debt accumulated from prior acquisitions. In August 2025, Allen Media Group sold 10 of its stations in other markets to Gray Media for $171 million as part of these efforts, but no transaction involving KIKU or KITV had been finalized as of November 2025, allowing the station to maintain its restored format and ongoing operations.

Current Operations

Primary Programming

KIKU's primary programming on its main channel (20.1) centers on multicultural content tailored to Hawaii's diverse Asian-American communities, featuring a blend of imported Japanese and Filipino series alongside local productions. The station airs Japanese dramas and soap operas, such as Kuru Kuru Japan and Soko ga Japan, which explore everyday life, travel, and cultural stories in , appealing to the local . Filipino telenovelas and dramas, including restored favorites like those in the mystery and romance genres, provide emotional focused on dynamics and societal issues. These imported shows form the backbone of the weekday and weekend schedule, typically airing in the evenings to capture peak viewing hours for immigrant and second-generation audiences. Local programming emphasizes community engagement and cultural preservation, with shows like The Wisdom of Hawai‘i's Elders showcasing interviews with seniors sharing personal histories and life lessons from Hawaii's multicultural fabric. Complementary segments include senior resources, offering practical advice on health, finances, and community services for older viewers, as well as the Japanese Word of the Day, a brief educational feature promoting language learning and cultural appreciation. These Hawaii-produced elements integrate seamlessly with the Asian imports, fostering a sense of local identity within the broader multicultural slate. News and lifestyle content, produced in partnership with since 2022, anchor the late-evening lineup, including Island News @10—a 30-minute broadcast covering Hawaii-specific stories—and New Island Life Live, which highlights events, tips, and island living. Special events underscore KIKU's role in cultural programming, such as the live broadcast of the 2025 Grand Tournament from London's , airing October 15–19 with daily matches starting at 7 p.m. HST to connect viewers with traditional Japanese sports. The overall schedule mixes these Asian series, community-focused shows, and limited English-language syndication, such as occasional reruns of popular U.S. programs like The Rookie, to balance accessibility while prioritizing ethnic content that reflects Hawaii's demographic. This format, restored under Allen Media Group's ownership, has revitalized KIKU as a hub for Asian-Pacific programming in the islands.

Digital Subchannels

Following the nationwide digital television transition on June 12, 2009, KIKU began offering digital subchannels on its UHF digital channel 19 to expand programming options and generate additional revenue through affiliations. The station's primary subchannel, 20.1, carries KIKU's main independent feed, featuring multicultural programming targeted at Hawaii's diverse Asian-American communities. Subchannel 20.2 is affiliated with Toons, which broadcasts classic from the 1960s through the 1990s, including shows like and . On 20.3, KIKU airs Laff, a national network dedicated to comedic programming such as sitcoms and stand-up specials from the 1980s and 1990s. Subchannel 20.5 features Jewelry Television (JTV), a network specializing in jewelry, gemstones, and related accessories through live demonstrations and sales.
Virtual ChannelAffiliationProgramming FocusVideo Format
20.1IndependentMulticultural independent
20.2MeTV ToonsAnimated classics
20.3LaffComedy series
20.5Jewelry TVJewelry shopping

References

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  37. https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/nrj-tv-paying-45-million-for-la-independent/
  38. https://rbr.com/three-more-stations-going-to-nrj-tv/
  39. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2012/03/26/business/thebuzz/court-lets-bankrupt-owner-sell-local-tv-station-kiku/
  40. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/12/09/1958146/0/en/RNN-Reaches-Agreement-to-Increase-Permanent-Distribution-Platform-to-28-Percent-of-the-US-With-NRJ-Purchase.html
  41. https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2021/05/28/kiku-changes-programming.html
  42. https://www.siliconera.com/kiku-television-will-stop-airing-japanese-content-in-june/
  43. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/06/04/hawaii-news/longtime-hawaii-station-kiku-tv-to-drop-japanese-and-filipino-programming-for-home-shopping-network/
  44. https://www.change.org/p/rnn-media-group-bring-cultural-programming-back-to-kiku-tv
  45. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KIKU
  46. https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/02/01/breaking-news/kitv4-owner-purchases-kiku-tv-restores-filipino-japanese-programming/
  47. https://www.kitv.com/kiku/
  48. https://www.metvtoons.com/wheretowatch/affiliate/744
  49. https://nonstophawaii.com/grand-sumo-tournament-2025/
  50. https://www.newscaststudio.com/2025/06/02/allen-media-group-potential-sale/
  51. https://deadline.com/2025/06/allen-media-group-hires-investment-bank-to-sell-tv-stations-1236420381/
  52. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-02/byron-allen-hires-moelis-to-shop-1-billion-in-local-tv-stations
  53. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-08-08/la-fi-byron-allen-tv-stations
  54. https://www.kitv.com/kiku/programs-schedule/
  55. https://www.ontvtonight.com/guide/listings/channel/69023664/kiku-hdtv.html
  56. https://metvtoons.com/
  57. https://www.laff.com/
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