TIMELINE

1968

Plans are developed for 10 watt noncommercial educational FM station.

July 7, 1969

KTUH begins broadcasting on FM for the first time, at 90.5 mHz. Broadcasts run from 6:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 6:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Fridays. Located in Hawaiʻi Hall, room 206, the station is under the direction of the Speech-Communication Department. General Manager: Fred Barbaria.

October 1971

KTUH presents the first “quadrophonic sound” radio program in Hawaiʻi. If electronically equipped, listeners will receive four separate signals through four different speakers.

1972

KTUH broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

October 1972

KTUH begins transmitting via Kaiser Teleprompter (cable) to Hawaiʻi Kai (90.9 mHz).

July 1973

KTUH nearly shut down due to unpaid UPI bill. Payment of $1100 bill out of $1200 budget would bankrupt the station. Dean of Students Si Ellingson pays the bill and saves the day. It is proposed to put station under Department of Student Activities.

August 1973

KTUH expands, installing translator atop Leahi Hospital in Kaimuki. Frequency is 89.7 mHz for Kaimuki to Hawaiʻi Kai area. General Manager Fred Barbaria resigns. Russell Roberts becomes GM effective September 1.

November 1974

Main tower erected atop Porteus Hall (currently known as Social Sciences Building); transmitter located below on sixth floor. Transmitter to be operated by remote control from Hawaiʻi Hall. Due to move, main signal will change to 90.3 mHz. Originally planned to go off air for only ten days, station is off air for almost three months due to unforeseen technical problems. General Manager: Ross Stephenson.

February 1975

KTUH returns to air after equipment improvement.

September 1975

Translator installed on Mt. Kaala, becoming almost the only station Oʻahu’s North Shore can receive. Frequency is 91.3 mHz.

April 1976

KTUH shut down after failing to install new emergency broadcasting equipment required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). New General Manager is Kerry Painter, after Ross Stephenson resigns to find full-time outside job.

July 1976

General Manager Kerry Painter resigns to accept full time employment elsewhere. General Manager: Jim Todt.

February 1977

KTUH returns to air after a two-month absence; broadcasting ceased due to a faulty transmitter.

June 1977

General Manager: Rick Boudreau.

1979

KTUH moves into new studios at Hemenway Hall.

October 1979

The student senate of the Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi (ASUH) creates a Broadcast Communication Authority (BCA) to oversee KTUH and any future student-run broadcasting ventures. The BCA is funded by a reapportioning of the UH Mānoa student activity fee.

1982

General Manager: Jan Karasek. Board of Regents approves creation of BCA.

1983

General Manager: Bob Wiorek.

1984

KTUH receives permission from the Board of Regents to increase its broadcast power to 100 watts.

July 1986

KTUH sends three representatives, including General Manager Jai Mansson, to the 16th New Music Seminar in New York. KTUH had never before attended a seminar.

December 1987

KTUH receives the Trummy Young award. The award is given annually by the Hawaiʻi Jazz Preservation Society for “outstanding achievement in the perpetuation of jazz.” General Manager: Tim Lynch. BCA finally receives funding through student fees, putting the station on solid financial ground at last.

August 1988

General Manager Stevie Calandra and Program Director Pamela Westcott attend a community radio broadcasters conference in Managua, Nicaragua.

1990

General Manager: Pamela Westcott.

July 4, 1992

KTUH cosponsors FACE-IT: Hawaiʻi’s Concert for Life at Andrews Amphitheater to benefit the Life Foundation and PWAC: People With AIDS Coalition.

November 1992

General Manager: Andrew Hartnett.

March 1994

General Manager: Jai Mansson.

July 7, 1994

KTUH’s 25TH ANNIVERSARY! October: General Manager: Pat Louie.

October 1994

General Manager: Pat Louie.

July 1995

The KTUH website goes up.

June 24, 1996

In an attempt to make up for the cuts in the budget by the university, KTUH begins soliciting and airing underwritten spots.

December 1996

The KTUH website moves to its own server housed in the KTUH General Office.

April 1997

Frank McPherson becomes GM.

July 1997

KTUH gets a new airboard.

November 13, 1998

In a Board of Regents meeting on Maui, a power increase to 3,000 watts is approved for KTUH FM Honolulu.

March 1999

Frank McPherson steps down. Cedric Duarte assumes General Manager’s duties as Interim GM.

July 7, 1998

KTUH’s 30TH ANNIVERSARY!

May 2000

Barry Sato replaces Cedric Duarte as General Manager. Program Director duties, vacated by Sato, are assumed by Mary Brunson.

December 2000

Stacy Kinoshita replaces Mary Brunson as Program Director.

May 2001

Barry Sato steps down. Lori Ann Saeki assumes General Manager’s duties as Interim GM.

July 2001

Stacy Kinoshita steps down. Allyson Ota assumes Program Director’s duties as Interim PD.

July 31, 2001

At midnight on Tuesday morning, KTUH says goodbye to transmitting at 100 watts. Transmission will be discontinued for an estimated two weeks while KTUH’s tower and antenna are renovated for broadcast at 3,000 watts.

August 9, 2001

Due to unforeseen technical issues, KTUH’s estimated return to the airwaves at 3,000 watts is moved from Monday, August 13 at 6:00 a.m. to Thursday, August 16 at 6:00 a.m.

August 16, 2001, 6:00 AM

KTUH returns to the airwaves at 3,000 watts! The first song broadcast is “Change is Gonna Come,” by Otis Redding. The first DJ is Jeffery Long, filling an open show. Present are General Manager Lori Ann Saeki, Program Director Shaun Lau, Production Director John Goya, and Traffic Director Mark Ulit.

August 16, 2001, 6:03 AM

KTUH Online is relaunched to coincide with KTUH’s return to the airwaves. It is the site’s second makeover since its inception in July 1995. The site is also made accessible through the URL ktuh.org.

October 3-9, 2004

Radiothon 2004. KTUH raises approximately $33,000 towards its new Windward frequency and general station improvements.

November 17, 2005

KTUH debuts on the Windward side at 89.9 FM.

March 16, 2016, 3:00 PM

KTUH switches its frequency to 90.1 FM, broadcasting island-wide at 7000 watts. DJ Mermaid plays Ea Mai Hawaiʻi by Kaumakaʻiwa Kanakaʻole to celebrate the change.

January 1, 2018, 6:01 AM

KTUH website relaunched with new implementation using MeteorJS written by Interim Web Director Derek Chan. New website features includes real-time display of the song currently playing.

August 28, 2019

KTUH is a finalist in two CBI Student Production Awards: Best Hard News Reporting (Audio) and Best Student Media Website.

September 4, 2019

The Honolulu City Council recognizes KTUH for 50 years of college radio in Hawaiʻi. General Manager: Smee Wong.