Support "Kani Ka Pila!"

Aloha kakou!
Your kokua (help, assistance) is needed to keep the Hawaiian music radio show “Kani Ka Pila” from being cut from 3 hours to 2!

This popular show airs every Sunday from 9 am to noon (PST) on KVMR (89.5 fm, Nevada City, CA, and online). Host Michael Keene plays music by a wide variety of artists from both Hawai’i and the mainland – many (if not most) of whom get little to no radio airplay here in Hawai’i, in spite of the high quality of their work and their popularity with fans. (Lack of radio airplay is a common problem for musicians from all genres of music, but even more so in Hawaiian music.)

The show was started over 10 years ago by Rich Shipley, who is also the force behind Hawaiian Rainbow.com. I believe “Kani Ka Pila” started out as a one hour show (with a different name), but the popularity of the Hawaiian music format led to several increases in the allocated time.

The show has steadily increased in popularity over the years, especially once listeners were able to listen from afar via the internet. (I am a regular listener!) In addition to the music, Michael regularly features interviews with musicians and others in the Hawaiian community, including Kumu Hula, lomi lomi massage practitioners, and others such as Big Island Kahuna Haleaka Iolani Pule Dooley (Aunty Aka).

But now the station’s program committee is looking for space to insert a new (pre-recorded, non-Hawaiian) show – and they’ve decided to eliminate one hour of Kani Ka Pila in order to do it. However, the station is accepting public comment – and that’s where you come in! Please continue your support of Hawaiian music by sending an email to the program committee to request that they not reduce Kani Ka Pila’s on-air time! Time is of the essence – your letters or emails must be received by July 22.

Here is a portion of the letter the station just sent out, as well as the email (and snail mail) address to send comments:

“After several months of review, KVMR's Program Committee has made its preliminary schedule change recommendations that you'll find in this email.

Public comment and input will be accepted through Wednesday, July 22nd. You can email your comments to mailto:program@kvmr.org and all members of the PC will also receive the emails. You can also send comments to Program Committee, KVMR, 408 Broad Street, Nevada City CA 95959.

A public input session will also be held with the PC, Program Director Steve Baker and General Manager David Levin on Wednesday, July 22nd, 7pm, Superintendent of Schools Meeting Room, Nevada City Highway at Ridge Road, Grass Valley. The PC will then review all public comments and meet to make final recommendations to the General Manager before month's end for implementation of schedule changes beginning as soon as August 17.

Thanks for your consideration,The Program CommitteeSteve Baker, Catherine Allen, Phyllis Boorinakis, Kim Daniels, Mark Lippmann, Elisa Parker

KVMR PROGRAM COMMITTEE PRELIMINARY PROPOSED SCHEDULE CHANGES, APPROVED BY CONSENSUS JULY 09

Sunday:
7am Miller/Wells as is
9am Kani Ka Pila Hawaiian (less one hour)
11am Cafe'/New Music Series (new)
1pm Blues Spectrum as is "

(etc.)

Many musicians from Hawai’i have reaped the benefits that come with radio airplay on Kani Ka Pila and the few other mainland stations that play Hawaiian music, and those of us who are listeners can’t seem to get enough. Please show your support for shows like this one, and voice your opinion to KVMR’s program directors.

Mahalo for your kokua!