KDNN (98.5 FM, "Island 98.5") is an commercial Hawaiian

contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top ...

formatted radio station based in

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

. The

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc., formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a company founded by ...

outlet broadcasts with an ERP of 51 kW. It also transmits on Oceanic Spectrum digital channel 851 for the entire state of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

. Its studios are located in the

Kalihi Kalihi is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, United States. Split by Likelike Highway (Route 63), it is flanked by Liliha, Chinatown, and Downtown Honolulu to the east and Mapunapuna, Moanalua, and Salt Lake t ...

neighborhood of Honolulu, while its transmitter is located

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

History

98.5 signed on the air on Independence Day, 1988, as KHHH, "The Wave", boasting a new age (or "smooth jazz") format. Soon after, the station picked up the satellite format "Z-Rock", on May 17, 1991, and for a time boasted that adrenaline-pumping, testosterone fueled format. When that didn't work, KHHH began simulcasting its all-news AM sibling KHVH, in August 1992. Soon after, the station flipped again, as KKLV with a classic hits format (which was launched in March 1994), but on October 22, 1999, at noon, they would flip to the "Island Rhythm" format, which targeted young adults with a mix of contemporary Hawaiian hits, reggae and local fare. Launched as Island Rhythm 98–5, Mornings were anchored by Lanai & Augie, and popular disc jockeys Rodney Villanuewa, Wendy From Waianae, Eddie L, Jake, Pomai, John James, Makani, Big Steve and K Kamani made KDNN, Honolulu's most listened to station. Around 2005, the station name was shortened from Island Rhythm 98.5 to simply Island 98.5. KDNN is one of Honolulu's FM stations whose format is geared toward native Hawaiians. The stations KQMQ,

KCCN KCCN-FM (100.3 FM, "KCCN FM100") is a commercial Hawaiian contemporary hit radio station. The SummitMedia outlet broadcasts with ERP of 100 kW. The station's studios are located in Downtown Honolulu and its transmitter is located near A ...

, and

KINE Kine or KINE may refer to: Radio and TV stations * KINE-FM, a radio station (105.1 FM) licensed to Honolulu, Hawaii, United States * KINE (AM), a radio station (1330 AM) licensed to Kingsville, Texas, United States * KINE-LP, a defunct low-po ...

also target local Hawaiians. In May 2009, after a very successful 19-year run at rhythmic CHR KIKI-FM, Rory Wild & The Wake Up Crew moved to KDNN-FM bringing along popular features Wild Wahine Wednesday, Psychic Thursday, and Stupid Joke Friday. Island 98.5 immediately exploded in the ratings overtaking longtime rival KCCN-FM and closing in on sister station

KSSK-FM KSSK-FM (92.3 MHz) is an adult contemporary formatted commercial radio station serving the Honolulu media market. It is owned by and licensed to Waipahu, Hawaii. Studios are located in the Kalihi neighborhood of Honolulu, and the transmitter sit ...

for the highest ratings in Honolulu. At around the same time, the iHeartRadio app took off, and Island 98.5 became available worldwide. In 2018, KDNN-FM started the Island Music Awards in order to honor the popular recording artists on their playlist

KDNN-HD2

KDNN previously offered country Music on its HD2 side channel. As of 2012, it offers traditional Hawaiian Music branded as "Hawai’i No Ka’Oi" (translated as "Indeed the Best"). Previously, "Hawai’i No Ka’Oi" simulcasted on a translator with callsign

K256AS K256AS (99.1 FM broadcasting, FM, "Star 99.1") is a broadcast relay station, relay transmitter in Honolulu, Honolulu, Hawaii. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves as an analog simulcast of KUCD, KUCD-HD2, KUCD's HD Radio subchannel, carrying ...

on 99.1.

References

External links

* * 1988 establishments in Hawaii Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States Hawaiian-music formatted radio stations IHeartMedia radio stations Radio stations established in 1988 DNN {{Honolulu-stub