iHeartMedia/Honolulu Launches Asian Pop ''PoP! 101.9''

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, May 18, 2023

''PoP! 101.9''

iHeartMedia flips Alternative KUCD/Honolulu to America's first 100kW Asian Pop station as "PoP! 101.9," effective immediately. Asian Pop music has become a worldwide phenomenon and features socially conscious lyrics that are attuned to the lives of young people today. iHeartMedia started developing this new music format in 2019 on KUCD-FM-HD2 with its unique mix of songs from superstar artists like BTS, Blackpink, TWICE, NewJeans and Fifty Fifty.

The new station launch coincides with Asian/Pacific Islander Month throughout May. Meanwhile, the Alternative format heard on KUCD-FM as Star 101.9 since 1997 will swap frequencies and move to KUCD-FM-HD2 and K256AS, rebranding as Star 99.1, Hawaii's Alternative Rock. Both stations will be heard worldwide on the iHeartRadio app.

"Asian Pop is exploding in popularity across the globe and becoming mainstream and mass appeal music here in Honolulu," said iHeartMedia Honolulu Senior Vice President of Programming Jamie Hyatt. "We are witnessing the passion listeners have for the format firsthand. It's the next big music movement and we're proud to be a part of it."

"The Asian Pop format delivers a dream demographic for advertisers too, those who make the most purchasing decisions for households," said iHeartMedia Honolulu Market President Scott Hogle. "We are excited to add PoP! 101.9 to our legendary line up of stations that include 92.3 KSSK, Island 98.5, 93.9 The Beat, News Radio 830 KHVH, Fox Sports 990 and Star 99.1."

The weekday lineup of on-air hosts for PoP! 101.9 will include KC (6-noon), Becky Mits (noon-6pm) and Maddox (6-midnight).