The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is quietly edging toward a possible takeover of local TV outlets KITV and KIKU, with trustees set to decide on May 28 whether to sign off on up to $172,500 for confidential due diligence. The money would pay for private valuations, legal review and other behind the scenes checks that come before any public negotiations or a formal purchase offer.
On the May 28 agenda, the item shows up as a proposal to tap as much as $172,500 for a confidential review of “certain assets and real property controlled by a production and/or broadcast company serving the Hawaiʻi market,” according to the State of Hawaiʻi public meetings calendar. At the same time, OHA has filed a procurement notice seeking a specialized media brokerage and broadcast transaction advisory firm to handle market analysis, independent valuation and FCC related due diligence. The filing describes the work as both highly specialized and time sensitive and asks for an exemption from the usual competitive bidding rules. The calendar and procurement notice indicate trustees may head into executive session to discuss the matter before taking any public action.
Why now: a busy market for local stations
The timing is not random. Allen Media Group, which owns KITV and KIKU, has been reshuffling its portfolio. Last year it hired Moelis & Company to explore station sales and other options, a move reported by MarketScreener (Dow Jones). Earlier this month, Allen closed on a roughly $171 million, 10 station deal with Gray Media, according to TV Technology, putting a spotlight on which properties might be next.
Industry coverage shows Allen bought KITV in 2020 in a deal reported by Next TV, then later picked up KIKU. The company restored KIKU’s Filipino and Japanese programming in 2022, a shift detailed by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Any change in ownership would therefore involve two stations with statewide reach and deep ties to local communities.
Trustees say media ownership could change the conversation
Trustees and community advocates told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that taking control of broadcast outlets could give OHA “a more direct role in shaping statewide information flow.” They also suggested that a local buyer could tighten community connections and bolster economic independence. Trustee Keith Vieira and trustee Kuhio Lewis were among those quoted saying that media ownership could help OHA amplify Native Hawaiian perspectives across the islands.
What OHA would evaluate in a sale
OHA’s procurement notice spells out what it wants from any advisory firm: broadcast market analysis, independent valuation, a financial and operational review, due diligence on infrastructure and licenses, and transaction advisory support from start to finish. In plain terms, it is the full workup that tells trustees what the stations are really worth and what regulatory or structural issues might be hiding under the hood, before they decide whether to move from “let’s look” to “let’s deal.”
For more on the requested scope of work and why the agency is seeking an exemption from standard procurement rules, see the filing from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (procurement notice).
Next steps and how the public can weigh in
The May 28 meeting packet is expected to be posted in advance, and the board is accepting both written and oral testimony under the procedures outlined on the public calendar. The listing also notes that trustees may go into executive session to discuss confidential due diligence, a standard move when legal and financial details are still under wraps.
According to the State of Hawaiʻi public meetings calendar, the OHA board will meet remotely, with a physical location at OHA’s offices open to the public. Meeting materials are scheduled to be posted ahead of time so community members can read the proposed action and decide whether to submit testimony.
The decision in front of trustees is not just about adding another line to OHA’s investment portfolio. The agency manages large program budgets for Native Hawaiian initiatives and oversees a multi million dollar biennium budget that funds grants and services statewide. Any move to buy broadcast assets would carry both financial implications and political weight. For a sense of the scale of OHA’s existing obligations and investments, see the OHA FY26–27 preliminary budget.
