History of Hawaii News Now in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 10, 2026

Hawaii News Now is a joint news operation in Honolulu, Hawaii, serving as the news department for CBS affiliate KGMB, NBC affiliate KHNL, and Telemundo affiliate KFVE. These stations are owned by Gray Media, which produces the newscasts. Hawaii News Now also partners with KBFD, providing content for their Korean-language newscast, and has a radio partnership with KHKA.

1952: KGMB's news department starts

In 1952, KGMB's news department started shortly after it signed on the air.

1962: KHNL runs newscasts intermittently as KTRG

In 1962, KHNL had run newscasts intermittently since signing on as independent station KTRG.

1978: Joe Moore joins KHON-TV

In 1978, sports director Joe Moore joined KHON-TV, leading KHON to overtake KGMB in the ratings.

April 1995: KHNL forms news department as Fox affiliate

In April 1995, KHNL formed its longest-running news department to date as a Fox affiliate, launching a 9 p.m. newscast that was simulcast on KFVE.

January 1, 1996: KHNL joins NBC and adds weekday morning newscast

On January 1, 1996, KHNL joined NBC and added a weekday morning newscast to its programming.

January 1996: KFVE becomes exclusive to the 9 p.m. newscast

In January 1996, the 9 p.m. newscast became exclusive to KFVE.

August 18, 2009: MCG Capital and Raycom Media enter shared services agreement

On August 18, 2009, MCG Capital Corporation and Raycom Media entered into a shared services agreement, with Raycom as the senior partner. The combined operation was based at the KHNL/KFVE studios, and KGMB vacated its longtime home. The arrangement also saw a channel swap, with KGMB's call letters, CBS affiliation, and programming moving to channel 5, and the KFVE intellectual unit moving to channel 9.

October 26, 2009: Hawaii News Now launches

On October 26, 2009, the new unified newscasts, titled Hawaii News Now, launched. The two stations began to jointly produce and simulcast weeknight 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts, while KHNL moved its 6 p.m. newscast to 5:30.

November 7, 2009: Report reveals Raycom to pay MCG Capital for KGMB

On November 7, 2009, a report in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin revealed that Raycom would pay MCG Capital Corporation $22 million for KGMB.

2011: Honolulu Star-Advertiser forms partnership with Hawaii News Now

In 2011, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser formed a partnership with Hawaii News Now to combine stories, investigative reporting, political news researching and polling of issues that affects Hawaiians.

May 2020: KHKA begins simulcasting Hawaii News Now broadcasts

In May 2020, CBS Sports Radio affiliate KHKA began simulcasting Hawaii News Now broadcasts, shifting to a part time News/Information/Sports hybrid format with addition of CBS News Radio programming.

June 22, 2020: Hawaii News Now begins to broadcast 'This is Now' on KHNL-TV

On June 22, 2020, Hawaii News Now began to broadcast its digital newscast 'This is Now' on KHNL-TV weekdays at noon, hosted by Ashley Nagaoka and Jonathan Jared Saupe.