Mana'o Radio to be Honored in Council Resolution for 20th Anniversary

MAUI, Hawaii, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Councilmember Kelly T. King is introducing a resolution at June 8th's council meeting congratulating Mana'o Radio for providing community outreach for two decades.

The resolution congratulates Mana'o Radio on its 20th anniversary. Serving Maui since 2002. Kathy Collins and Barry Shannon were inspired to create an alternative to corporate radio and to bring music to their community. Mana'o means thought, opinion, knowledge –and their vision was to share Mana'o not just through music but through all forms of audio.

"We were the 13th applicant in the nation to file our application," remarked Kathy Collins, Co-founder of Mana'o Radio.

 "We got a couple of investors and found some used equipment," explains Collins, "We went on air on March 11, 2002 at 6am from my teenage son's bedroom. A team of 5 volunteers helped us put an antenna up on the roof."

On June 11, 2014, Mana'o Radio was granted a new FCC High power license under Maui Media Initiative KMNO 91.7FM which vastly expanded their reach.

"You can't think about our music-loving community in Maui without thinking about Mana'o Radio.  They bring such joy to our island with live events and their FM broadcast," King said. "It's inspiring how they come together as volunteers to contribute to our community."

While relying solely on donations and volunteers to operate, the station continues to keep the music flowing through the FM broadcast, live music productions, live streaming, and adding segments to social media.

Current Mana'o Radio Board President Michael Elam noted, "our mission has stayed the same, but how we achieve it has changed. We've grown beyond just an FM broadcast to now include all sorts of digital tools and live music production."

At Mana'o Radio, no one receives compensation including DJs, engineering, operations management, board members and community partners. Every person is involved for the love of sharing eclectic music with FM listeners on Maui and growing an internet audience worldwide.

"The all-volunteer crew at Mana'o Radio is dedicated to enriching the lives of our community by focusing on local musicians and news reports," said King, who is in her third term as councilmember for the South Maui residency area. King's company, Pacific Biodiesel, recently partnered with Mana'o Radio to produce the Concert for Ukraine in the Maui sunflower fields.

Livestream the station's programs or listen on demand from anywhere in the world by visiting manaoradio.com.

Michael Elam
(808) 242-5666
[email protected]

SOURCE Mana'o Radio