The History of KUAM

The history of KUAM, Guam's premiere media leader, began with a moment of inspiration high above the Pacific. In 1952, Harry S. Engel, the owner-manager of KVEN in Ventura, California, read a magazine article about post-war Guam while on a flight, and by the time he landed, he had conceived the idea for the first commercial radio station west of Hawaii.

From 1953 to 1954, Engel coordinated the ambitious planning from Guam, Hawaii, and California. The venture faced significant logistical hurdles, including the challenge of broadcasting from a coral-based island where a poor ground system could result in transmission "blank spots." Furthermore, surveys indicated that only 35-55% of the island's population owned radios. On the business front, Engel noted the non-existent commercial areas familiar to Statesiders and the need to anticipate a year for navigating the slower clearance processes of the nascent local government. Despite these difficulties, which included a tight money supply due to new taxes and unrest over civilian rule, Engel was resolute, declaring that the station "can, and will be built in Guam... It will take money, time, and an unholy amount of patience. BUT IT CAN BE DONE!"

The vision materialized on March 14, 1954. Five minutes after the Armed Force Radio Services signed off the air permanently at 5:55 pm, KUAM Radio (610 AM, 1 kw) signed on, becoming the island's first commercial broadcast station. As an NBC affiliate, it was managed by Engel and served over 70,000 civilians and 15,000 U.S. military personnel, with its signal reaching Saipan and Tinian. Operating daily from 6 AM to Midnight, KUAM offered a mix of NBC network affiliate shows and local programs in English, Chamorro, and Tagalog, with news delivered via RCA teletype from AP and UPI. Early staff included Announcer/Engineer Wally George (later famous for his syndicated show "Hot Seat") and receptionist Madeliene Zeien Bordallo, who became a popular personality known as "Sirena" and later served as Guam’s First Lady, a  Senator,Lieutenant Governor of Guam, and Guam Congresswoman.

Just two years after the radio station's debut, KUAM was preparing for its television sibling. Following a meeting between Engel and Resident Manager Dick McGuire in Honolulu to mark the radio station's second anniversary, Engel confirmed his application for television rights was pending Washington approval. The U.S. Air Force, recognizing the need for recreation for its families, immediately offered support, with Brigadier General Nils O. Ohman congratulating KUAM on its decision.

KUAM-TV, Channel 8, signed on the air on August 5, 1956. The station, also an NBC affiliate, was built at the same Ordot site as the radio station. It initially broadcast for three to five hours in the evening, featuring mostly filmed programs air-mailed from the mainland, which often meant a delay of several weeks or months. This delay sometimes required the station to fill airtime with educational or military films. The advent of television profoundly influenced local culture, with shows like Peyton Place and Password becoming favorites, and Old West shows even leading to local children mishearing "Giddyup!" as "Hallicop!" As Guam’s first local television station, local programming was a key staple of KUAM TV since it’s inception. Early original local programs included: Variety talent shows like “The Alan Sect Show”, “Women’s World with Madeleine Bordallo”, “The Rosary Hour”, and a nightly local newscast which has remained an essential part of KUAM’s operation to this day.

Over the following decades, KUAM continued to grow and adapt:

• 1964: Two mainlanders, H. Scott Kilgore and Sam Rubin, formed the Pacific Broadcasting Corporation and purchased Radio Guam.

• 1966: A third outlet, FM94 (93.9 FM), was introduced, broadcasting automated “beautiful music”.

• 1970: KUAM TV began broadcasting in color.

• 1979: FM94's format controversially changed from beautiful music to "94 Rock" with live DJs. KUAM TV began broadcasting live via satellite key sporting events in coordination with the Armed Forces Network.

• 1989: KUAM 610 AM became "610 Estasion Minagof," serving as the first and only all-Chamorro station for a six-year period, providing a platform for the preservation of Guam's language and culture. KUAM 610AM (Isla 63am) broadcasted Chamorro only music in programs through 2021 in which the AM station was gifted to Good News Broadcasting. Today, Isla CHamoru radio continues to stream exclusively through www.kuam.com. 

Today, KUAM TV and Radio fall under the Pacific Telestations, LLC umbrella, encompassing KUAMFM - 93.9 FM, KUAM TV8 (NBC), and KUAM TV11 (CBS), alongside a robust suite of digital properties including a Podcast Network, website, mobile app, and social media platforms. KUAM also launched the region’s first OTT channel on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming app.

KUAM's commitment to the local community has remained steadfast through triumphs and tragedy, earning them awards for quality programming and journalism, and various community service designations for their community service initiative, the KUAM Careforce. Through their over 70 year history, the station group has been a regional resource documenting key events, milestones, and a first responding local broadcaster during times of emergency and natural disaster. Their enduring slogan, "First on Guam," has evolved from a literal statement of being the island’s inaugural broadcast station to a symbol of their continuous role as a leader, innovator, and the first source for being informed and entertained.