Aloha mai kākou,
Turning 60 sneaks up on you. One day you’re running around on four hours of sleep, and the next your knees are filing a formal complaint. It’s a strange age, old enough to know better, young enough to still try, and wise enough to stretch before doing anything that might require ice afterward.
As PBS Hawaiʻi celebrates its own 60th year, I’ve been thinking about how similar we are. We both have a lot of stories to tell. We both rely on good lighting. And we both know that if you surround yourself with the right people, you can keep going for a very long time.
Over the years, this station has become more than a place that broadcasts programs. It’s become a place where people gather to learn, listen and see themselves reflected with honesty and respect. If turning 60 teaches you anything, it’s that trust is precious. This community has given us that trust for six decades and we work to honor it every day.
I’m grateful that PBS Hawaiʻi is still growing, still learning and still willing to try new things, even if some of us need to stretch first.
The next 60 years will bring change, but we’ll continue to be a home for tough conversations and a believer in storytelling’s power to bring people together. And I know this community will meet whatever comes with the same resilience and aloha that has carried us this far.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for inspiring our team every day.
With respect, aloha and a little extra ibuprofen,
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Ron Mizutani &
the PBS Hawaiʻi Team
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Public television in Hawaiʻi has had several names over its six decades: Hawaiʻi Educational Television (HETV), Hawaiʻi Public Television and now, PBS Hawaiʻi. But what has never changed is our commitment to storytelling, education, conversation, culture and connection. As former station manager Mary Bitterman explains best, “Our commitment … was not to have programming for some people all the time, but having some programming for everyone.”
April 15, 2026 marks 60 years since HETV broadcast its first program from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Lab School campus. It also kicks off a year-long celebration of our milestone with a special program, PBS Hawaiʻi: 60 Years of Storytelling on Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 pm, looking back at some of the most iconic moments, programs and people from the last 60 years.
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PBS Hawaiʻi could not have sustained the last 60 years without the support of viewers like you and the generosity of local businesses, organizations and charitable trusts. Mahalo nui loa to the following sponsors for helping to commemorate 60 years of storytelling at PBS Hawaiʻi:
-Olson Trust
-Stupski Foundation
-John A. Burns School of Medicine
-Kamehameha Schools
-Kualoa Ranch
-Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
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“Ka naʻauao o nā kūpuna ka lama, e hoʻomālamalama i ke ala no nā keiki. The wisdom of the elders is the torch that enlightens the path of the children.” Big Island native Kolby Akamu Moser sees kūpuna as a vital backbone for the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. She sat down with five Native Hawaiian kūpuna to document their mea hana (craft) and kuleana (responsibility) as it was passed down to them to preserve their ʻike (knowledge) for the next generation. These living legends represent many facets of Hawaiʻi life, including paniolo (cowboys), lawaiʻa (fishermen), pahu (drum) carvers, poʻe ulana (lauhala weavers) and more.
PBS HAWAIʻI PRESENTS Hometown Legends premieres Thursday, April 23 at 8:30 pm.
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This year marks 80 years since the April 1, 1946 tsunami devastated Shinmachi, the Japanese business district in Hilo. More than 150 people were killed across Hawaiʻi. Families salvaged what they could to rebuild, only to have the district wiped out again by another deadly tsunami in 1960. Surviving residents recall the community’s resilience to keep the spirit of Shinmachi alive.
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ʻONO! Hawaiʻi’s Food Culture
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Portuguese sausage, eggs and rice, fried rice and more! No matter how you cook it, Portuguese sausage fills the air with an unforgettable (and delicious) aroma and our minds with distinct memories of our favorite dishes and the people and places that serve them. ʻONO! Hawaiʻi’s Food Culture introduces us to a local business serving up Portuguese sausage for generations of Hawaiʻi families.
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ALANUI MELE: Hawaiʻi Hip-Hop History
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Born in the Philippines and raised in Hawaiʻi, SPEL ONER discovered art as his sanctuary. Early in his art career, he realized that his creative journey extended far beyond graffiti. With an uncanny skill for computers, design and illustration, he recognized an opportunity to channel his creativity into a variety of new media connecting hip-hop and visual artistic expression.
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National Program Highlights
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J Schwanke, “The Flower Guy,” returns with a new season of
J SCHWANKE’S LIFE IN BLOOM to share techniques for arranging and entertaining with flowers. On a visit to Hawaiʻi, he learns about flower breeding from Dr. Tessie Amore at the University of Hawaiʻi (pictured with J), visits Green Point Nurseries on the Big Island and hangs out with Chef Ed Kenney.
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NATURE presents the two-part series Becoming Elephant: The Orphans of Reteti. Located in Kenya, Reteti is the first community-owned elephant sanctuary in Africa. Local keepers act as surrogate parents to these elephants rescued from poaching, drought or human-wildlife conflict, nurturing them back to health and preparing them for life in the wild.
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Stream your favorite PBS shows and create your perfect watchlist by downloading the free PBS App. Looking for early access or to catch up on a previous season? Become a PBS Hawaiʻi member with a gift of $5 a month and get more with your PBS Hawaiʻi Passport.
And if you are already eligible and haven’t yet, activate your PBS Hawaiʻi Passport today!
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Are you looking for more great programming or our Program Guide?
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PBS Hawaiʻi is celebrating a milestone in 2026 – 60 years of storytelling. In many cultures, 60 is symbolic, a time of reflection and renewal. As we mark this milestone, we are laying the foundation for the next 60 years and beyond. We welcome you to join us on this journey and kindly ask for your support. Mahalo!
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