As HPR celebrates its 45th anniversary of being on the air, we take a moment to recognize the leadership that brought this station to where it is today.
To mark the occasion, we look back on a conversation between two of HPR's more recent legends: Michael Titterton served as president and general manager of HPR from 1999 until 2016, when he turned the reins over to José A. Fajardo, who led HPR until 2024. Both Titterton and Fajardo passed away in 2024.
We captured the moment the torch was passed on The Conversation in the spring of 2016.
Interview Highlights
On taking up the mantle
JOSÉ A. FAJARDO: First of all, let me acknowledge the wonderful work that Michael has done for the last 16, 17 years in really enhancing the infrastructure of Hawaiʻi Public Radio. … My role is really to continue the great work that Michael has already started over these past many years to ensure that we continue to be able to fund the infrastructure and continue to invest into the programming — not just the national programs, but invest in the local programs. I think this is where Hawaiʻi Public Radio becomes so relevant in this community, which I hope soon to call my community.
On building and expanding Hawaiʻi Public Radio
MICHAEL TITTERTON: It's always a work in progress. We've always said that about Hawaiʻi Public Radio. It's always going to be a work in progress. … What we'll have a couple of months from now, I hope, is a network that is truly given to arts and culture, continuing in the classical music tradition, but broadening that even to more fully and richly reflect … the very special sense of place of Hawaiʻi in the middle of the Pacific, and drawing on classical music traditions from something somewhere other than Europe. … We'll continue to develop its news programming muscles, and we've got a couple of specific projects in mind. So yeah, it's not going to be boring.
On his future goals for Hawaiʻi Public Radio
FAJARDO: Local programming is so important for public radio, but especially for Hawaiʻi Public Radio. … By doing this change that Michael is talking about, it allows us to recalibrate our local programs so that we are reaching as great an audience as possible. … I'm a strong believer in local programming. Everywhere I've been, I've created local programming, and that's the way that you connect this radio station with the community. So I'm really looking forward to that and making it even better in future years.
This story aired on The Conversation on HPR's 45th anniversary, Nov. 13, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
