WORLD NEWS MEDIA DIRECTORY
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Maui Now is an online news and information hub dedicated to Maui County, Hawaii. Based in Kahului, it publishes local breaking news, weather and surf reports, events, sports, business, food and dining, and community content, with video and multimedia coverage. It is owned and operated by Pacific Media Group, a Hawaii-based media company that also operates 20 radio stations across the state, Hawaii Airport Advertising, and the Big Island Now news site. In a market with limited local television news, Maui Now has become one of the primary sources of daily information for Maui residents, and its role grew even more critical during and after the devastating August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Kula.
Maui Now is a property of Pacific Media Group, a Hawaii-based media company with offices in Honolulu, Kahului, Lihue, Hilo, and Kona. The company owns and operates 20 radio stations statewide — including stations on Maui such as KPOA 93.5 FM — along with Hawaii Airport Advertising, MauiNow.com, BigIslandNow.com, and multiple websites, apps, and digital radio products. With more than 150 employees, Pacific Media Group describes its philosophy as operational excellence, customer focus, and meaningful contributions to local communities. The company's statewide audio network and digital assets give Maui Now a distribution and advertising infrastructure that standalone local news sites rarely enjoy, and content is shared across the group's digital news sites on Maui, the Big Island, and Kaua'i.
Maui Now's news operation covers the full range of Maui County life: county government and the mayor's office, the Maui County Council, state legislature news affecting the island, crime and courts, business openings and closures, housing and real estate, and the visitor industry that dominates the local economy. Its news topics include dedicated sections for Maui wildfire recovery, elections, and the Hawai'i Journalism Initiative's in-depth reporting. The site publishes breaking news updates throughout the day, and its reporters take photos and shoot short video clips as part of daily online content. In the wake of the 2023 wildfires, Pacific Media Group hired additional news and feature reporters for Maui Now to meet the surge in demand for local journalism.
Weather and surf coverage is a cornerstone of Maui Now's service to residents and visitors. The site publishes daily weather forecasts and surf reports — essential information on an island where ocean conditions shape daily life, work, and recreation. Its lifestyle and culture sections cover history, arts and entertainment, food and dining, and a visitors' guide, reflecting the dual audience of kama'aina residents and the millions of tourists who visit Maui each year. The combination of practical daily information and community content makes the site a habitual destination rather than just a breaking-news outlet.
The August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Kula — among the deadliest in modern American history — made Maui Now an essential lifeline. The site provided continuous coverage of the disaster and its aftermath: evacuation information, missing-persons resources, relief efforts, and the long, painful process of recovery and rebuilding. Its dedicated Maui Wildfires section continues to track recovery years later, covering housing for displaced residents, the debate over rebuilding Lahaina, and accountability for the failures that contributed to the catastrophe. The fires highlighted both the value of locally rooted digital news and the strain on Hawaii's thin journalistic resources, prompting Pacific Media Group to expand Maui Now's reporting capacity.
Maui Now partners with the Hawai'i Journalism Initiative, a nonprofit news organization whose in-depth reporting is published on the Maui Now website. The initiative was created to address the underserved news needs of Hawaii's neighbor islands, which receive far less coverage than Honolulu on O'ahu. Its board includes veteran Hawaii journalists such as Lee Imada, a former Maui News editor of 39 years, and its reporters — including Rob Collias, who spent 34 years at The Maui News — cover issues on Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i that larger outlets miss. For the initiative, publishing on Maui Now provides a high-traffic platform; for Maui Now, the partnership supplies supplementary in-depth content. The disastrous 2023 fires made the initiative's mission even more urgent, underscoring the need for boots-on-the-ground journalists covering the road to recovery.
Pacific Media Group has used its resources to support the Hawaii community beyond journalism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company created a $2 million marketing fund, granted to Hawai'i businesses to help them communicate with consumers during the downturn — from special shopping hours for seniors to contactless transactions and delivery services. Company president and CEO Chuck Bergson said the program was designed to help local businesses extend the reach of their messaging while helping communities access the goods and services they needed. After the 2023 wildfires, the company expanded Maui Now's newsroom, hiring additional reporters to cover the recovery. These investments reflect the group's stated philosophy: operational excellence paired with meaningful contributions to local communities.
Maui Now provides dedicated coverage of Maui County elections, including a Maui Election section tracking candidates, ballot measures, and results for county and state races. Its civic reporting covers the mayor's office, the County Council, and the state legislature's Maui delegation, giving residents a single place to follow the decisions that shape the island. During election seasons, the site publishes candidate information and voter resources alongside its regular news coverage. In a county where local races often turn on a few hundred votes, accessible election coverage is itself a civic service — and Maui Now's reach makes it one of the most effective platforms for it.
Video and multimedia are central to Maui Now's identity. The site describes itself as an online news and information hub "that's all about Maui," with videos, news, sports, and community content offering a quick way to find out what's happening on the island. Its YouTube presence extends its reach, and articles include audio "listen to this article" features for on-the-go consumption. Event coverage — such as live broadcasts of the Maui County Fair, produced in partnership with community media — blends journalism with community celebration. The multimedia approach reflects the site's origins in an era when local television news on Maui was limited, positioning Maui Now as a visual as well as textual news source.
Beyond news, Maui Now functions as a community utility. Its events calendar lists upcoming Maui events with a map and lets organizers post their own; its job listings board connects local employers with job seekers; and its classifieds section serves as a community marketplace. Obituaries, a visitors' guide, and special sections such as the Medical Minute round out the offering. These services generate both audience loyalty and revenue — the site sells advertising and sponsorships across its platforms — and they make Maui Now a daily habit for residents managing the practical business of island life.
Maui Now reaches its audience across web, mobile app, email newsletters, and social media. Readers can get the app, sign up for newsletters, and follow breaking news on the site's social channels. The "Meet the Team" page introduces the journalists behind the coverage, and the site's about section invites community engagement. As part of Pacific Media Group's digital portfolio, Maui Now benefits from shared technology and cross-promotion with the company's radio stations, which drive listeners to the site. In a state where local news economics are punishing — high costs, small markets, and journalist salaries that struggle to keep pace with the cost of living — the group's integrated model has kept Maui Now operating as a going concern while many standalone local outlets have faded.
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