The Garden Island

Overview

The Garden Island is a daily print and digital newspaper covering the islands of Kauai and Niihau, Hawaii, based in Lihue. It bills itself as "Kauai's newspaper since 1901."

History

Founded in 1902 by Japanese immigrant Sometaro Sheba, initially publishing separate English and Japanese editions from Lihue; the Japanese edition split off in 1904 to become Kauai Shinpo. Ownership passed through Kauai Publishing Co./Scripps League Newspapers (1965), Pulitzer Publishing Company (1996) and Lee Enterprises (2005), before Oahu Publications Inc., publisher of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, acquired the paper from Lee Enterprises in January 2013. In 2024 the paper briefly used AI-generated on-screen newscasters for social-media video segments before discontinuing the format after about two months following public criticism.

Notable works

Continuous daily coverage of Kauai County government and the privately owned island of Niihau since 1902; maintained publication through martial law in World War II via a daily "Garden Island War Daily" supplement distributed Dec. 10, 1941, to Jan. 14, 1942.

Key personnel

Editor in Chief: Bill Buley

Audience

Residents and visitors of Kauai and Niihau, Hawaii.

Location and contact info

Address
2970 Haleko Road, Suite 205
Lihue, HI 96766
Website
https://www.thegardenisland.com