KITV4 News is aggressively expanding its local news coverage to include Saturday and Sunday mornings from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. beginning Sept. 18, 2010.

For the first time, Hawaii viewers will have the opportunity to watch local and national news in the morning seven days a week. The addition of KITV4 News This Morning on Saturdays and Sundays will follow an hour of Good Morning America: Weekend Edition.

KITV4 News This Morning on Saturdays and Sundays will be anchored by Jodi Leong and Paul Drewes. Leong is a long time Hawaii news reporter and anchor. Drewes joined KITV4 News this past year from a competing station. He is also a reporter, anchor and a certified Meteorologist who has earned his seal of approval from the American Meteorological Society.

“With the success of our recent launches of our hour long 10 p.m. news and our Saturday 6 p.m. news, going to seven day morning news coverage seems a logical next step,” said Mike Rosenberg, KITV President and General Manager.

“Mornings are the fastest growing time period when it comes to news,” News Director Genie Garner said. “News does not stop on the weekends. We look forward to giving Hawaii viewers a chance to start their weekend mornings with local stories, community events and weather.”

Recently, KITV4 News added a 6 p.m. Newscast with Pamela Young on Saturday’s and expanded KITV4 News at 10 p.m. with Paula Akana and Lara Yamada to one hour. KITV4 News continues to make local news a priority.

Hearst Television Inc., formerly known as Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., is a leading local media company comprising 29 television stations and two radio stations. The Company’s television stations reach approximately 18% of U.S. TV households, making it one of America’s largest television station groups. It also owns more than three dozen websites and multicasts more than two dozen digital channels providing news, weather and entertainment programming. Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Corporation. The Company’s Web address is www.hearsttelevision.com.