After a run of states split between two, three, or even zero in-state media markets, Hawaii is a genuine relief: the entire state, all four counties, falls under one single market. No border quirks, no out-of-state DMA assignments — just one clean setup.
| Capital | Honolulu |
| Approx. Population | 1.44 million |
| Time Zone | Hawaii-Aleutian (does not observe Daylight Saving Time) |
| Major Islands | Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), Kauai |
The Honolulu Market
The Honolulu DMA covers all four counties — Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, and Maui — ranking #69 nationally with roughly 470,520 TV households. Local coverage comes from stations like KITV (ABC), KHON2 (FOX), Hawaii News Now (CBS/NBC), and PBS Hawaii, alongside community and cultural programming through outlets like Spectrum's local OC16 channel.
A Real Comeback Story: Hawaii's Film Industry in 2026
This is worth knowing if you're curious why Hawaii keeps showing up in entertainment news lately. The islands' film and TV production industry went nearly quiet between mid-2024 and late 2025 — local crew members reported going from packed schedules to just a couple weeks of work all year. That's genuinely turned around in 2026: Netflix's supernatural series "Untamed" began filming its second season on Hawaii Island in February, Sony's "Jumanji 3" started shooting on Oahu that March with Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart, and Netflix's action-comedy "Protecting Jared," starring Jason Momoa and Andy Samberg, began production on Oahu around the same time. A "Lilo & Stitch" sequel is expected to follow later in the year.
Hawaii on Screen: Classic and Current
The islands have been a filming backdrop since the 1950s, and a lot of it is still genuinely easy to find streaming today:
| Lost | Filmed extensively on Oahu — streaming on Hulu |
| Hawaii Five-0 (2010 reboot) | Filmed on Oahu — streaming on Paramount+ |
| Magnum P.I. (2018 reboot) | Filmed on Oahu — streaming on Peacock |
| Jurassic Park | Kauai locations — streaming on Peacock |
| Untamed | Filmed on Hawaii Island — streaming on Netflix |
As always, streaming homes shift over time — this reflects availability at the time of writing, so double-check your service of choice directly.
Streaming Services That Work in Hawaii
YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling TV all operate normally for Hawaii addresses, delivering the Honolulu market's local affiliates along with the usual movie add-ons (Max, Starz, Showtime) available as optional bundles. One thing genuinely worth double-checking: because Hawaii sits so far from the mainland, confirm your specific plan's data caps or streaming quality settings if you're on satellite or fixed-wireless internet, since real-world speeds there can differ more from advertised numbers than on mainland fiber or cable connections.
Local Sports Culture
Hawaii doesn't host a major NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL franchise — the state's sports identity centers heavily on University of Hawaii athletics, particularly Rainbow Warriors football, which airs partly through Spectrum OC16's sports programming and partly through national sports networks depending on the matchup.
Setting Up Your Device
Device setup works the same regardless of location — our device comparison guide breaks down Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Google TV. Plan on 15–25 Mbps per stream for HD, 25–50 Mbps for 4K — and see our troubleshooting guide if island internet infrastructure gives you more buffering than you'd expect on the mainland.
| Is Hawaii really just one TV market? | Yes — unlike most states, all four counties fall under the single Honolulu DMA. |
| Why is so much being filmed in Hawaii again in 2026? | The industry is rebounding after a rough 2024–2025 slowdown, with major productions like Jumanji 3 and Untamed season 2 now underway. |
| Does Hawaii observe Daylight Saving Time? | No — it stays on Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time year-round. |