Page 5 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - July 6, 2022

In addition to the show’s uninter- rupted run time, de Nies and Tsuji ex- plain how Spotlight Hawai‘i’s virtual facet is an immense part as to why their guests feel comfortable enough to share their unhindered and authen- tic emotions about the state’s most momentous issues.
“I just love and respect Ryan so much,” enthuses de Nies. “He’s an ideas guy. He is so smart and inno- vative and he’s a very hard worker ... but beyond that, he’s really fun to work with.
A Yale and University of Califor- nia, Berkeley graduate, de Nies was a reporter for mainland TV stations be- fore she was picked up by ABC News. She worked her way up to becoming the White House correspondent for Good Morning America, and lucky for her, President Barrack Obama is also a Hawai‘i native, so she was able to come home for an extended period of time whenever he did.
He left the station to help run Gov. David Ige’s campaign in 2014 (he in- terned for Ige in college when he was a senator) and worked in his admin- istration for the following two years.
“These people are doing their broadcasts from their own homes or in places where they feel comfortable in as well, so we often get a differ- ent side of them in their responses and how they want to project them- selves and the messaging that comes across,” explains Tsuji.
“If you ever need anything, work or not work, you will call Ryan and he will figure out how to get it for you. He’s just ‘that guy’ — the guy you can always call in a crisis and someone you can always have on your team.”
On one of those trips, de Nies made a connection with KITV, and when an anchoring position opened up, there was no question whether or not she would take it. It was time to come home. She worked at the station for a few years until she decided to move on when her keiki were born.
With his mind constantly swirling about his next move (it falls in line with him being “wired differently,” he says), Tsuji noticed there was a gap in the industry for digital platform cre- ation and marketing, so, in 2016, he departed from the political sphere and founded RKT Media, which won an Emmy Award this month.
From elected officials to leaders in the tourism, education and health care sectors, guests joined “the Spot- light Hawai‘i stage” to share updates about their areas of expertise. And while Spotlight Hawai‘i still discuss- es the pandemic today, it’s evolved to now feature everyone from local actors and nonprofit founders to po- litical analysts and contenders for the upcoming election.
“Oftentimes, when you’re in an en- vironment where you have 10 camer- as on you and there’s a microphone, it can be intimidating,” he continues. “I think being able to have that comfort Tlevel with us ... it really can lead to deeper discussions that may not be available on other platforms.”
“Yunji has so much experience and is so incredible at what she does,” he says. “We both have this desire and the same commitment to being involved. We both really love news and love being informed and being able to use our skill sets and things we’ve learned to get that out there to the community.
Tsuji, meanwhile, moved from Hilo to Honolulu after high school to attend University of Hawai‘i at Mā- noa. He claims he is “wired different- ly,” likes to have his hand in just about everything (he teases that his next venture is in the food and beverage industry) and thrives in fast-paced en- vironments, so it was no surprise that the vibrant city life called his name.
“Spotlight Hawai‘i really is an amalgamation of all these different things that I’ve been exposed to and these different careers I’ve had,” he says. “It’s allowed me to utilize what I’ve learned in the various jobs and roles that I’ve done, and the experi- ence that I gained — understanding the legislative process, knowing the players that are involved and their background.”
While Hawai‘i’s state of affairs is ever-changing, one thing is for cer- tain: de Nies and Tsuji’s commitment to providing reliable and relevant in- formation, from their homes to yours.
suji and de Nies both know very well what it’s like to have a daunting number of
“Having a lot of those commonal- ities and those experiences of work- ing together has made this partnership very easy,” he adds. “We understand
And for Tsuji, the feeling is mutual.
JULY 6, 2022 HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 5
Shining A Spotlight On Hawai‘i’s Pressing Issues
FROM PAGE 4
him, so he really got to get into the de- tails about what — as far as he knew — had happened at Red Hill, what it meant for our community and why he was so upset about it. You could feel the emotion and he was moved to tears, so I thought for sure we had to give that some recognition because it was such a moving interview.”
cameras on them. They met at KITV, where de Nies and Tsuji anchored the evening and morning shows, respec- tively. While they were on opposite schedules, the newscasters bonded over the fact that they’re Big Island kids (de Nies is from the Kona side, while Tsuji is from Hilo), which led to a solid friendship-turned-partnership in the years to come.
each other’s strengths and weakness- es very well and are able to play off of that when needed.”
In college, he discovered a passion for coaching volleyball (and did so for about eight years, working his way up to becoming assistant coach of the Rainbow Wāhine volleyball team), until he fell in love with a new pursuit: being on TV. He was asked to fill in as a sports commentator, then progressed to becoming a sports reporter for Hawai‘i News Now and eventually anchored at KITV.
The dynamic duo joined forces in 2017 for Honolulu Star-Adver- tiser’s Digital Billboard Network, a one-minute newscast that featured top headlines at dozens of kiosks around the state.
Before they met, the pair walked down different paths that would be- come incredibly beneficial once their journeys did, in fact, intertwine.
Beyond that, the concept of a live virtual show with an emphasis on audience engagement was on the docket for de Nies and Tsuji, though it was slated to be centered around the 2020 election. But when news of a catastrophic virus came to Hawai‘i’s shores — and everyone had a million and one questions to ask — de Nies and Tsuji got to work. Spotlight Ha- wai‘i hit the ground running on March 25, 2020, the first day of Hawai‘i’s first lockdown, and hasn’t stopped since.
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Denise S. Nakanishi
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“Major Mom is a Major Difference”
Remember when reality and do-it-yourself of a transaction, REALTORS® have a huge TV shows were all the rage. For over 20 advantage when selling a home. Sellers years (until 2021) an entire TV channel have but a single commodity. Buyers shop existed to preach self-help 24/7. Networks by comparison. Even when they like what still seem to race to find a new angle to they see, they still want to look around. attract those interested in taking on projects Sellers historically overprice their home in their spare time. Obviously, there are no but eventually accept lower than market programs about fixing your own teeth or value (even considering commissions). self-help brain surgery. Likewise, there Sellers generally have no real basis for
are no programs about buying or pricing. In representing several on-line selling your own home. I suppose sites where sellers anonymously ask for there are those who insist on price opinions, I find that even under the pulling their own teeth and best of circumstances, I am only able to there will forever be those give a broad opinion of value until I actually who believe they don’t need a visit the property. Pricing requires a direct REALTOR®. The fact is, 90% comparison. Sellers price mainly on the of all homes are still sold thru an agent. basis of wishful thinking. Buyers make Most sales made without an agent are sold offers based on comparison, market data, to friends or family. Few sell to “walk-in” and the recommendations of a seasoned buyers. It makes perfect sense. Even agent. REALTORS® with an established without addressing the technical aspects relationship can assist buyers in evaluating
whether or not a property is a correct fit. Buyers aren’t normally forthcoming with a Seller, either in their opinion of the property – or their true ability to buy. Lookers waste time. A less than professional yard sign gives a buyer the impression they are dealing with an amateur; they negotiate accordingly. REALTORS® can best expose properties to the largest pool of potential buyers. Conservatively, a REALTORS® ability to expose property probably exceeds a seller’s 1000:1. Sellers are limited to the local paper and perhaps a buried website; certainly not where today’s buyers shop. So, while everybody loves their good ol’ Uncle and his self-imposed toothless smile, I prefer to stick with my regular Dentist. The “reality” is some things are undisputedly best left in the hand of a true professional!
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