You can take the reporter out of television, but apparently you can’t take the television out of the reporter.

That roughly sums up the expertise of a new Hawaii video production company that officially launches March 30.

Ryan Kalei Tsuji.
Ryan Kalei Tsuji. 

RKT Media is the creation of Hilo native Ryan Kalei Tsuji, a former reporter for KITV (a Civil Beat media partner) and currently employed as director of the executive management team for Gov. David Ige.

Tsuji has enlisted the help of several of his former KITV colleagues, including Jodi Leong and Yasmin Dar (both part of Ige’s communications team), Jill Kuramoto (she handles state Senate communications) and Mahealani Richardson (public relations director at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Honolulu).

RKT already has produced work for several clients, including the 2015 Hawaii European Cinema Film Festival, Macy’s National Believe Day and an event for Shriners.

Here’s how Tsuji describes RKT:

One of the many things that sets RKT Media apart from the other video production companies out there is the journalistic experience of our reporters.

With an understanding of the news industry, finding a voice for each story and the many other intangible qualities that come with working in the news business, our team of reporters are ready to help you tell your story.

Tsuji said Leong and Dar have not produced anything yet for RKT, nor has another member of his team, Tim Sakahara, a former Hawaii News Now reporter now handling communications for the state Department of Transportation.

“It’s a side thing,” said Tsuji, who said the work would not conflict with their day jobs.

Tsuji said he told his boss about the work, something confirmed by Ige spokesperson Cindy McMillan.

Ryan Kalei Tsuji working the red carpet at an event at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki.
Ryan Kalei Tsuji works the red carpet at an event at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki. www.ryankaleitsuji.com

“My understanding is the governor does know about it, and there hasn’t been any difficulty,” she said.

RKT has not produced any work related to government — so far it’s been feature work for a fashion show and an ice cream shop, and Tsuji said it would continue along similar lines.

“If there was any seemingly potential conflict, we would not put someone on a project,” he said.

Tsuji said the video work stems from past work he did for OCSports and the University of Hawaii.

“It’s a side job,” he said. “Government does not pay the best.”

This is not the first time Tsuji has mixed government and media. While still working at KITV, he also worked for then-state Sen. David Ige.

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