Off the news: TV cancellation a big hit to isle industry

Fox TV’s cancellation of “Rescue: HI-Surf,” the prime-time drama about lifeguards on Oahu’s North Shore, is lamentable. Fans of the show will miss it, of course, but its demise after only one season leaves no major TV or film production based in Hawaii. The show had employed 90% local residents and showcased the state’s ocean-safety heroes and scenic venues.

The production absence will be a far cry from the heydays of “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum, P.I.” — both series enjoyed new-generation revivals — and even “NCIS: Hawai‘i.”