KHBS-DT2 / KHOG-DT2
KHBS-DT2 and KHOG-DT2 are the digital multicast television outlets carrying The CW in the Fort Smith–Fayetteville market under the Arkansas CW brand.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KHBS-DT2 / KHOG-DT2 is a paired digital multicast television service associated with KHBS, channel 40 in Fort Smith, and KHOG-TV, channel 29 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The outlets carry The CW network for viewers in the Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Northwest Arkansas, and Arkansas River Valley television market. They are operated by Hearst Television, which also owns the parent ABC-affiliated stations and their related news operation, commonly branded as 40/29. The service began on April 28, 2008, when KHBS and KHOG added The CW to digital subchannels. Its launch filled a significant local distribution gap: before the subchannels began broadcasting, the market lacked a local CW affiliate, and The CW had not been broadly available through cable because the network had declined to authorize a direct network feed for Cox Communications subscribers. The new digital service therefore combined national CW programming with the reach of two established full-power transmitters. KHBS-DT2 and KHOG-DT2 are not independent full-power stations in the conventional sense. They are secondary digital program streams carried by the KHBS and KHOG transmission facilities. The Fort Smith signal originates from a transmitter on Cavanal Hill near Poteau, Oklahoma, while the Fayetteville signal is transmitted from a site southeast of Fayetteville in Washington County. Together, the signals cover communities across western and northwestern Arkansas and portions of eastern Oklahoma. The outlets operate within the broader 40/29 television platform. In addition to entertainment programming supplied by The CW, the service has carried local programming, including Arkansas CW-branded news. A half-hour 9 p.m. newscast began in 2012, followed by a morning news extension in 2016 and weekend early-evening newscasts in 2017. These additions made the subchannel service more locally relevant than a simple network relay and supported Hearst's strategy of serving a rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas audience. The brand's development reflects the expansion of digital broadcasting and the changing geography of the market. KHBS and KHOG historically competed with KFSM-TV, with KHBS/KHOG gaining strength in Benton and Washington counties as population and economic activity shifted toward Northwest Arkansas. The CW subchannels benefited from the same shared infrastructure, news resources, and regional identity. In 2012, Arkansas CW programming was provided in high definition, improving its technical position among local broadcast and cable competitors. The service remains active as a Hearst Television multicast offering. Its principal role is to provide The CW and locally produced Arkansas CW programming to the Fort Smith–Fayetteville market through the secondary digital channels of KHBS and KHOG.
History
KHBS-DT2 and KHOG-DT2 developed from the digital broadcasting infrastructure of KHBS and KHOG-TV, the paired ABC affiliates serving Fort Smith and Fayetteville, Arkansas. KHBS traces its broadcast history to 1971, when channel 40 began operation as KFPW-TV in Fort Smith. A Fayetteville satellite, originally known as KTVP, joined the operation in 1977 and later became KHOG-TV. The two stations adopted their current call signs in the 1980s and subsequently built a shared regional identity around the 40/29 brand. The parent stations changed ownership several times. The Hernreich family controlled the operation for much of its early history. In 1996, Argyle Television acquired KHBS and KHOG, and Argyle subsequently merged with the Hearst broadcasting business in 1997. The resulting Hearst-Argyle organization, later known as Hearst Television, retained the stations and expanded their facilities. In 2007, Hearst-Argyle opened a new studio in Rogers, reflecting the growing importance of Benton County and the wider Northwest Arkansas economy. The CW service launched on April 28, 2008, as a pair of digital subchannels on KHBS and KHOG. The launch addressed a local distribution problem: the market had not previously had a local CW affiliate, and cable subscribers had not been granted access to a direct network feed. Digital multicasting allowed the established ABC stations to add The CW without creating a separate full-power station. The arrangement also gave The CW access to the combined coverage of the Fort Smith and Fayetteville facilities. Programming under the Arkansas CW identity later expanded beyond a basic network relay. In 2012, the outlet began airing a local 9 p.m. newscast and received Arkansas CW programming in high definition. A morning news extension followed in 2016, and weekend early-evening newscasts were added in 2017. These changes connected the subchannels to the established 40/29 newsroom and made them a supplementary local-news platform, particularly for viewers seeking programming outside the schedules of the main ABC stations. The service operates across a geographically varied market. KHBS broadcasts from Cavanal Hill near Poteau, Oklahoma, while KHOG-TV transmits from a site southeast of Fayetteville in rural Washington County, Arkansas. Their combined signals serve the Arkansas River Valley and Northwest Arkansas, including the Fort Smith and Fayetteville areas. The service's development parallels the parent stations' changing competitive position: as population growth shifted toward Benton and Washington counties, KHBS and KHOG increased their emphasis on Northwest Arkansas while continuing to serve Fort Smith and surrounding communities. On June 12, 2009, KHBS and KHOG ended regular analog broadcasting as part of the nationwide transition to digital television. KHBS retained virtual channel 40 with digital channel 21, while KHOG retained virtual channel 29 with digital channel 15. The digital transition provided the technical basis for the continuing multicast service. KHBS-DT2 and KHOG-DT2 remain active Hearst Television outlets carrying The CW and related Arkansas CW programming.
- 2017
Weekend early-evening newscasts launch
[1]Arkansas CW adds half-hour Saturday and Sunday early-evening newscasts.
- 2016
Morning news extension launches
[1]The CW service adds a locally produced morning news extension.
- 2012
Local news and high-definition service expand
[1]Arkansas CW adds a 9 p.m. newscast and begins providing its programming in high definition.
- 2009
Analog television service ends
[1]The parent stations complete the federally mandated analog-to-digital transition, supporting continued digital multicast operations.
- 2008
The CW launches on the digital subchannels
[1]KHBS-DT2 and KHOG-DT2 begin carrying The CW under the Arkansas CW identity.
- 2007
Rogers studio opens
[1]Hearst-Argyle opens a new studio in Rogers to support the expanding Northwest Arkansas market.
- 1996
Argyle Television acquires the stations
[1]Argyle Television purchases KHBS and KHOG from Sigma Broadcasting.
- 1987
Fayetteville station becomes KHOG-TV
[1]KTVP adopts the KHOG-TV call sign.
- 1983
Fort Smith station becomes KHBS
[1]KFPW-TV changes its call sign to KHBS.
- 1977
Fayetteville satellite returns to the air
[1]The former KGTO-TV facility returns as KTVP on channel 29 as a satellite of the Fort Smith operation, creating the second transmission platform later used for KHOG-DT2.
Products and positioning
A local CW multicast service combining national network entertainment with regional news and programming for western and northwestern Arkansas.
Digital multicast television · 2008
The CW on KHBS-DT2
The Fort Smith-area digital subchannel of KHBS carrying The CW network and Arkansas CW local programming. It uses the KHBS transmission infrastructure, whose signal originates near Poteau, Oklahoma, and is part of the combined 40/29 television operation.
Digital multicast television · 2008
The CW on KHOG-DT2
The Fayetteville-area digital subchannel of KHOG-TV carrying the same CW and Arkansas CW service. Its transmitter southeast of Fayetteville extends the multicast brand into Northwest Arkansas and complements KHBS-DT2's Fort Smith-area coverage.
Local television news · 2012
Arkansas CW local news
A local-news offering produced through the 40/29 news operation and scheduled on the CW multicast service. It has included a 9 p.m. newscast, a morning extension, and weekend early-evening editions.
Brand decisions
2012
Expand the multicast service with local newsStrategyBackground
The parent 40/29 operation was competing across a market whose population and media importance were shifting toward Northwest Arkansas.
Action taken
Arkansas CW introduced a 9 p.m. local newscast and expanded the service into high-definition presentation.
Aftermath
The CW outlet became more than a network relay and gained a distinct local programming role within Hearst's regional television operation.
2008
Launch The CW as a digital multicast serviceProduct launchBackground
The Fort Smith–Fayetteville market did not have a local CW affiliate, while cable distribution of a direct network feed was unavailable.
Action taken
KHBS and KHOG added The CW to their second digital channels under the Arkansas CW identity.
Aftermath
The arrangement supplied local over-the-air CW coverage without requiring a new full-power station and created a platform for later local news programming.
Recent events
- 2017
Arkansas CW adds weekend early-evening newscasts[1]
Product launch
The service expanded its local news schedule with half-hour Saturday and Sunday early-evening broadcasts.
- 2016
Arkansas CW adds a morning news extension[1]
Product launch
A locally produced morning news extension was introduced on the CW outlet, increasing its daily local-programming schedule.
- 2012
Arkansas CW begins local 9 p.m. newscast[1]
Product launch
The CW multicast service added a half-hour local late-evening newscast, extending the 40/29 news operation onto the secondary channel.
- 2012
Arkansas CW programming becomes available in high definition[1]
Product generation
The service began presenting Arkansas CW programming in high definition as part of its technical and programming expansion.
- 2008
KHBS and KHOG launch The CW on digital subchannels[1]
Product launch
The Fort Smith and Fayetteville stations began carrying The CW on their second digital channels, providing the market with a local CW affiliate after the network had previously lacked local distribution.
Sources2 sources
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