KHQ-TV

KHQ-TV is a broadcast television station licensed to Spokane, Washington, and affiliated with NBC. It broadcasts on virtual channel 6 and is the flagship and namesake station of the KHQ Television Group, a broadcasting unit of the privately held Cowles Company. Cowles also owns The Spokesman-Review newspaper, giving the station a place within a locally rooted media group rather than a publicly traded national station chain. KHQ began television operations in December 1952 after receiving Federal Communications Commission authorization alongside KXLY. It first transmitted a test pattern on December 8, presented a single day of programming on December 15, and formally commenced live broadcasting on December 20. The launch made KHQ the oldest television station east of Washington's Cascade Range and the second-oldest television station in the state. The station initially carried both NBC and ABC programming, but became an NBC-only affiliate after KREM-TV launched in 1954 and took the ABC affiliation. KHQ has retained its NBC affiliation, call letters, and Cowles ownership throughout its history, a continuity that is unusual among major-market American television stations. The station's core business is local television broadcasting. Its output includes NBC network programming, local and regional newscasts, weather reporting, sports coverage, public-interest material, syndicated programming, and digital content distributed through its website and related services. KHQ has also served as a regional operating center for sister NBC affiliates KNDU and KNDO, handling master-control and selected internal functions for those stations in the Yakima–Tri-Cities market. Local news is central to the KHQ brand. The station historically used the informal on-air identity “Q6,” a reference to its channel position, before emphasizing its call letters in much of its branding from approximately 2005 through 2018. In September 2018, it restored Q6 prominently in its news identity with the “Q6 Local News – Right Now” presentation. In October 2022, KHQ's news programming adopted the group-wide “NonStop Local” branding. The station's news operation has also invested in digital production, fiber-linked infrastructure, studio equipment, and high-definition cameras. Although KHQ announced an intention to begin full high-definition newscasts around the 2008 NBC Olympics period, a competing Spokane station reached the market first; KHQ later completed its transition to full HD in late 2012. KHQ expanded beyond conventional local news through SWX, a 24-hour sports and weather service carried on digital subchannel 6.2. Developed with Northern Quest Resort & Casino, SWX soft-launched in January 2009 and officially launched on August 30 of that year. The service strengthened KHQ's regional sports and weather positioning and gave the station an additional platform for programming outside its main NBC schedule. KHQ has also been the Spokane-area television home of Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball since 2001, carrying games not assigned to conference or opposing-team national television packages, with selected broadcasts simulcast by Root Sports Northwest. KHQ's terrestrial signal reaches communities across eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and nearby areas through translators. Its programming is also distributed on cable in parts of Alberta, including Calgary and Edmonton, on Shaw Direct satellite in Canada, and on cable systems in eastern British Columbia. The station ended regular analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, and continued digitally using UHF channel 15 while retaining virtual channel 6. KHQ remains an active local broadcast brand with a regional footprint, a long-standing NBC relationship, and operations integrated with the wider Cowles media portfolio.

KHQ-TV traces its broadcasting history to 1952, when the Federal Communications Commission authorized it and KXLY to construct television stations in Spokane. KHQ moved first, transmitting a test pattern on December 8 and limited programming on December 15 before beginning regular live service on December 20. Its launch made it the oldest television station east of the Cascades and the second-oldest station in Washington. The station was associated with Cowles Publishing, which at the time also owned KHQ radio operations. KHQ initially operated as a dual NBC and ABC affiliate. That arrangement changed in 1954 when KREM-TV signed on and assumed Spokane's ABC affiliation. KHQ retained NBC and has continued with that network ever since. The station also retained its KHQ call letters and Cowles ownership, making its institutional continuity one of its defining characteristics. Cowles later separated the radio properties from the television operation; the AM and FM stations were sold in 1985. For more than four decades, KHQ operated from its original studio facilities. In 2001 it moved to a new all-digital building at 1201 West Sprague Avenue in downtown Spokane. The move supported a more modern production environment and reinforced the station's downtown presence. Its transmitter is located on Krell Hill southeast of Spokane, while translators extend service into numerous communities in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The station's public identity has evolved around channel 6. Viewers commonly referred to it as Q6 from the 1960s onward. From roughly 2005 to 2018, KHQ placed greater emphasis on its call letters in on-air branding, although Q6 remained part of the logo. In September 2018 the Q6 identity returned to the foreground through the “Q6 Local News – Right Now” name. In October 2022 the station adopted NonStop Local, a group-wide news identity intended to unify KHQ and related local-news operations. KHQ's programming expanded materially in the 2000s. Since 2001, it has carried Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball games that fall outside conference or opposing-network arrangements, helping connect the station with one of the Inland Northwest's most prominent sports properties. KHQ also partnered with Northern Quest Resort & Casino to develop SWX, a dedicated sports and weather service. SWX soft-launched in January 2009 and formally launched on August 30, 2009, using digital subchannel 6.2 to provide programming beyond the principal NBC service. Technology has been another significant part of the station's development. KHQ planned an early move to high-definition news production around the 2008 Summer Olympics, but a rival Spokane station announced and implemented its own HD newscasts first. KHQ's initial presentation during that period was widescreen standard definition rather than true high definition. After the installation of a new master-control hub, fiber-optic links, studio equipment, and cameras serving KHQ, KNDU, KNDO, and SWX operations, the station migrated to full-HD newscasts in late 2012. KHQ also performs operational work for sister NBC affiliates KNDU and KNDO in the Yakima–Tri-Cities market, including master-control and selected internal functions. Its signal and programming reach beyond the Spokane metropolitan area through over-the-air translators, cable distribution, and satellite carriage. Canadian distribution includes cable systems in Alberta, such as Calgary and Edmonton, Shaw Direct service, and cable systems in eastern British Columbia. Today, KHQ-TV remains a locally owned NBC affiliate whose brand combines regional journalism, network television, sports, weather, and digital distribution under the Cowles Company umbrella.

• 2022

  NonStop Local branding introduced

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KHQ renamed its news programming NonStop Local as part of a broader KHQ Television Group rebranding.

• 2018

  Q6 news identity returns

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station restored Q6 as a prominent news brand through the “Q6 Local News – Right Now” presentation.

• 2012

  Full-HD news production is implemented

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Following infrastructure and equipment upgrades, KHQ moved its newscasts to full high-definition production.

• 2009

  SWX launches

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KHQ and Northern Quest Resort & Casino introduced the SWX sports and weather service on digital subchannel 6.2.

• 2001

  Move to downtown Spokane digital facility

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KHQ relocated from its long-standing original studio to an all-digital facility at 1201 West Sprague Avenue.

• 2001

  Gonzaga basketball coverage begins

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KHQ became the local television home for Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball games outside other applicable conference or interconference television contracts.

• 1985

  Cowles sells the associated radio stations

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The AM and FM radio stations historically connected with KHQ were sold, separating those properties from the television operation.

• 1954

  ABC affiliation moves to KREM-TV

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KHQ's original dual NBC/ABC arrangement ended after KREM-TV launched and took the ABC affiliation; KHQ continued as an NBC affiliate.

• 1952

  KHQ-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org

  After receiving FCC authorization, KHQ transmitted a test pattern on December 8 and formally began live programming on December 20 in Spokane.

A locally owned, NBC-affiliated regional television station combining Spokane-area journalism, weather, sports, network entertainment, and extended digital-channel programming.

• Broadcast television station · 1952

  KHQ-TV Channel 6

  The station's primary service is an NBC-affiliated broadcast channel serving Spokane and the Inland Northwest. Its schedule combines NBC network programs with local news, weather, sports, syndicated programming, public-service material, and other television content. The service is distributed over the air through the station's digital transmitter and a network of translators, and is also available through cable and satellite providers in portions of the United States and western Canada.

• Local news service · 2022

  NonStop Local

  NonStop Local is KHQ's current news identity, introduced in 2022 as part of a group-wide rebranding. It covers Spokane and surrounding communities through scheduled television newscasts and related digital reporting. The brand replaced the station's earlier Q6 Local News – Right Now presentation while continuing KHQ's focus on local news, weather, traffic, public affairs, and regional events.

• Digital sports and weather channel · 2009

  SWX Right Now

  SWX Right Now is a 24-hour sports and weather service carried on KHQ's digital subchannel 6.2. Created through a partnership with Northern Quest Resort & Casino, the service extends KHQ's programming beyond the main NBC channel with regional sports coverage, weather information, and related local content. It soft-launched in January 2009 and received its formal launch later that year.

• Regional sports programming · 2001

  Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball broadcasts

  Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball broadcasts are a long-running KHQ sports offering. The station has carried local games since 2001 when they are not covered by the West Coast Conference's ESPN arrangement or by an opposing team's interconference television contract. Some games are simulcast with Root Sports Northwest, giving KHQ a prominent role in regional college-sports coverage.

• 2022NonStop Local

  Spokane · Yakima–Tri-Cities · Eastern Washington · Northern Idaho

  KHQ introduced NonStop Local as a group-wide news brand, aligning the station's local-news presentation with related KHQ Television Group operations.

  Outcome. KHQ's news programming continues under the NonStop Local identity.

  Source
• 2018Q6 Local News – Right Now

  Spokane · Eastern Washington · Northern Idaho

  KHQ reinstated its long-running Q6 identity as the principal presentation for its newscasts, accompanying the change with new graphics and a “Right Now” emphasis.

  Outcome. The Q6 identity remained in use until the station adopted the broader NonStop Local branding in 2022.

  Source

• 2022

  Adoption of NonStop Local news brandingStrategy

  Background

  KHQ Television Group pursued a unified identity for its local news operations.

  Action taken

  KHQ replaced the Q6 Local News – Right Now presentation with the NonStop Local brand.

  Aftermath

  The station's news output continues under the NonStop Local name.

  Source

• 2012

  Migration to full high-definition newscastsGeneration change

  Background

  KHQ had announced an HD-news timetable around the 2008 Olympics period, but its initial output was widescreen standard definition and a rival Spokane station reached true HD first.

  Action taken

  KHQ upgraded its master-control hub, fiber-optic links, studio equipment, and cameras and migrated its newscasts to full HD in late 2012.

  Aftermath

  The upgrade supported KHQ, sister stations KNDU and KNDO, and associated SWX operations.

  Source

• 2009

  Launch of SWX sports and weather channelProduct launch

  Background

  KHQ sought to broaden its digital programming and strengthen its regional sports and weather offering beyond the primary NBC schedule.

  Action taken

  The station partnered with Northern Quest Resort & Casino to create SWX, first soft-launching the service in January and formally launching it on August 30 on digital subchannel 6.2.

  Aftermath

  SWX became a continuing component of KHQ's multi-channel local media operation.

  Source

1. 1KHQ-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KHQ official websitekhq.com