SWX Right Now

SWX Right Now is the former name of SWX NonStop Local Sports, a regional digital multicast television network operated by Cowles Company in the northwestern United States. The service is built around the digital subchannels of Cowles-owned television stations and is distributed through selected local television providers. Its footprint covers Eastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle, and Montana, giving it a regional rather than national broadcasting role. The network combines automated blocks of local news content with a substantial sports schedule. Its sports programming reflects the communities served by the participating stations, with coverage of high school athletics, college competitions, professional and minor-league teams, outdoor events, and locally important civic races and festivals. College coverage has included Eastern Washington University football, University of Idaho football, and Gonzaga University men's and women's basketball. The network has also carried programming associated with the Big Sky Conference and a weekly Mark Few Show featuring the Gonzaga men's basketball coach. Local sports coverage has included Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans hockey, Spokane Indians baseball, hydroplane racing at the HAPO Columbia Cup, and soccer involving Spokane Zephyr FC and Spokane Velocity. In Montana, the service has carried regional Seattle Kraken games as an affiliate of the Kraken Hockey Network. Its event programming has also extended beyond conventional league schedules to the Bloomsday Race, the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade, and high school rivalry games in the Greater Spokane League. SWX has supplemented live and locally produced coverage with syndicated and simulcast programming. Examples include television versions of KIRO radio programs such as The Brock & Salk Show and Wyman & Bob, as well as Washington Sports Wrap, GMFB: Overtime, This Week in the Big Sky Conference, and other sports-oriented features. This mix allows the network to provide recurring studio content alongside event coverage that is geographically specific to its broadcast markets. The brand's distribution model is closely tied to Cowles' local television infrastructure. KSWX in Walla Walla, Washington, is identified as one of the network's broadcast outlets, while other Cowles stations distribute the service on digital subchannels across the region. The network's value proposition is therefore based on aggregation: it connects local station resources, regional sports rights, community events, and syndicated sports programming under a dedicated sports-oriented identity. The available reference material does not establish a founding year, a separately incorporated company, a public listing, or a distinct executive roster for the brand.

SWX Right Now developed as a regional television-network brand associated with Cowles Company's broadcast operations in the inland Northwest. Rather than functioning as a nationwide cable channel or a separately documented standalone corporation, it operates through digital multicast capacity on Cowles television stations and through local television distribution systems. This structure enables a group of geographically separated stations to share a sports-oriented service while retaining a strong emphasis on local and regional content. The network serves Eastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle, and Montana. KSWX in Walla Walla, Washington, is among the outlets identified with the service, while additional Cowles stations carry the network on digital subchannels. Its programming model combines automated local-news blocks with live or recorded sports, studio discussion, community-event coverage, and syndicated material. This approach makes the service an extension of local television operations rather than a pure national sports network. Sports coverage has been central to the brand. The described schedule includes Eastern Washington University football, University of Idaho football, Gonzaga men's and women's basketball, Big Sky Conference programming, and selected local high school contests. The network has also carried professional and minor-league sports connected to its service area, including Spokane Chiefs hockey, Tri-City Americans hockey, Spokane Indians baseball, Spokane Zephyr FC soccer, and Spokane Velocity soccer. In Montana, it has served as an affiliate of the Kraken Hockey Network for regional Seattle Kraken National Hockey League games. SWX has also treated locally significant events as part of its programming identity. Examples include the Bloomsday Race, the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade, the HAPO Columbia Cup hydroplane event, and high school rivalry games. Studio and syndicated offerings have included The Mark Few Show, This Week in the Big Sky Conference, Washington Sports Wrap, GMFB: Overtime, and television simulcasts of KIRO radio programs such as The Brock & Salk Show and Wyman & Bob. Reference material identifies SWX NonStop Local Sports as the name used for the service formerly called SWX Right Now. No reliable founding year, founder, headquarters, separate corporate ownership structure, financial data, or brand-specific executive list is provided in the available material. The documented identity is that of an active Cowles-operated regional multicast network whose principal role is to aggregate local information and sports programming for communities in Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

• The service is described under the SWX NonStop Local Sports name

  [1]SWX Right Nowen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material identifies SWX NonStop Local Sports as the current name of the service formerly known as SWX Right Now.

• Expansion across Cowles digital subchannels

  [1]SWX Right Nowen.wikipedia.org

  The network is distributed through Cowles television stations serving Eastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle, and Montana, including KSWX in Walla Walla.

• Regional sports portfolio

  [1]SWX Right Nowen.wikipedia.org

  The described portfolio includes college, high school, professional, minor-league, outdoor, and community-event coverage tailored to the inland Northwest.

A locally focused regional sports and news network that uses Cowles Company's television stations to deliver community athletics, area events, sports discussion, and selected syndicated programming across the inland Northwest.

• Regional digital multicast television network

  SWX NonStop Local Sports

  The current network identity associated with the former SWX Right Now brand. It delivers automated local-news blocks, sports discussion, syndicated programs, and live or recorded coverage of regional athletics and community events through Cowles station digital subchannels and local television providers.

• Sports broadcasting

  Local and regional sports coverage

  Programming spans Eastern Washington University and University of Idaho football, Gonzaga basketball, Big Sky Conference content, high school competitions, Seattle Kraken games in Montana, Spokane and Tri-City teams, regional soccer, baseball, hockey, hydroplane racing, and other locally relevant events.

• Television programming

  Sports discussion and syndicated programming

  The network complements event coverage with studio and syndicated material, including The Mark Few Show, This Week in the Big Sky Conference, Washington Sports Wrap, GMFB: Overtime, and television simulcasts of KIRO radio programs.

• Operate as a regional multicast network through Cowles stationsStrategy

  Background

  The service is structured around Cowles television stations and local provider distribution rather than a separately documented national broadcast platform.

  Action taken

  Cowles uses station digital subchannels to distribute a shared regional news-and-sports service across Eastern Washington, the Idaho Panhandle, and Montana.

  Aftermath

  This model supports a broad regional schedule while preserving emphasis on local teams, schools, events, and community programming.

  Source

• Rename from SWX Right Now to SWX NonStop Local SportsOther

  Background

  Reference material identifies the service as formerly operating under the SWX Right Now name.

  Action taken

  The network is presented under the SWX NonStop Local Sports identity.

  Aftermath

  The service continues to carry regional sports, local news blocks, and syndicated programming.

  Source

1. 1SWX Right Nowen.wikipedia.org
2. 2SWX Right Now official websiteswxrightnow.com