View source for KHQ-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Spokane, Washington}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{redirect|KHQ|the radio station in Charlevoix, Michigan|WKHQ-FM}}
{{Advert|date=August 2010}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = KHQ-TV
| city = Spokane, Washington
| logo = KHQ-TV NonStop Local logo.png
| logo_size = 250px
| branding = [[NonStop Local]] KHQ
| digital = 15 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 6
| translators = ''see {{section link||Translators}}''
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''6.1:''' [[NBC]]|'''6.2:''' [[SWX Right Now|SWX]]}}
| country = United States
| founded = 
| airdate = {{start date and age|1952|12|20|p=y}}<ref name="brainhistory.com">[http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1952/december_20_1952_114115.html KHQ TV channel 6 in Spokane, WA (NBC) begins broadcasting December 20 in History]</ref>
| last_airdate = 
| location = {{ubl|[[Spokane, Washington]]|[[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho]]}}
| callsign_meaning = Taken from KHQ radio, now [[KQNT]]
| former_callsigns = 
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 6 ([[VHF]], 1952–2009)
| owner = [[Cowles Company]]
| licensee = [[KHQ, Incorporated]]
| sister_stations = 
| former_affiliations = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (secondary, 1952–1954)
| erp = 1,000 [[Watt|kW]]
| haat = {{convert|653|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 34537
| coordinates = {{Coord|47|34|52|N|117|17|51|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.nonstoplocal.com/spokane/}}
}}

'''KHQ-TV''' (channel 6) is a [[television station]] in [[Spokane, Washington]], United States, affiliated with [[NBC]]. It is the [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] and namesake of the [[KHQ Television Group]], a subsidiary of the locally based [[Cowles Company]], which also owns ''[[The Spokesman-Review]]'' newspaper. KHQ-TV's studios are located on West [[Sprague Avenue (Spokane, Washington)|Sprague Avenue]] in [[Downtown Spokane]], and its transmitter is located on [[Krell Hill]] southeast of the city. The station also operates a 24-hour sports and weather channel called [[SWX Right Now]] on [[digital subchannel]] 6.2.

KHQ-TV is also carried on cable systems in the Canadian province of [[Alberta]], including [[Calgary]] and [[Edmonton]]. KHQ-TV is one of five local Spokane area television stations seen in Canada on the [[Shaw Direct]] satellite service. It can also be seen on local cable systems in eastern [[British Columbia]].

KHQ-TV also handles [[master control]] and some internal operations for [[sister station]]s and fellow NBC affiliates [[KNDO|KNDO and KNDU]] in the [[Yakima]]–[[Tri-Cities, Washington|Tri-Cities]] [[media market|market]].

==History==
While KHQ and [[KXLY-TV|KXLY]] were both granted authorization by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to build television stations on July 12, 1952,<ref name="news.google.com">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ddB7do2jUx8C&dat=19520712&printsec=frontpage Spokane Daily Chronicle - July 12, 1952 - Page 2: KHQ and KXLY Authorized to Build Television Stations]</ref> KHQ was first to go live at 6{{nbsp}}p.m. on Saturday, December 20, 1952,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.khq.com/site/about.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=NonStop Local KHQ |language=en}}</ref> with the [[feature film|film]] ''[[Texas Trouble Shooters]]''. The first NBC program KHQ broadcast was an episode of ''[[Your Hit Parade]]'', which aired that evening at 7:30.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-1st-commercial-tv-show/168940672/ |date=December 20, 1952 |page=3 |title=1st Commercial TV Show for Area to Be Tonight |work=[[Spokane Daily Chronicle]] |location=Spokane, Washington |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> In addition to being the oldest television station in the state east of the [[Cascade Range|Cascades]], KHQ is also the second-oldest station in Washington state. It was co-owned by Cowles Publishing along with KHQ radio (AM 590, now [[KQNT]]; and FM 98.1, now [[KISC]]). The radio stations were both sold off in 1985.

It was originally a dual NBC/[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate. [[KREM-TV]] took the ABC affiliation when it signed on the air in 1954, but KHQ kept the NBC affiliation, which it retains to this day. It is the only major station in Spokane, and one of a few in the country, that has retained the same primary affiliation, owner, and call letters throughout its history.

[[File:KHQ-TVBroadcastStudio.jpg|thumb|KHQ broadcast studio]]

After being in its original studio for over forty years, KHQ moved to a new all-digital facility at 1201 W. Sprague Avenue in Downtown Spokane in 2001.<ref name="http://www.khq.com/global/Story.asp?s=8333085">{{Cite web |url=http://www.khq.com/global/Story.asp?s=8333085 |title=KHQ Milestone: Armed Forces Torchlight Parade broadcast in HD |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=February 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207221545/http://www.khq.com/global/Story.asp?s=8333085 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:KHQ-TV-HD-Logo.png|thumb|left|Final "Q6" logo, used until October 2022]]
Traditionally, KHQ has been colloquially known on-air as "Q6" since the 1960s, but the station switched to call letter branding from around 2005 to 2018, albeit retaining the "Q6" within its logo. On September 24, 2018, coinciding with the introduction of new newscast graphics, the "Q6" branding was restored full-time to the station's newscasts, which were rebranded "Q6 Local News – Right Now." In October 2022, KHQ's news programming was rebranded as ''[[NonStop Local]]'', as part of a group-wide rebranding.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington, Montana stations consolidate under 'NonStop Local' brand |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2022/10/26/nonstop-local-branding-cowles-q6-khq/?og=1 |access-date=October 30, 2022 |website=NewscastStudio | date=October 26, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Programming==
===Sports programming===
KHQ-TV has been the local home of [[Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball]] games since 2001. KHQ-TV and [[Root Sports Northwest]] [[simulcast]] all games not covered by either the [[West Coast Conference]]'s television contract with [[ESPN]] or that of an inter-conference opponent.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bulldogs Announce Radio, TV Pact |date=August 8, 2001 |url=https://gozags.com/news/2001/8/8/Bulldogs_Announce_Radio_TV_Pact.aspx |publisher=Gonzaga University Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=KHQ-TV, FSN Extend Gonzaga Men's Basketball Agreement 10 Years |date=January 9, 2009 |url=https://gozags.com/news/2009/1/9/KHQ_TV_FSN_Extend_Gonzaga_Men_s_Basketball_Agreement_10_Years.aspx |publisher=Gonzaga University Athletics |language=en}}</ref>

=== News operation ===
{{See also|NonStop Local}}
In 2006, KXLY became the first Spokane station to produce a local segment of the news in HD. Each week, one news story was presented in high definition. Until 2008, KXLY was the only news station in Spokane to produce a segment of the news in HD.

On May 16, 2008, KHQ produced a live report in HD. It was officially announced on this date that KHQ planned to become the first station in Spokane to broadcast its entire newscasts in HD, starting on August 8, 2008, to coincide with the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] on [[Olympics on NBC|NBC]].<ref name="http://www.khq.com/global/Story.asp?s=8333085"/>  However, KXLY made a surprise announcement on August 1, that it would beat KHQ in becoming the first station in Spokane to produce HD newscasts. KXLY's HD newscasts started August 3, five days before KHQ's scheduled date. Despite marketing their newscasts as being in HD, KHQ did not yet present its newscasts in true high definition, but standard definition widescreen. However, with the implementation of a new master control hub (which handles the operations of KHQ, along with sister stations [[KNDU]] and [[KNDO]] and its SWX channels) using [[fiberoptic]] links, and the purchase of new studio equipment and cameras, KHQ migrated to full HD newscasts in late 2012.<ref name=tvnc-central>{{cite web|title=KHQ Launches Centralcasting With ABS|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/53645/khq-launches-centralcasting-with-abs?ref=search|publisher=TVNewsCheck|access-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref><ref name=tvnc-khqhd>{{cite web|title=Retrans Deal Drives Cowles Centralcasting|date=July 14, 2011 |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/52532/retrans-deal-drives-cowles-centralcasting|publisher=TVNewsCheck|access-date=May 18, 2013}}</ref>

In 2008, KHQ and [[Northern Quest Resort & Casino]] started a partnership and created [[SWX Right Now|SWX]], a 24-hour sports and weather channel. SWX soft-launched in January 2009, and officially launched on August 30, 2009.<ref name="spokesmanreview.com">[http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/13/stealth-powerbroker/?print-friendly Stealth powerbroker - - Sept. 13, 2009]</ref>

Unlike most NBC affiliates, the station does not air a noon newscast.

====Notable former on-air staff====
* [[Peter Alexander (journalist)|Peter Alexander]] (1997–2000; now [[NBC News]] [[White House]] Correspondent)
* [[Ana Cabrera]] (2005–2009; now [[CNN]] weekday anchor)<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/profiles/ana-cabrera-profile#about CNN: "CNN Profiles – Ana Cabrera – Anchor]</ref>
* [[Christine Clayburg]] (1998–2000; now executive producer for Clayburg Creative Group, professional actor for [[SAG-AFTRA|Screen Actors Guild]], and loadmaster for [[Air National Guard]])<ref name="Christine Clayburg">{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayburgcreative|publisher=[[linkedin.com]]|date=May 12, 2015|access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref>
* [[Penny Daniels]] (1998–2000; now strategic communications consultant at 3D Communications, a company she co-founded)
* [[Ira Joe Fisher]] (1970–1980; later substitute meteorologist and announcer for ''[[The Early Show]]'' on [[CBS]])<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|title=What's Behind the Forecast? Pure Poetry|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|first=E. Kyle|last=Minor|date=July 12, 1998|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/12/nyregion/what-s-behind-the-forecast-pure-poetry.html}}.</ref>
* [[Phil Keating]] (1991–1993; now at [[Fox News Channel]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/personalities/phil-keating/bio/#s=h-l|title=Phil Keating Bio|publisher=[[Fox News]]|access-date=March 9, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Alex Rozier]] (2011–2014; formerly reporter at [[KING-TV]] in Seattle and [[WFAA]] in Dallas and currently reporter for [[KNBC]] in Los Angeles)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.khq.com/category/216294/alex-rozier|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529000215/http://www.khq.com/category/216294/alex-rozier|archive-date=May 29, 2014 |title=KHQ, SWX - Meet the KHQ Local News, SWX Local Sports Team|publisher=KHQ-TV|access-date=July 11, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Alex Rozier joining WFAA8 news room from Seattle">{{cite web|url=https://www.unclebarky.com/dfw_files/62080fb1fcee7256b6a6e2b7e95c9f03-4381.html|title=Reporter Alex Rozier joining WFAA8 news room from Seattle|publisher=[[UncleBarky.com]]|date=March 14, 2019|access-date=May 6, 2019}}</ref>

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of KHQ-TV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=KHQ#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for KHQ|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=January 5, 2025}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.1 
| [[1080i]] || rowspan="3" | [[16:9]] || KHQ-HD || [[NBC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.2 
| rowspan="2"|[[480i]] || KHQSWX|| [[SWX Right Now]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 6.3 
| KHQNEWS || [[NonStop Local]] News
|-
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KHQ-TV discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over [[VHF]] channel 6, on February 17, 2009, the original target date on which full-power television stations in the United States were to [[Digital television transition in the United States|transition from analog to digital broadcasts]] under federal mandate (which was later pushed back to June 12, 2009). The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition [[UHF]] channel 15 due to adjacent channel interference with [[KSPS-TV|KSPS]] (now on channel 8).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="FCCForm387">[http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101257488&formid=387&fac_num=34537 CDBS Print<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Digital television receivers display KHQ-TV's [[virtual channel]] as its former VHF analog channel 6.

===Translators===
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|187539|3=K03IN-D}}''' [[Leavenworth, Washington|Leavenworth]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|68509|3=K08AY-D}}''' [[Winthrop, Washington|Winthrop]]–[[Twisp]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|68506|3=K09BI-D}}''' [[Methow, Washington|Methow]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|68500|3=K10AP-D}}''' [[Brewster, Washington|Brewster]] & [[Pateros, Washington|Pateros]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|32927|3=K11DL-D}}''' [[Juliaetta, ID]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|53508|3=K12LF-D}}''' [[Coolin, ID]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|69501|3=K12LV-D}}''' [[Dryden, Washington|Dryden]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|36303|3=K13KV-D}}''' [[Troy, MT]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|34536|3=K16NR-D}}''' [[Coeur d'Alene, ID]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|188835|3=K21LD-D}}''' [[Mazama, Washington|Mazama]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|34538|3=K21NG-D}}''' [[Sandpoint, ID]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|2503|3=K22JF-D}}''' [[Wenatchee]]
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|50530|3=K35BW-D}}''' [[Lewiston, ID]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|https://www.nonstoplocal.com/spokane/}}
*[http://www.swxrightnow.com/ SWX (KHQ DT 6-2) official website]

{{Spokane TV}}
{{NBC Washington}}
{{Idaho TV}}
{{Cowles Company}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khq-Tv}}
[[Category:1952 establishments in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Cowles Company]]
[[Category:NBC affiliates]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1952]]
[[Category:Television stations in Spokane, Washington|HQ-TV]]