News Operation
In 2006, with the popularity of high-definition newscasts increasing around the country, the race to HD began in the Spokane television market when competitor 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, on-the-air report in HD. It was officially announced on this date that KHQ was slated to become the first station in Spokane to broadcast its entire newscasts in HD, debuting on August 8, 2008 to coincide with the 2008 Summer Olympic Games on NBC. However, after months of marketing this milestone, KXLY shocked KHQ and the Spokane television market when it made a surprise announcement on August 1, just two days before the start of its broadcasts, that it would beat KHQ in becoming the first station in Spokane to produce HD newscasts. KXLY's HD newscasts started August 3, just a mere five days before KHQ's scheduled date. Unfortunately, due to technical limitations, KHQ has yet to broadcast its newscasts in HD. The newscasts are instead broadcast in 16:9 widescreen standard definition until new equipment which will support a high definition signal can be purchased. That equipment has been announced and KHQ will become the first station in the Spokane market to produce an entire newscast in HD beginning in late 2012.
In 2008, KHQ and Northern Quest Resort and Casino started a partnership, and created SWX, a 24-hour sports and weather channel. SWX launched in January 2009, and officially launched on August 30, 2009. The channel features live events including local high school sports, among other programming. Normal programming on SWX includes four minute weather briefs from "The Weather Authority" and sports updates called "SWX Sports Updates."
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—J.G. (James Graham)
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