Branding NBC Right Now | First air date October 15, 1959 | |
Slogan NBC Right Now (primary)
We are where you are (secondary) Channels Digital: 16 (UHF)
Virtual: 23 (PSIP) Subchannels 23.1 NBC
23.3 SWX Right Now Owner Cowles Company
(KHQ, Inc.) | ||
KNDO, virtual channel 23, is the NBC-affiliated television station serving the Yakima, Washington area. It is owned by the Cowles Company of Spokane as part of The KHQ Television Group. It is sister station to KNDU in the Tri-Cities, which is considered a semi-satellite of KNDO, even though newscasts for KNDO come from the studios of KNDU.
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KNDO is rebroadcast on K32IG-D (channel 32), a low-powered digital translator in Ellensburg, Washington, owned and operated by the Kittitas County TV Improvement District. On satellite, KNDO is only available on DirecTV, while Dish Network carries KNDU instead.
Digital channels
KNDO and KNDU have been digital-only since February 17, 2009. NBC Weather+ had been carried on digital subchannel 23.3; the originating national network ceased operation on December 1, 2008. On September 1, 2010, KNDO dropped Universal Sports (channel 23.2) from their subchannel line-up.
History
KNDO debuted on the air on October 15, 1959 as an ABC (primary) affiliate. It was owned by Hugh Davis and his Columbia Empire Broadcasting Corporation. During this time it also showed occasional programs from NBC, as well as a few CBS programs turned down by KIMA-TV, including The Andy Griffith Show. In 1965 KNDO became a primary NBC affiliate but showed some ABC programming until KAPP debuted in 1970 to take the ABC affiliation.
Davis sold the two stations to Farragut Communications in 1988. Federal Enterprises acquired KNDO and KNDU in 1995. Federal was bought out by Raycom Media in 1997. Current owner Cowles Publishing purchased the two stations from Raycom in July 1999.
On October 15, 2009, KNDO celebrated 50 years of broadcasting to the Yakima Valley. Leading up to that date, KNDO aired stories of local businesses and organizations that have also been around for 50 years or longer.
In late-2012, master control for Cowles' Washington stations, including KNDO, was centralized at sister station KHQ.