Branding NBC Right Now First air date October 10, 1961 | Slogan NBC Right Now | |
Channels Digital: 26 (UHF)
Virtual: 25 (PSIP) Subchannels 25.1 NBC
25.3 SWX Right Now Owner Cowles Company
(KHQ, Inc.) | ||
KNDU, virtual channel 25, is an NBC affiliate television station serving south-central and southeastern Washington state. The station, which broadcasts on digital channel 26, is based in the Tri-Cities region of Pasco, Richland and Kennewick. The station is licensed to Richland, but its studio is located on West Kennewick Avenue in Kennewick. It is a sister station to KNDO in Yakima and KHQ in Spokane. Both stations are owned by Cowles Company of Spokane as part of The KHQ Television Group.
Contents
Though identifying as a station in its own right, KNDU is considered a semi-satellite of KNDO. It clears nearly all of KNDO's syndicated programming, though it airs separate identifications and a separate newscast. On satellite, KNDU is only available on Dish Network, while DirecTV carries KNDO instead.
Digital channels
KNDO and KNDU have been digital-only since February 17, 2009. NBC Weather Plus had been carried on digital subchannel 25.3; the originating national network ceased operation on December 1, 2008.
On September 1, 2010, KNDO and KNDU discontinued broadcasting Universal Sports on digital subchannel 25.2. They will be giving this bandwidth to SWX Right Now (25.3) to improve the picture of SWX programming.
History
KNDU first took the air on October 10, 1961 as a primary ABC affiliate, which also carried some NBC programming. In 1965, KNDU became a primary NBC affiliate, but continued to air some ABC programs until 1970 when KVEW went on the air as a full-time ABC affiliate.
For a brief period in 1960, a station called KNBS-TV operated in Walla Walla, Washington, on channel 22. It was an ABC affiliate, which could explain why KNDO waited 2 years before putting KNDU on the air.