KAYU-TV

KAYU-TV is a commercial television station serving Spokane, Washington, and the wider inland Northwest. Broadcasting on channel 28, the station is affiliated primarily with the Fox network and also operates a digital subchannel carrying MyNetworkTV programming under the My 28 Spokane identity. Its over-the-air signal and translator network reach communities across eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and portions of neighboring states, while the station has also been available on selected cable systems in western Canada and The Bahamas. The station was established by Spokane native Robert Hamacher, who obtained the construction permit in 1981 after competing with Springfield Television. KAYU began broadcasting on October 31, 1982, becoming Spokane's first independent television station and the first new commercial station to launch in the market since KREM-TV began broadcasting in 1954. Its first broadcast program was an episode of Rawhide. The station's launch gave Spokane a locally based non-Big Three outlet and established the channel that would later become the market's Fox affiliate. KAYU joined Fox as a charter affiliate on October 9, 1986. It also carried UPN programming as a secondary affiliation from the network's launch in 1995 until 1997, when UPN affiliation moved to KSKN. Beginning in 1989, KAYU operated low-power semi-satellites in Yakima and the Tri-Cities, providing much of its programming to additional eastern Washington communities while inserting local advertising. Those outlets later evolved through ownership and affiliation changes, including the launch of KFFX-TV as a full-power program source in 1999. News has remained an important part of the station's identity, although KAYU has used several production models. Its first 10 p.m. newscast began in 1991 through a news-sharing arrangement with KREM-TV. After KREM ended the arrangement, KHQ-TV produced the program until 1995. KAYU then produced an in-house newscast from 1999 to 2004 before returning to an external production partnership with KHQ. The resulting Fox First at Ten format reduced operating costs and became profitable shortly after launch. KAYU later added the weekday morning program Good Day Spokane in 2015. In 2026, production of the station's newscasts shifted to KXLY-TV, with the programs adopting KXLY's 4 News Now branding and the morning broadcast becoming an extension of Good Morning Northwest. Ownership changed several times after the station's founding. Hamacher's Salmon River Communications sold KAYU and related stations to Northwest Broadcasting in 1995. Apollo Global Management acquired the larger Brian Brady television portfolio in 2019 through a transaction associated with Cox Media Group. KAYU was subsequently sold to Imagicomm Communications in 2022 and then to Todd Parkin's Rincon Broadcasting Group in 2025. Morgan Murphy Media, owner of Spokane ABC affiliate KXLY-TV, began operating KAYU under a local marketing agreement in 2026. This arrangement deepened the station's operational relationship with KXLY, which already produced KAYU's late-evening newscast. KAYU's digital portfolio includes the main Fox service, the MyNetworkTV/Antenna TV service on channel 28.2, and an occasional alternate CW role for selected programming. The 28.2 service changed from This TV to MyNetworkTV in 2015 and was upgraded from standard definition to 720p high definition in 2017. In 2023, it carried CW coverage of LIV Golf when the primary Spokane CW affiliate declined to air that programming. KAYU completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting in February 2009 and continues to extend its reach through numerous digital translators.

KAYU-TV originated in a 1981 construction-permit competition won by Spokane native Robert Hamacher, a former KREM-TV employee who later worked as an executive at KSTW in Tacoma. The station began broadcasting on October 31, 1982, using UHF channel 28. Its launch was historically significant in Spokane: KAYU was the city's first independent station and the first new commercial station in the market since KREM-TV went on the air in 1954. The station initially operated without a major network affiliation, but became a charter Fox affiliate on October 9, 1986, a relationship that continues to define its principal service. KAYU expanded beyond Spokane in 1989 by launching low-power semi-satellites in Yakima and the Tri-Cities. The stations carried most of KAYU's schedule while allowing local advertising. The Yakima outlet was later replaced by another low-power facility and eventually renamed KCYU-LP, while the Tri-Cities outlet became KBWU-LP. Both continued as KAYU semi-satellites until 1999, when KFFX-TV in Pendleton became their full-power program source. Hamacher's Salmon River Communications sold KAYU, the related eastern Washington outlets, and KMVU in Medford, Oregon, to Northwest Broadcasting in 1995. Hamacher subsequently became Northwest Broadcasting's chief operating officer. KAYU briefly carried UPN programs as a secondary affiliation from 1995 to 1997, after which KSKN became the Spokane UPN affiliate. Local news production developed through a sequence of partnerships. KAYU launched a 10 p.m. newscast on April 8, 1991, produced by KREM-TV. When KREM withdrew in 1993, KHQ-TV assumed production under a news-sharing arrangement. That version ended in April 1995. KAYU produced its own 10 p.m. news from 1999 through 2004, with KXLY assistance during the final two years. In 2004, the station eliminated its news staff and again partnered with KHQ, creating Fox First at Ten. The lower-cost structure made the program profitable soon after launch. KAYU added the weekday morning program Good Day Spokane on January 5, 2015. The station's digital service expanded through KAYU-DT2, branded My 28 Spokane. The subchannel carried This TV until March 2015, when it adopted MyNetworkTV, with Antenna TV occupying the remainder of its schedule. It was upgraded to 720p high definition in November 2017. In February 2023, the subchannel also served as an alternate CW outlet for LIV Golf coverage after the primary Spokane CW station declined to carry the tour's broadcasts. KAYU's ownership changed again in the late 2010s and 2020s. Apollo Global Management acquired Brian Brady's television assets in December 2019 through a broader Cox Media Group-related transaction. Cox Media Group announced in March 2022 that it would sell KAYU and 17 other stations to Imagicomm Communications; the sale closed on August 1. Imagicomm announced a further sale to Rincon Broadcasting Group in April 2025, completed on July 18. In 2026, Morgan Murphy Media, owner of KXLY-TV and Spokane radio stations, began operating KAYU under a local marketing agreement. KXLY also took over production of KAYU's newscasts, retaining the established time slots while applying its 4 News Now branding. KAYU ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, and moved its digital signal to channel 28. Its coverage is extended by a substantial translator network serving communities in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The station is also carried on selected cable systems in Alberta and eastern British Columbia and has been available in The Bahamas through cable distribution.

• 2026

  KXLY begins local operation

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Morgan Murphy Media began operating KAYU under a local marketing agreement and producing its newscasts.

• 2025

  Sale to Rincon closes

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Rincon Broadcasting Group completed its acquisition of KAYU on July 18.

• 2022

  Sale to Imagicomm closes

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station became part of Imagicomm Communications on August 1.

• 2015

  My 28 Spokane launches

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAYU-DT2 replaced This TV with MyNetworkTV and retained Antenna TV for other programming.

• 2009

  Digital transition

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended regular analog programming and moved its digital signal to channel 28.

• 1995

  Sale to Northwest Broadcasting

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Salmon River Communications sold KAYU and associated stations to Northwest Broadcasting.

• 1991

  First 10 p.m. newscast

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAYU introduced a late-evening newscast produced by KREM-TV.

• 1986

  Fox affiliation begins

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAYU joined Fox as a charter affiliate.

• 1982

  KAYU signs on

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAYU began broadcasting on October 31 as Spokane's first independent station.

• 1981

  Construction permit awarded

  [1]KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Robert Hamacher won the permit to establish a new Spokane television station.

A locally rooted Fox station serving the Spokane television market, combining national network programming with local news, regional distribution, and multicast services.

• Broadcast television service · 1982

  KAYU-TV Fox 28

  The station's primary broadcast service carries Fox network programming, syndicated entertainment, sports, local news, weather, and advertising for viewers in Spokane and surrounding inland Northwest communities.

• Digital multicast television service · 2015

  My 28 Spokane

  KAYU-DT2 carries MyNetworkTV programming during early prime time and Antenna TV programming during the remainder of its schedule. The service replaced This TV in 2015 and was upgraded to 720p high definition in 2017.

• Local news program · 2015

  Good Day Spokane

  A weekday morning news extension launched in 2015. Following the 2026 production transition to KXLY-TV, the program became aligned with the Good Morning Northwest brand.

• Local news program · 2004

  Fox First at Ten

  A KAYU late-evening newscast produced in partnership with KHQ-TV beginning in 2004 after KAYU eliminated its in-house news staff. The format used an external production model to reduce costs and became profitable shortly after launch.

• 2026

  Shift news production to KXLY-TVStrategy

  Background

  Morgan Murphy Media began operating KAYU under a local marketing agreement and already had an established Spokane news operation through KXLY-TV.

  Action taken

  KXLY took over production of KAYU's newscasts, retaining the existing time slots while adopting the 4 News Now identity.

  Aftermath

  KAYU's morning and late-evening local news became more closely integrated with KXLY's programming and branding.

  Source

• 2023

  Use KAYU-DT2 as an alternate CW outlet for LIV GolfOther

  Background

  The primary Spokane CW affiliate declined to air LIV Golf coverage.

  Action taken

  KAYU-DT2 began carrying the CW network's LIV Golf programming as an alternate affiliate.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement gave KAYU's digital subchannel a temporary or event-specific role in distributing CW sports coverage.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch Good Day SpokaneProduct launch

  Background

  KAYU sought to expand its local-news schedule into weekday mornings.

  Action taken

  The station began airing Good Day Spokane on January 5.

  Aftermath

  The morning program became part of KAYU's regular local-news lineup.

  Source

• 2004

  Outsource late-news production to KHQStrategy

  Background

  KAYU had produced its own late-evening newscast but faced the cost of maintaining a dedicated news operation.

  Action taken

  The station laid off its news staff and partnered with KHQ-TV to produce Fox First at Ten.

  Aftermath

  The lower-overhead arrangement became profitable in its second month and continued KAYU's late-news offering.

  Source

• 1986

  Adopt Fox as the primary network affiliationStrategy

  Background

  KAYU had operated as an independent station since its 1982 launch, while Fox was assembling its initial national affiliate network.

  Action taken

  KAYU joined Fox on October 9, 1986, becoming a charter affiliate.

  Aftermath

  The Fox affiliation became the central identity of channel 28 and remains its principal network relationship.

  Source

1. 1KAYU-TVen.wikipedia.org