Although KHQ and KXLY were both granted authorization by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build television stations on July 11, 1952, KXLY was the second to sign on, going on the air with broadcast tests on January 16, 1953, with regular programming beginning on February 22. KXLY had initially hoped to have its television station on the air by Christmas of 1952, but adverse weather conditions on Mount Spokane delayed the launch. It was owned by northwestern broadcast pioneer Ed Craney along with Spokane's oldest radio station, KXLY (AM 920). Just a few months after signing on, Craney sold KXLY-AM-TV to Northern Pacific Radio and Television Corporation.