Boling replaces McRae as KHQ general manager

Spokane television station KHQ announced this week that Patricia McRae has stepped down as general manager.

McRae will remain as president of the broadcast division for Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.

Replacing McRae will be Neal Boling, who had been working as the station manager. Boling becomes the sixth general manager at KHQ since it signed on in 1952.

“I still walk through this building with a sense of awe,” Boling said in a news release.

Boling started with KHQ in 2010 as news director. He chairs the College Successes Foundation and sits on the Northwest Harvest Board.

“I never take for granted the trust our viewers and clients place in KHQ to report the news, support the community and help build local business,” Boling said in the release. “I will work to maintain that trust each and every day.”

McRae has been with the company for 27 years and served as general manager for 13 . She will continue to oversee Cowles-owned television stations in Washington and Montana.

“Neal has been my station manager for six years. It’s just time for him to take all the day-to-day operations,” McRae said. “I will still be extremely involved with all of the stations and KHQ. This will allow me to focus on the bigger picture.”

McRae serves on two national boards, including the National Association of Broadcasters, which takes away time from her duties, she said.

“The consistency of growing managers from within has been very beneficial for KHQ,” she said. Boling “understands our culture. When you grow from within, you keep that culture and consistency intact.”

An earlier version of this story misstated the date KHQ went on air.