Nitro went to three hours at the start of 1998 (January 26 or somewhere in there) and went back to two hours near the end of Russo's first run.
I don't think Hogan ever appeared on Raw before dropping the strap to Yokozuna unless it was from the set of Thunder in Paradise (they were filming the pilot around that time).
I thought Hogan was working for Turner when Thunder In Paradise was filming.