KWQC-TV is a television station broadcasting from Davenport, Iowa, serving the Quad Cities area. It is affiliated with NBC and owned by Gray Media. The station's studios are located in downtown Davenport on Brady Street, while its transmitter is situated in Bettendorf, Iowa. The station provides news and entertainment programming to the local community.
October 31, 1949: KWQC First Signed On Air as WOC-TV
On October 31, 1949, KWQC signed on the air for the first time as WOC-TV. The station was established by B. J. Palmer, founder of the Palmer College of Chiropractic, and was affiliated with WOC radio. It carried programming from NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont, but was primarily an NBC affiliate due to WOC radio's ties with the NBC Radio Network.
1950: WOC-TV Lost CBS Affiliation
In 1950, WOC-TV lost its CBS affiliation when Rock Island-based WHBF-TV (channel 4) was launched.
1952: WOC-TV Moved to Channel 6
In 1952, WOC-TV moved from channel 5 to channel 6 due to interference with WOI-TV in Ames and WNBQ-TV in Chicago.
1961: Channel 6 Remained with Palmer Family
In 1961, after Dr. Palmer's death, Channel 6 remained with the Palmer family's broadcasting division.
1963: WQAD-TV signed on
In 1963, WQAD-TV signed on from Moline. WOC-TV and WHBF-TV shared ABC until WQAD-TV signed on from Moline in 1963, and WOC-TV has since served as an exclusive NBC station.
1964: Show Boat children's show hosted by Cap'n Ernie
In 1964, WOC-TV original programming included the daily Show Boat children's show hosted by Cap'n Ernie.
1974: Show Boat children's show ended
In 1974, the daily Show Boat children's show hosted by Cap'n Ernie was ended.
1980: Regained Highest-Rated Newscasts
In 1980, KWQC regained its position as having the highest-rated newscasts in the market, after briefly losing the lead to WHBF in the mid-1970s.
1982: Construction of KWQC-TV Tower
In 1982, the KWQC-TV Tower, a 1,381-foot (421 m) high guy-wired aerial mast, was built in Bettendorf for the transmission of FM radio and television programs.
1986: Palmer Communications Sold Radio Properties
In 1986, Palmer Communications sold its Quad Cities radio properties to Vickie Anne Palmer and her then-husband J. Douglas Miller.
1989: KWQC Sold to Broad Street Television
In 1989, KWQC was sold to Broad Street Television.
1989: Highlight Zone Debuted
In 1989, KWQC's Highlight Zone, a Friday night sports segment showcasing highlights from area high school football and basketball games, debuted. It airs during the station's 10 p.m. newscast.
1990: KWQC Used Hello News Package
In 1990, KWQC had been using Frank Gari's "Hello News" package.
1995: KWQC Sold to Young Broadcasting
In 1995, KWQC was sold to Young Broadcasting.
2000: Media General Owned KIMT
From 2000, Media General owned KIMT in Mason City.
2006: Media General ceased ownership of KIMT
In 2006, Media General ceased ownership of KIMT in Mason City.
July 31, 2007: KWQC Debuted New Graphics and Newscast Music
On July 31, 2007, KWQC debuted drastic changes to its graphics and newscast music, dumping Frank Gari's "Hello News" package. The station added a cube ID graphic and began using Stephen Arnold Music's "U-Phonix" package.
August 13, 2007: KWQC Launched 24/7 Weather Channel
On August 13, 2007, KWQC launched a local digital weather service called the "KWQC 24/7 Weather Channel" on over-the-air digital subchannel 6.2 and on Mediacom digital channel 247.
November 2007: Third Highest-Rated Newscast
According to the Des Moines Register in the November 2007 books, KWQC had the third highest-rated newscast among all stations in the top 100 media markets.
January 2008: KWQC Began Broadcasting Syndicated and NBC Programs in High Definition
In January 2008, KWQC began broadcasting syndicated programs and NBC network programs in high definition. The first two programs aired in the format, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, are recorded and broadcast in high definition every weekday.
September 25, 2008: KWQC Introduced New Graphics Package
On September 25, 2008, KWQC introduced a new graphics package, bringing significant changes to its weather forecast presentation. The station introduced a new graphics system and a revised station logo, replacing the "-TV" suffix with a "-DT" suffix.
June 12, 2009: End of Analog Signal
On June 12, 2009, KWQC-TV ended regular programming on its analog signal, transitioning to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal relocated to UHF channel 36, using virtual channel 6.
October 27, 2010: KWQC Converted Local Newscasts to HD
On October 27, 2010, KWQC became the first television station in the Quad Cities market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.
2011: KWQC Subchannel Converted to Widescreen Format
In Fall 2011, KWQC digital subchannel 6.2 converted to a 16:9 widescreen format.
January 16, 2012: KWQC Dropped Hello News package again
On January 16, 2012, the "Hello News" package was dropped once again and was replaced by "Breakthrough" by 360 Music as the music package for its newscasts.
September 29, 2012: Partnership Announcement with KLJB
On September 29, 2012, KWQC announced a partnership with Fox affiliate KLJB to produce a 9 p.m. newscast starting New Year's Eve, with plans to expand the news staff.
2012: KWQC returned to original KWQC-TV 6 News branding
In 2012, KWQC returned to their original KWQC-TV 6 News branding after all the market's stations converted to high definition news operations.
June 6, 2013: Media General Announced Acquisition of Young Broadcasting
On June 6, 2013, Media General announced it would acquire Young Broadcasting in an all-stock deal.
June 2013: KWQC Began Testing Third Digital Subchannel
In June 2013, KWQC began testing a third digital subchannel (6.3) with an ID still. The still was replaced on Labor Day of that year with programming from NBCUniversal-owned classic television network Cozi TV.
November 4, 2013: Introduction of New Weather Graphics
On November 4, 2013, KWQC introduced brand new weather graphics, featuring a new banner, radar, 7 Day Forecast, Current Temperatures, and Watches/Warnings. The new graphics included the ability to put pictures from Facebook and live video of meteorologists on the screen.
December 12, 2013: Change of Weather Logo
On December 12, 2013, KWQC removed the KWQC Weather logo and replaced it with the First Alert logo.
2013: Nielsen's DMA rank for the Quad Cities
As of 2013 Nielsen's DMA rank for the Quad Cities was 100.
June 2014: KLJB to be purchased by Marshall Broadcasting Group
In June 2014, it was announced that KLJB would be purchased by Marshall Broadcasting Group. This casted doubt on the previous partnership with KWQC.
September 6, 2014: Introduction of Quad Cities Today: Weekend Edition
On September 6, 2014, KWQC launched Quad Cities Today: Weekend Edition, airing before NBC's Today Show at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, followed by newscasts at 8:30 a.m. Saturdays, and 8 and 10 a.m. Sundays. Meet the Press was moved to 9 a.m. Sundays.
2014: Nielsen's DMA rank for the Quad Cities
As of 2014 Nielsen's DMA rank for the Quad Cities was 100.
2014: Media General regained ownership of KIMT
In 2014, Media General regained ownership of KIMT upon acquiring LIN Media.
July 14, 2015: KWQC-TV Pulled from Mediacom Cable Systems
On July 14, 2015, KWQC-TV and its digital subchannels were removed from Mediacom cable systems in the Quad Cities region due to a carriage dispute over retransmission consent fees between Mediacom and Media General.
July 30, 2015: Restoration of KWQC-TV on Mediacom Cable Systems
On July 30, 2015, Mediacom and Media General reached a new agreement, restoring KWQC and its digital subchannels to Quad City area Mediacom subscribers.
September 2015: Media General Announced Acquisition of Meredith Corporation
In September 2015, Media General announced the acquisition of Meredith Corporation in a cash and stock deal valued at $2.4 billion.
November 1, 2015: KWQC 24/7 Weather Channel Discontinued, Replaced with Ion Television
On November 1, 2015, the KWQC 24/7 Weather Channel was discontinued and replaced with entertainment programming from Ion Television. Subchannel 6.2 moved back to its original 4:3 aspect ratio.
December 30, 2015: Expiration of KWQC's Contract to Produce KLJB's Newscast
On December 30, 2015, KWQC announced that its contract to produce KLJB's newscast had expired and that KLJB chose not to renew it.
2015: Number One Newscasts
In 2015, KWQC's newscasts remained number one in total viewers in every time slot.
December 31, 2015: WHBF Takes Over Production of KLJB's Newscast
On December 31, 2015, WHBF assumed production of KLJB's Fox 18 News at Nine, expanding the newscast to a full hour.
January 27, 2016: Media General Terminated Meredith Deal and to be acquired by Nexstar
On January 27, 2016, Media General announced it was terminating the Meredith deal and would be acquired by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, forming Nexstar Media Group.
June 3, 2016: Nexstar to Sell KWQC to Gray Television
On June 3, 2016, it was announced that Nexstar would sell KWQC to Gray Television for $270 million.
January 17, 2017: Sale of KWQC to Gray Television Completed
On January 17, 2017, the sale of KWQC to Gray Television was completed, making it a sister station to KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, WIFR in Rockford, and WMTV in Madison.
July 2017: Reinstatement of "The Station That Cares for You" slogan
In July 2017, KWQC brought back the slogan "The Station That Cares for You" for its coverage of the Quad Cities Times Bix 7 Road Race. The slogan had been phased out in 2010.
February 1, 2019: KWQC added Heroes & Icons and Start TV to subchannel Lineup
On February 1, 2019, KWQC added Weigel Broadcasting's Heroes & Icons and Start TV to their subchannel lineup on channels 6.4 and 6.5, respectively.
December 2, 2020: KWQC Chose Not to Air Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Game
On December 2, 2020, KWQC chose not to air a rare Wednesday late afternoon Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game, which had been postponed due to COVID-19 issues. The station opted to air local news and programming instead.
February 1, 2021: Gray Television to Purchase Quincy Media
On February 1, 2021, Gray Television announced its intent to purchase Quincy Media for $925 million.
August 2, 2021: Gray Television Completed Purchase of Quincy Media
On August 2, 2021, the deal was completed between Gray Television and Quincy Media, placing KWQC under common ownership with several other NBC affiliates.
October 31, 2023: KWQC Reinstated Hello News and Hello Quad Cities
On October 31, 2023, ahead of the station's 75th anniversary, the "Hello News" package and the classic "Hello Quad Cities" advertising campaign were reinstated.
January 18, 2024: Permanent Return of "The Station That Cares for You" Slogan and Launch of New News Package
On January 18, 2024, KWQC permanently reintroduced the slogan "The Station That Cares for You" and launched its new news package under "GrayONE".
2025: Digital weather service returned
In 2025, KWQC's digital weather service returned, now offered exclusively through streaming, being carried on the station's website, apps, and Zeam, Gray Media's local streaming service.
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