KWQC-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = KWQC-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = The Station That Cares For You
station_branding = KWQC-TV6
analog = 6 (VHF)
digital = 56, moving to 36 (UHF) in 2009
digital_temporary = 56 (UHF)
other_chs =
subchannels = 6.1 NBC 6.2 24-7 Weather
network =
founded =
airdate = October 31, 1949
location = Davenport, Iowa/Moline/Rock Island, Illinois
callsign_meaning = Welcome to the
Quad
Cities
(also disambiguation of original callsign)
former_callsigns = WOC-TV (1949-1986)
former_channel_numbers = 5 (1949-1952)
owner = Young Broadcasting, Inc.
licensee = Young Broadcasting of Davenport, Inc.
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = Secondary:
CBS (1949-1950)
DuMont (1949-1955)
ABC (1949-1963)
effective_radiated_power = 100 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 408 m (analog)
329 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 6885
coordinates = coord|41|32|48.8|N|90|28|37.7|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (analog)
coord|41|18|44.5|N|90|22|46.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (digital)
homepage = [http://www.kwqc.com/ www.kwqc.com]

KWQC-TV, channel 6, is the NBC affiliate for the Quad Cities television market (the Davenport, Iowa/Moline, Illinois/Rock Island, Illinois market). It is licensed to Davenport and is owned by Young Broadcasting. Its transmitter is located in Davenport, Iowa.

KWQC's audio signal transmits on a frequency of 87.76 MHz (+10 kHz shift) and can be picked up on the lower end of the dial on most FM radios in most of the Quad Cities.

KWQC-TV can be seen on Mediacom cable channel 5 in the Quad Cities area. KWQC-DT can be seen on Mediacom cable channel 705 in the Quad Cities area. KWQC-DT2 can be seen on Mediacom cable channel 247 in the Quad Cities area.

History

KWQC originally signed on the air on October 31, 1949, as WOC-TV. It has the distinction of being Iowa's and the Quad Cities' first television station, carrying programming from all four networks at the time (NBC, CBS, ABC and DuMont). However, it has always been a primary NBC affiliate. It lost CBS to WHBF-TV in 1950, and the two stations shared ABC until WQAD-TV signed on in 1963. Originally on channel 5, it moved to channel 6 in 1952 due to interference with WOI-TV in Des Moines.

The station was founded by B. J. Palmer, who owned the Palmer College of Chiropractic (the WOC calls stood for Wonders of Chiropractic) along with WOC radio (AM 1420 and FM 103.7, now WLLR) and WHO-AM-FM-TV in Des Moines. It remained with the Palmer family after his death in 1961.

In 1986 the Palmers announced that they would sell channel 6, and in the process changed the call letters to KWQC-TV. KWQC was sold to Broad Street Television in 1989 and to Young Broadcasting in 1995.

On July 31, 2007, KWQC debuted a drastic change to its graphics and music, dumping the original "Hello News" music package that had been in use since 1990. KWQC added a "cube" (similar to Fox News) which stirred up a lot of controversy. Eventually, KWQC slowed the cube down as a result of a vote by nearly 2000 people on its website. KWQC began using "U-Phonix", a syndicated music package produced by Stephen Arnold Music. Less than 2 months later on September 24, KWQC switched back to the "Hello News" package, making KWQC the first station to use a syndicated music package for the least amount of time. KWQC remains the only station that continues to use the original "Hello News" package.

The January 9, 2008 episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno featured a brief clip of a KWQC broadcast showing anchor Mike Mickle's reaction to difficulties with a tape on a story about a Boise, Idaho woman struck by lightning.

On September 25, 2008, KWQC introduced a new graphics package during their 5 PM broadcast. The new package brought major changes to all the news graphics as well as significant changes to the weather forecasts. The First Alert Weather team will be able to interact more with technology. This is done by animation, finger pointing, and with their wireless clicker, they can change and bring up graphics as well as information making for a much more interactive and flowing forecast for the viewers. KWQC also introduces a news station logo, the first time they have done so since the early 1990's. While it is similar to the one before, the word "TV" has been taken out and has been replaced with "DT" (Digital Television)

Ratings

KWQC has been the ratings leader in the Quad Cities for most of its history, mainly because of the longevity of the station's personalities. It briefly lost the lead to WHBF in the mid-1970s, but regained it in 1980 and has held the lead ever since. The February, 2008 ratings show that KWQC holds the number one spot in the market. According to the Des Moines Register in the November 2007 books, KWQC had the 3rd highest, top 100 market newscast rating, of 16%.

Personalities

Illinois 17th District Republican candidate Andrea Zinga was a former anchor for KWQC-TV (while it was still WOC-TV) during the mid-1980s.

Current WQAD Anchor Chris Williams was an anchor/reporter at KWQC but was let go early in 2008 due to budget cuts.

Anchors

* Mike Mickle - "Quad Cities Today"
* Jessica Tighe - "Quad Cities Today"
* Marcia Lense - Noon
* Gary Metivier - 5, 6, 10 PM Weekdays
* Paula Sands - 5, 6 Weekdays; Host "Paula Sands Live"
* Sharon DeRycke - 10 PM Weekdays
* Elizabeth Goodsitt - Weekend Anchor

First Alert Weather

* Chief Meteorologist Ryan Burchett (AMS CBM Certified) - 5, 6, & 10PM Weekdays
* Weather Specialist Theresa Bryant - Noon & Weekends
* Meteorologist Josh Stone - Quad Cities Today

Reporters

* Fran Riley
* Meredith Hailey
* Erika Cervantes
* Jaclyn Rostie

ports

* Thom Cornelis - Sports Director
* Dan Pearson - Sports Anchor Friday/Saturday
* Kory Kuffler - Sports Reporter/Fill In Anchor

Also Appearing on KWQC-TV 6

* Linda Cook - "Cook's Critique" ("Paula Sands Live")
* 4 Legged Friends - ("Paula Sands Live" Pet Segment)
* Mr. Food
* Food Guru Peter Harman
* Jim Victor - ("QC Today" Financial)

The "Highlight Zone"

KWQC is well-known by locals for the "Highlight Zone," an Emmy award-winning Friday night feature showcasing area high school football and basketball. The "Highlight Zone" airs during the 10 p.m. newscast from roughly late August through early March, with a break in December. Each member of the news anchor staff, along with whomever is giving the weather that night, take turns recapping a featured game.

The camera crews invite fans from each of the games they cover to participate in a skit related to the night's theme. The theme usually centers on a holiday (e.g., Valentine's Day) or local promotion (e.g., The Student Food Drive, an initiative by area high schools to collect food for the needy).

The "Highlight Zone" was started for the 1989-1990 season, and the format has since been copied by many TV stations.

yndicated programming

Syndicated programs on KWQC's schedule include "Jeopardy!", "Wheel of Fortune", "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", "Rachael Ray", and "The Oprah Winfrey Show". Reruns of "" air during the weekends; the station also airs "Cheers", often on weekends or during telethons as part of a special marathon.

KWQC 24-7 Weather Channel

On Monday August 13, 2007, KWQC started up a local digital weather service called "24/7 Weather." This new weather service is available to viewers via KWQC's digital subchannel 6.2 over the air and on Mediacom Digital Cable channel 247 in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas. The purpose of 24/7 weather is similar to that of NBC stations who do offer NBC Weather Plus and other stations which either offer AccuWeather, The Weather Channel, or strictly local weather from their own weather centers, and that purpose is to bring the latest radar, local weather conditions and forecasts to viewers at their convenience regardless of the time of day or night. At this time, KWQC 24/7 Weather has no affiliation with NBC Weather Plus. Its main competitor is the WQAD Storm Track 8000 doppler weather channel.

KWQC's 24/7 Weather Channel provides Quad Cities area viewers with the latest weather forecasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every 5 minutes, the KWQC TV 6 First Alert Weather Team updates the weather forecasts, especially the forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours. Also featured is an "L" bar similar to the one used on NBC Weather Plus except KWQC's "L" bar covers the right side and bottom of the screen where the "L" bar for NBC Weather Plus covers the left side third and bottom third of the screen, thus making KWQC's "L" bar look more like a "backwards L" bar. On the right hand side of the screen is the current conditions and at the bottom of the screen is the 7 day forecast. Live 3D Doppler Radar and Forecasts help viewers to plan their day according to the weather. KWQC also breaks in live on the 24/7 Weather Channel whenever severe weather is forecast for the KWQC viewing area. The main purpose of the 24/7 Weather Channel is to make getting the forecast for KWQC's viewers convenient due to the various schedules of people all around the Quad Cities and surrounding areas.

Digital television

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] , KWQC will move its digital broadcasts to channel 36. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display KWQC's virtual channel as 6, however the station will no longer be heard on FM radio at 87.76MHz.

Transmitter

The KWQC-TV Tower is a 1,381-foot (421 m) high guy-wired aerial mast for the transmission of FM radio and television programs in Bettendorf, west of the Scott Community College campus. (Geographical coordinates: coord|41|32|49|N|90|28|35|W|type:landmark). It was built in 1982. In addition to KWQC, WHBF-TV and radio stations WOC, WLLR-FM, WDLM-FM, and WVIK transmit their signals from this site.

KWQC's digital transmission tower is located in Orion, Illinois.

tation notes

*Mike Mickle was on the weather team when he first joined KWQC in the early 90's.

References

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* [http://kwqc.com/Global/category.asp?C=25523&nav=menu83_12 KWQC On-Air] accessed 2007-04-03
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External links

* [http://www.kwqc.com/ Station website]
*ASR|key=600182|number=1035417
* [http://www.captainerniesshowboat.com/ WOC's Captain Ernie's Cartoon Showboat website]
* [http://www.captainerniesshowboat.com/woc The Unofficial WOC Broadcast Center Website]
*TVQ|KWQC
*BIA|KWQC|TV|TV