KWQC-TV
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| KWQC-TV | |
|---|---|
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| Davenport, Iowa/Moline/Rock Island, Illinois | |
| Branding | KWQC-TV6 |
| Slogan | The Station That Cares For You |
| Channels | |
| Subchannels | (see article) |
| Affiliations | NBC |
| Owner | Young Broadcasting, Inc. (Young Broadcasting of Davenport, Inc.) |
| First air date | October 31, 1949 |
| Call letters’ meaning | Welcome to the Quad Cities (also disambiguation of original callsign) |
| Former callsigns | WOC-TV (1949-1986) |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 5 (1949-1952) 6 (1952-2009) Digital: 56 (2003-2009) |
| Former affiliations | Secondary: CBS (1949-1950) DuMont (1949-1955) ABC (1949-1963) |
| Transmitter Power | 1000 kW |
| Height | 329 m |
| Facility ID | 6885 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | 41°18′44″N 90°22′46″W / 41.31222°N 90.37944°W |
| Website | www.kwqc.com |
KWQC-TV, channel 36 (virtual 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 former analog transmitter is located in Bettendorf, Iowa; its digital transmitter is based in Orion, Illinois.
KWQC's audio signal transmitted on a frequency of 87.76 MHz (+10 kHz shift) and was picked up on the lower end of the dial on most FM radios in most of the Quad Cities until 11:59 PM on June 12, 2009.
KWQC-SD can be seen in analog on Mediacom cable channel 5 in the Quad Cities area. KWQC-HD can be seen on Mediacom cable channel 705 in the Quad Cities area. KWQC-WX can be seen on Mediacom cable channel 247 in the Quad Cities area.
KWQC-TV used its analog signal on VHF channel 6 to provide a Nightlight service to those remaining analog-only television viewers without a digital TV set or digital converter box for two weeks after the digital transition. (See article)
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[edit] 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. Original programming included the daily Show Boat children's show hosted by Cap'n Ernie from 1964 to 1974.[1][2]
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. Just eight weeks 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 former KWQC 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 introduced a new station logo, the first time they have done so since the early 1990s. While it is similar to the one before, the word "TV" has been taken out and has been replaced with "DT" (Digital Television). However, the station's official calls are still "KWQC-TV".
[edit] 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. According to the Des Moines Register in the November 2007 books, KWQC had the 3rd highest, top 100 market newscast rating, of 16%. The latest rating period, November 2008, shows KWQC maintains the number one spot across the board.
[edit] Personalities
[edit] KWQC-TV 6 Anchors
- Gary Metivier- KWQC TV 6 News at 5,6,10
- Paula Sands- Paula Sands Live, KWQC TV 6 News at 5,6
- Sharon DeRycke- KWQC TV 6 News at 10
- Jessica Tighe- Quad Cities Today
- David Nelson- Quad Cities Today
- Marcia Lense- KWQC TV 6 News at Noon
- Elizabeth Goodsitt- Weekends
[edit] KWQC-TV 6 Reporters
- Erika Cervantes
- Bailey Dietz
- Meredith Haley- Quad Cities Today
- Kory Kuffler
- Tambrey Laine
- Fran Riley
- Jim Victor- QC Today Financial Expert
[edit] First Alert Weather
- Cheif Meteorologist Ryan Burchett- KWQC TV 6 News at 5,6,10
- Meteorologist Greg Dutra- Quad Cities Today, News at Noon
- Theresa Bryant- News at Noon, Weekends
[edit] KWQC-TV 6 Sports
- Thom Chornelis- Sports Directore- KWQC TV 6 News at 6,10
- Dan Pearson- Weekend Sports Anchor
[edit] 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.
[edit] Paula Sands Live
Paula Sands Live is a weekday show that airs on KWQC-TV. It stars Paula Sands, a lead news anchor. She talks about current events in the Quad Cities area and a variety of other segments.
[edit] Syndicated 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 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation air during the weekends; the station also airs Cheers, often on weekends or during telethons as part of a special marathon.
[edit] HDTV
As of January 2008, in addition to airing NBC network HDTV programs produced in high-definition, KWQC also airs two Syndicated programs in HD. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are recorded and broadcast in high-definition every weekday and the Saturday evening reruns of "Wheel of Fortune" are also broadcast in high-definition as well.
[edit] 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, and is, similar to Young Broadcasting's other digital weather subchannel offerings on sister stations WBAY and WTEN. The weather conditions and radar displayed on the channel are fed direct from the station's computers; KWQC never affiliated with the defunct NBC Weather Plus service or branded with Weather Plus.
The channel features local weather conditions on the right side of the screen, with a seven-day forecast below the video window, and a news ticker on the bottom of the screen. Forecasts and weather maps are played on a 10-minute loop, with public service announcements and some local advertising a part of the station. The E/I programs Critter Gitters and My Bedbugs air Monday-Saturday at 5pm to suffice the E/I guidelines requiring three hours of E/I programming per week per subchannel.
[edit] Digital television
KWQC-DT broadcasts on digital channel 36.
Digital channels
| Channel | Name | Video | Aspect | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | KWQC-DT | 1080i | 16:9 | Main KWQC/NBC Programming |
| 6.2 | KWQC-WX | 480i | 4:3 | KWQC 24-7 Weather Channel |
At 11:59pm on Friday, June 12, 2009, KWQC-TV discontinued regular programming on their analog signal on channel 6. KWQC-DT shut off its pre-transition digital signal on channel 56 just after midnight on June 11-12. KWQC-DT returned to the air on channel 36 around 1 am on Friday June 12.[3] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers are continuing to display KWQC's virtual channel as 6. As of 11:59 PM on Friday June 12, 2009, the station's main programming is no longer heard on 87.75 MHz on FM radios.
[edit] Analog Nightlight Service
After June 12, KWQC continued using its analog channel 6 for the next two weeks strictly for the purpose of informing the public about the need to switch over to digital. This included the purchasing and installation of DTV converter boxes and television sets, as well as how digital TV works, and the need for those consumers who are still unprepared to switch over to digital. This service is known as "Nightlighting."[4] The national PSAs, produced by the National Association of Broadcasters, as well as a locally produced version by the station itself, was a joint effort between KWQC and the other broadcasters in the Quad Cities, including WHBF, WQAD, WQPT, and KLJB, to inform the remaining unprepared TV viewers about the need to take action in order to continue receiving over the air television broadcasting. The transmitter for KWQC analog channel 6 was literally shut down permanently at 11:59 pm on Friday June 26, 2009. Being broadcast as it was in analog on VHF channel 6, the KWQC "Nightlight Service" was being heard on FM 87.76 MHz on FM radios during the two week nightlight period instead of the KWQC main programming. Today, there is nothing but static on 87.7 FM on radios as well as snow on VHF channel 6 on analog TV sets.
[edit] 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: 41°32′49″N 90°28′35″W / 41.54694°N 90.47639°W). It was built in 1982. In addition to the former KWQC analog signal, WHBF-TV and radio stations WOC, and WLLR-FM, both former sister stations of KWQC-TV (as WOC-TV), as well as religious WDLM-FM, and NPR member station WVIK, transmit their signals from this site.
KWQC's digital transmission tower is located in Orion, Illinois. The transmitter for KWQC-DT 56 had been operating at half of its assigned ERP since 12:45 PM on December 16, 2008, due to the need to convert one of the Power Amplifier Cabinets from channel 56 to channel 36.[5] At 12:02 AM on Friday June 12, the digital over-the-air signal on channel 56 was turned off and this lasted for about an hour or so in order to change the transmitter-to-antenna connections from the remaining DT 56 cabinet to the newly converted DT 36 cabinet. KWQC returned to the air an hour later on KWQC-DT 36, and continues to operate at half-power on channel 36. This will last for about a week or so while the other cabinet is converted from channel 56 to channel 36. KWQC estimates that the other power cabinet will be fully converted and that their new digital signal on channel 36 will operate at its fully licensed ERP of 1 million watts around June 19, one week after the DTV transition is complete.[6] Cable viewers, particularly Mediacom subscribers in the Quad Cities, did not notice any interruption to the KWQC analog or digital/HDTV signals on the cable systems as KWQC's signals are nowadays sent to the cable companies via a direct fiber optic link instead of the older and more traditional method of being picked up by the cable companies' over-the-air antennas.[7]
Also, KWQC no longer transmits a signal from Bettendorf, as Orion is now its new permanent home for transmission facilities, as of June 12. KWQC's analog transmitter in Bettendorf was broadcasting the Quad City Market's "Nightlight" service around the clock until June 26, 2009, and during the two week nightlight period, none of the station's regular programming was broadcast on the analog signal. As of June 26, 2009, the analog signal is now permanently gone. The afforementioned radio stations in the top paragraph of this section, as well as WHBF-TV, are continuing to transmit from Bettendorf. WHBF is the only Quad Cities television station to transmit from Bettendorf, while KWQC and everybody else are transmitting from Orion,[8] with the exception of KGCW. This means many viewers in and around the Quad Cities market need either a rotor or two separate antennas to receive all their local TV stations.
[edit] References
- ^ Hollis, Tim (2001). Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Shows. Univ. Press of Mississippi, ISBN 9781578063963
- ^ Stein, Jeff (2004). Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting. WDG Communications, ISBN 9780971832312
- ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
- ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-291375A1.pdf
- ^ http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=9515435&nav=menu83_5
- ^ http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=9707920&nav=menu83_5
- ^ http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=9202887&nav=menu83_5_9
- ^ http://www.whbf.com/Global/story.asp?S=10446353
[edit] Further reading
- Fybush.com (2001). "The Big Travelogue, Part Four". http://www.fybush.com/site-010822.html. Retrieved on 2006-04-08.
- KWQC.com. "The History of KWQC-TV 6". http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?s=177114. Retrieved on 2006-03-22.
- KWQC On-Airaccessed 2007-04-03
- Stein, Jeff (2004). Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: WDG Communications. ISBN 0-9718323-1-5.
- KWQC.com (2007). "KWQC-TV6 News and Weather For The Quad Cities - First Alert Weather 24/7". http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6908210&nav=menu83_3_3. Retrieved on 2007-08-21.
[edit] External links
- Station website
- Listing 1035417 in the FCC Antenna Structure Registration database
- WOC's Captain Ernie's Cartoon Showboat website
- The Unofficial WOC Broadcast Center Website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for KWQC
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on KWQC-TV
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