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WQAD-TV

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WQAD-TV, known as " Quad Cities' NewsChannel 8," is the ABC affiliate for the Quad Cities television market (the Davenport, Iowa/Moline, Illinois/Rock Island, Illinois DMA). The station is licensed to Moline, with transmitter located in Orion, Illinois. It is owned by Local TV, a subsidiary of the private equity group Oak Hill Capital.

History

WQAD-TV signed on for the first time on August 1, 1963. It was owned by the Moline Television Corporation, a group of 24 local investors. They had actually won the license in 1961, but challenges delayed sign-on for two years. Before WQAD signed on, ABC programming had been split between WOC-TV (now KWQC-TV) and WHBF-TV. From day one, WQAD-TV broadcast ABC network programming in color.

Cowles Communications of Des Moines purchased WQAD in 1978. In 1985, the Cowles family sold off their various media interests, with WQAD going to the New York Times Company.

On May 7, 2007, Local TV, a subsidiary of Oak Hill Capital, officially took over the Times' 9 television stations, including WQAD.

The station began news operations from the first day it signed on the air in 1963. At times, it shares news stories with sister station WHO-TV in Des Moines. WQAD also uses WHO's chopper, usually during severe weather or flooding.

WQAD is also an afilliate with the CNN network, and uses a lot of CNN footage on WQAD's news at 6:30 PM.

Station Identifications

  • News Scope 8 - 1966-1975
  • Eyewitness News - 1975-1978
  • Active 8 - 1978-1994
  • NewsChannel 8 - 1994-2008
  • WQAD NewsChannel 8 - 2007-2008
  • Quad Cities' NewsChannel 8 - 2008-present

WQAD Storm Track 8000 doppler weather channel

The WQAD Storm Track 8000 doppler weather channel is a 24 hour weather service provided by WQAD and is available to television viewers in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas via WQAD's digital channel 8.2 and on Mediacom Cable's analog channel 14. This channel was created in 2001, and featured it's Exclusive Live Tripple Doppler, and weather updates every 15 minutes. Since, the station has added the 5, and 14 day outlook, with the latest weather around the region with an "L Bar". As of August 13, 2007, its main competitor is the KWQC 24-7 Weather Channel.

Digital Television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Digital channels
Channel Programming
8.1 Main WQAD programming / ABC HD
8.2 WQAD Storm Track 8000 doppler weather channel
8.3 WBQD My TV 16

Programming History

WQAD-TV's early years are closely linked to the station's prominent anchor/reporter, Jim King. He was the station's main anchorman from the day the station first signed on until 1998, doubling as news director for most of that time. He took camera and gear to Vietnam for two tours of reporting on local troops. He was long the staple on the anchor desk and was known for his "On The Road" series of reports as well as his longtime role as the emcee of the station's annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons from 1971 to 1998. He died on January 2, 1999, of a heart attack.

WQAD-TV was one of the organizations which founded the Quad City Open golf tournament in 1971. The PGA tournament is now called the John Deere Classic and has been the topic of special broadcasts on the television station for more than 35 years.

WQAD's early days are also remembered for being the local outlet for Romper Room and its host Miss Peggy. Quad-Cities baby boomers also fondly remember WQAD's weekly midnight Chuck Acri Creature Features - showing early science fiction and monster movies.

On September 4th, 2007, WQAD's 6:00 PM news started a re-broadcast show on WBQD MyTv16 Quad Cities at 9PM.

WQAD was branded in the early 1990s as "Active 8, your 24 hour News Source" and did hourly news cut-ins even during the overnight hours. On January 6, 1992, ABC World News Now was started by the ABC Television Network as an overnight newscast and is still on the air to this day. While the overnight news cut-ins and "24 hour news source" branding are now long gone from WQAD, the station still continues to carry World News Now every weekday morning from upon the conclusion of the previous night's programming until 4:30 am when it picks up America This Morning. WQAD is one of several ABC affiliates nationwide that carry World News Now, an overnight news program which has gained viewership over the years, partly due to the growing number of stations in smaller and mid-sized markets launching 24 hour schedules instead of signing off for the night like they did in olden days.

Ratings

As the third station to go on air in the Quad Cities, WQAD had a hard time with ratings in the beginning. WQAD finally jumped into 2nd place, by beating out WHBF in the late 80's, and has been there ever since. Currently, WQAD- Quad Cities NewsChannel 8 News at 10 is their highest rated newscast. As of February, 2008, WQAD is 2nd place, overall, in all of its newscasts. Leigh Geramanis is the current News Director, and Kamy Dearborn is the current Executive Producer.


Current Personalities (May 2008)

Anchors

  • Matt Hammill News at 5:30&10(Sunday)6&10 (Monday-Thursday)
  • Vanessa Van Hyfte News at 5:30&10 (Sunday) 5,6,&10 (Monday-Thursday)
  • Julie Sisk Good Morning Quad Cities
  • Jim Mertens Good Morning Quad Cities & Morning News To Go
  • Jason Fechner News 5&6:30,Afternoon News To Go (Monday-Friday)
  • Kia Carter News at 5,6&10 (Friday), 6&10 Saturday

Reporters

  • Amy Barrilleaux (8 On Your Side)
  • Brian Boesen (Total Travel)
  • Pam Cunningham
  • John David
  • Kristy Merganthal
  • Chris Minor (Investigations)
  • Thom White (Entertainment Reporter)
  • Chris Williams (8 On Your Side)

Storm Track 8000

  • Neil Kastor - Chief Meteorologist, Fri&Sat Evenings, T-Th 5&6:30PM (AMS Seal Of Approval)
  • James Zahara - GMQC Meteorologist (AMS Certified, NWA Seal Of Approval)
  • Anthony Peoples - Meteorologist Sunday & Monday Evenings; T-Th, 6&10PM (NWA Seal Of Approval)
  • Andy Dorn - Freelance Meteorologist

WQAD Sports

  • Mick Moninghoff Sports Director, Host of Wild World Of Sports
  • Matt Randazzo Weekend Sports Anchor/Weekly Pacetter
  • Scott Doll Good Morning Quad Cities Sports Reporter

Also appearing on WQAD

  • Craig Hignight- Garden Expert, Wednesday on GMQC
  • Dr. Walter Bradley- "Ask The Doctor" Thursday on GMQC
  • Phil Kassewitz- Financial Analyst
  • John Miller- Financial Advisor
  • Porter McNeil- Political Analyst

Former Personalities

  • Jim King (Deceased)
  • Greg Vandergrift
  • Courtney Brennan (Now Reporter at WLOS)
  • Eric Roby
  • Joan Brandenburg
  • Carolyn Kissal
  • Jacqueline Getty
  • Bill Bailey
  • Robin Cole (Swaboda)
  • Keith Andrews
  • Anette Tihanovich
  • Tammy Frantz
  • Hota Kotb (Now on the 4th hour of Today on NBC)
  • Andrea Zinga
  • Jeff Moore
  • David Paul (Now Chief Meteorologist at KLFY)
  • Kelly Hessedal (Now Reporter at WREG)
  • Laura Fogel
  • Michelle Aguyao
  • Barbara Dawson
  • Dave Leval (Now Anchor at WEYI)
  • Paul Bukta
  • Thom Cornelis (Now Sports Director at KWQC)
  • Dan Burich
  • Dale Ryman (Now Sports Anchor at WSAW)
  • Miranda Kahn
  • Koretha Dodd
  • John Natelle
  • Alan Sivell
  • Al Van Zee (Now Reporter at KEVN)
  • Don Wooten
  • Marcia Lense (Now Anchor at KWQC)
  • Susan McBride (McPeters)
  • Elizabeth Alex
  • Jim Albreck
  • Dana Derflinger
  • Susan Robinette (Now Reporter at KDSM)

Syndicated programs

Syndicated programs on WQAD-TV's schedule include Extra, Judge Judy, Dr. Phil, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Station notes

  • WQAD's news currently uses First News by composer Frank Gari as a theme.
  • 8 On Your Side reporter Amy Barrilleaux is married to KLJB anchor John Beard
  • Neil Kastor also worked as Chief Meteorologist at WHBF-TV in Rock Island for two years, then later made his way to WQAD
  • In 1984, WQAD was the first, and only station in the Quad Cities to add a live radar.
  • In 2005, WQAD was the first, and only station in the area to get a Satillite Mobile Newsroom
  • Almost all the WQAD News team grew up in the Illinois, or have been covering Illinois news for more than 10 years.

References

Template:Local TV,LLC

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