KWQC anchor goodbye gets press for 'qutting in protest'

[sfomspphl 545]

This got picked up by several trade outlets and the NY Post.

 

Not sure where they got the 'in protest' part - he made a vague reference to not doing 'sanitized' news, that they stick to the facts, and that he won't be in TV news in the future. His wife is his coanchor, whom he married during his tenure at KWQC, though not sure that's where they met. He worked for another station in the market prior to KWQC.

 

https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/iowa-anchor-chokes-up-quits-news-station-in-protest/

 

Here's the full clip

 

https://www.kwqc.com/video/2026/06/19/dustin-nolan-says-goodbye-after-years-waking-up-quad-cities-kwqc-mornings/?outputType=amp

 

Cyle Dickens one of our valued contributors here is their assistant news director, I'm guessing management is surprised by the interpretation as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by sfomspphl

[Recovering Producer 414]

Did he phrase/execute what he said perfectly? No. Absolutely not. Holding back tears and reading off the teleprompter rarely goes well. But I interpreted it as a "this is a job where we have balanced the mix of reporting the uncomfortable stuff AND the fluff." 

 

But there's a web story, and video on literally every station social media platform. If this was a quit in protest, it would not be memorialized like this. 

 

Dude is probably just fed up with the alarm clock from morning hours. Also, in 2026 it is smart for a married couple to diversify employers and not rely on the same broadcast/media company for paychecks and health insurance. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Recovering Producer
rephrased a sentence

[nathannah 2795]

I think the 'ABC style' of news is starting to filter down to local stations (the institutional reporting is stuck online, too many 'viral video as news statement enough' or junk news) is what I notice here, especially with Gray's house style seeming to go towards vaguer notifications and more irrelevant time spent having to filter through comments sections or post for the sake of posting.

 

I think that is a problem, where local news has to soak up reporting that used to be done by Inside Edition, ET and Access, and now has a lot more group features and has a newspaper 'house style', like Gray with Aging Untold and their SSB contest, or they try to keep local authorities happy.

[GodfreyGR 812]

17 hours ago, Recovering Producer said:

Did he phrase/execute what he said perfectly? No. Absolutely not.

Did he at least pay Dale Hansen royalties for ripping off his sign-off from WFAA?

 

Dale Hansen: "Television has to be more than sitcoms and cop shows. We need to take people out of their bubbles and their safe places, and make them think about the world we live in. It is the only thing I've ever really wanted to do." (2:28)

Dustin Nolan: "We as a local news station have to be more than trends or sanitized news, because it makes people feel uncomfortable, that's what the facts matter and that's why we do what we do here. We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them thing about the world we all live in." (1:07)

 

Dale Hansen: "If you don't have a Denny Livingston in your life, I strongly encourage you to find one. He makes dreams come true." (2:37)

Dustin Nolan: "If you don't have a Jenna in your life, I suggest you find one. Because she makes dreams come true in every way another human can't." (1:50)

 

Dale Hansen: "There will be no more TV tomorrows for me, so for everyone who has been a part of this one, and all of these 41 years, I'm Dale Hansen, and I really do thank you for watching. Goodnight, and good bye." (3:45)

Dustin Nolan: "There will be no more TV tomorrows for me, so for everyone who has allowed me to be a part of their morning, I really do thank you. Good day, and good bye." (2:22)

 

Hansen did it all without crying. Just saying.

 

 

[jerseyfla 210]

1 hour ago, GodfreyGR said:

Did he at least pay Dale Hansen royalties for ripping off his sign-off from WFAA?

 

Dale Hansen: "Television has to be more than sitcoms and cop shows. We need to take people out of their bubbles and their safe places, and make them think about the world we live in. It is the only thing I've ever really wanted to do." (2:28)

Dustin Nolan: "We as a local news station have to be more than trends or sanitized news, because it makes people feel uncomfortable, that's what the facts matter and that's why we do what we do here. We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them thing about the world we all live in." (1:07)

 

Dale Hansen: "If you don't have a Denny Livingston in your life, I strongly encourage you to find one. He makes dreams come true." (2:37)

Dustin Nolan: "If you don't have a Jenna in your life, I suggest you find one. Because she makes dreams come true in every way another human can't." (1:50)

 

Dale Hansen: "There will be no more TV tomorrows for me, so for everyone who has been a part of this one, and all of these 41 years, I'm Dale Hansen, and I really do thank you for watching. Goodnight, and good bye." (3:45)

Dustin Nolan: "There will be no more TV tomorrows for me, so for everyone who has allowed me to be a part of their morning, I really do thank you. Good day, and good bye." (2:22)

 

Hansen did it all without crying. Just saying.

 

 

Wow! I didn't think about that! He must have looked around Youtube for TV anchor goodbye speeches and landed on that one!