KWQC anchor Dustin Nolan gave an emotional on-air goodbye to his Quad City audience, announcing on Friday that heโs โchosen to step away from the new industry.โ On his way out, he called out โsanitized newsโ and declared that it is the responsibility of journalists to โtake people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them think about the world we all live in.โ
โI have chosen to step away from the news industry,โ Nolan said. โBefore I say goodbye, I just want to say, I hope every one of you thatโs allowed me to be a part of your mornings knows just how important that I have taken this job [and] how much it means to me that youโve trusted me these past few years to bring you the news in the morning. I promise you, Iโve given you everything I have. Iโve never tried to be perfect, or what many think a newsman should be supposed to be, but I have always done my best to be transparent, bringing you the facts, and Iโve always been myself.โ
โIโve always believed that we, as a local news station, owe you, the viewers, the best that we can do, because without you, none of us would be able to do this job,โ he added. โI also believe that we, as a local news station, have to be more than trends or sanitized news, because it makes people feel uncomfortable. Thatโs why the facts matter, and thatโs why we do what we do here. We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them think about the world we all live in.โ
KWQC is a station based in Davenport, Iowa, and reports news from the Quad Cities, which include Davenport, Iowa; Bettendorf, Iowa; Rock Island, Ill. and Moline, Ill. According to Nolanโs LinkedIn, heโs been working at the station since 2022.
Nolan is married to his KWQC co-anchor, Jenna, whom he thanked on his sign-off: โThe hardest part of this job for me is the realization that I wonโt be working with Jenna anymore, because she isnโt just the greatest go anchor on the news desk, but she is the greatest co-anchor in life as well.โ
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