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KLJB

KLJB-TV, virtual channel 18 (UHF channel 18), is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to , , serving the area along the Iowa– border. Owned by , Inc., the station is operated under local service agreements by , Inc., which also owns CBS affiliate (channel 4) in . The station first signed on the air on July 28, 1985, as the ' inaugural independent television station, broadcasting from studios in downtown and a transmitter in Milan, . It affiliated with the network in 1987, becoming one of the early Fox affiliates in the Midwest. Ownership has changed multiple times since inception, with significant transitions including acquisition by Grant Broadcasting in 1991 and a 2014 spin-off to Marshall Broadcasting Group before its sale to in 2020, all while maintaining operational ties to Nexstar. KLJB's programming schedule features network content, syndicated series such as , , and , as well as local news productions including a 9 p.m. newscast—launched on December 31, 1999, as the market's first evening news at that hour—and a morning show from 7 to 9 a.m. The station also serves as the Quad Cities broadcaster for preseason games and covers local events like the golf tournament. Recognized as a top-performing affiliate, KLJB reaches approximately 1.026 million people across its signal area, emphasizing sports, news, and entertainment tailored to the region's approximately 305,000 television households (as of the 2024–25 season).

History

Founding and early operations (1985–1990)

KLJB-TV signed on the air on July 28, 1985, as the ' first independent television station, licensed to , and broadcasting an analog signal on UHF channel 18. The station was initially operated by Davenport Communications , filling a significant gap in local broadcasting options in the Davenport–Rock Island–Moline market, which was previously served only by the established ABC affiliate , CBS affiliate , and NBC affiliate . Studios were located in , with the transmitter situated near , , to cover the Iowa-Illinois border region. As an , KLJB-TV focused its early programming on syndicated shows, classic movies, local documentaries, and children's content to attract viewers in a competitive landscape dominated by network affiliates. To address challenges inherent to UHF broadcasting, the station distributed free antennas to households, helping to build its audience despite signal reception issues common in the era. A key early milestone was the launch of "Live on Tape," a local late-night , on July 4, 1987, which showcased original content amid the station's independent lineup. KLJB-TV affiliated with the upon its launch in October 1986, airing its programming alongside independent fare; however, low viewer tune-in for the fledgling network prompted station management to drop the affiliation in March 1988, reverting to full status. The station regained its Fox affiliation in 1990, marking a pivotal shift ahead of subsequent ownership changes.

Grant Communications ownership (1991–2014)

In 1991, Grant Communications, in partnership with CitiCorp Venture Capital, acquired KLJB-TV from the Davenport LTD Partnership, with the deal closing in of that year. This purchase marked Grant's entry into the market, where the station had already solidified its position as a Fox affiliate after rejoining the network in 1990, driven by the rising popularity of prime-time programming such as . Under ownership, KLJB expanded its programming lineup with syndicated daytime shows and local sports broadcasts, enhancing its appeal as a leading independent and Fox outlet in the region. The station achieved notable growth, with a industry report indicating significant ratings increases, reflecting operational improvements amid the television deregulation that relaxed ownership limits and spurred . focus on cost-effective and mid-market stations contributed to KLJB's financial stability, allowing investments in content that positioned it as a top performer in the during a period of industry transition. By the early 2010s, as industry consolidation intensified, announced plans to divest its holdings, including KLJB, in a November 2013 agreement with Nexstar Broadcasting Group for $87.5 million covering seven stations, though KLJB was divested to Marshall Broadcasting Group to address regulatory concerns. This sale concluded 's 23-year stewardship of the station, during which it transitioned from an emerging to a stable affiliate with sustained market influence.

Mission Broadcasting and Nexstar era (2014–present)

In December 2014, as part of Nexstar Broadcasting Group's acquisition of Grant Broadcasting System, the assets of KLJB were sold to the minority-owned Broadcasting Group for $15.3 million in cash. Concurrently, Nexstar entered into a agreement (SSA) and local service agreements with Marshall, allowing Nexstar to manage KLJB's operations, including programming, sales, and technical services, from its co-owned affiliate in . This arrangement enabled Nexstar to maintain effective control over the station while complying with FCC ownership limits in the market. Marshall Broadcasting Group's financial difficulties culminated in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on December 3, 2019, amid disputes with Nexstar over terms. On March 30, 2020, , Inc.—another entity commonly partnered with Nexstar through SSAs—agreed to acquire KLJB and two other Marshall stations for a total of $49 million, with the deal closing on September 1, 2020, following FCC approval. The with Nexstar was preserved post-acquisition, ensuring continuity in operations, news production via WHBF, and advertising sales. Under Mission's ownership, KLJB has maintained operational stability through 2025, with no reported major disruptions despite industry challenges. During the , the station adapted practices in line with Nexstar's network-wide protocols, including remote and virtual to minimize on-site while continuing local news and Fox programming. Digital enhancements, such as signal maintenance upgrades in 2023 and integration with Nexstar's centralized digital platforms, have supported expanded online content delivery and viewer engagement. KLJB's operations align with Nexstar's regional strategy, benefiting from unified ad sales across Midwest markets and upgrades like enhanced capabilities for syndicated programming. As of November 2025, retains nominal ownership of KLJB, preserving its independence on paper, though the grants Nexstar substantial operational influence—a facing ongoing FCC scrutiny over potential control in shared-service arrangements.

News operations

Launch of local newscasts (1999–2010)

On December 31, 1999, KLJB launched the , marking the debut of the first prime-time local newscast in the television market. This 30-minute program aired Sunday through Friday evenings, providing coverage of local stories, weather, and sports tailored to the –Rock Island–Moline area. The newscast was produced from the outset by the , a Davenport-based company founded in with KLJB as its inaugural client. INN's centralized production model, utilizing shared studios and resources in , enabled cost-efficient delivery of localized content for smaller-market affiliates like KLJB by minimizing on-site staffing needs and leveraging syndicated elements such as wire service reports. This approach addressed the financial challenges of launching operations at a station that had previously lacked them, allowing KLJB to compete without the overhead of a full in-house . Over the next decade, the program expanded its reach while maintaining its core 9 p.m. slot, evolving into a key alternative to traditional evening casts in the region. The 18 Nine O'Clock News demonstrated consistent ratings strength, establishing KLJB as a viable news provider amid limited local resources. By 2010, it had grown into a competitive offering, reflecting the success of INN's shared production strategy. A notable highlight of this era was the newscast's coverage of the 2008 Iowa floods, which affected the Quad Cities and broader eastern Iowa region, underscoring KLJB's role in delivering timely local reporting on community-impacting events.

News production partnerships (2010–present)

In 2010, KLJB ended its longstanding partnership with the Independent News Network and entered into a news share agreement with ABC affiliate WQAD-TV, which began producing the station's 9 p.m. newscast, rebranded as Fox 18 News at Nine. This half-hour program aired seven nights a week from WQAD's studios in Moline, Illinois, marking the first time KLJB's news was produced by another broadcast station in the Quad Cities market. The production arrangement shifted again on December 31, 2012, when NBC affiliate KWQC-TV took over, continuing the 9 p.m. newscast under the same branding. This partnership lasted until the end of 2015, when Nexstar Media Group-owned CBS affiliate WHBF-TV assumed production responsibilities through a shared services agreement, expanding the evening newscast to a full hour and rebranding it as OurQuadCities.com News on Fox 18. In September 2017, WHBF added a two-hour morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m., titled Our Quad Cities News This Morning on Fox 18, along with occasional noon updates; these programs integrated digital streaming options through the OurQuadCities.com website and mobile apps for on-demand access. As of 2025, KLJB's news operations remain a joint effort with , utilizing shared resources from Nexstar's facilities in , to cover local elections, severe weather events such as the 2023 Quad Cities tornado outbreak, and community stories across eastern and northwestern . The news team consists of approximately 20 journalists, anchors, meteorologists, and production staff, contributing to a unified content pipeline for both stations. The 9 p.m. newscast has maintained its position as the market's top-rated local program in its time slot, reflecting the partnership's focus on timely, region-specific reporting.

Technical information

Subchannels and multicast programming

KLJB's primary digital subchannel, 18.1, has carried network programming since re-affiliating with the network in 1990, including its primetime lineup of scripted series and specials, national sports coverage such as NFL games featuring the and select contests, along with local advertising and promotional inserts. The station began offering subchannels in 2009, coinciding with the completion of the U.S. analog-to- transition that enabled broader over-the-air multichannel distribution. As of 2025, KLJB's subchannel lineup includes 18.2 affiliated with , which broadcasts classic television series from the mid-20th century through the 1990s, such as sitcoms and dramas. Subchannel 18.3 features Defy TV, a network dedicated to action-oriented dramas, reality competitions, and unscripted series like pawn shop and storage auction shows. On 18.4, airs content curated for African-American audiences, emphasizing comedy reruns, original films, and lifestyle programming. The subchannels deliver exclusively syndicated national programming with no local news or original content produced for them, relying instead on network schedules of archived shows and movies. Following the launch, the multicast offerings expanded after 2020 with adjustments to better align with viewer preferences, including a brief stint of on 18.3 in 2021 prior to its replacement by Defy TV.

Analog-to-digital conversion and signal details

KLJB-TV discontinued its on UHF channel 18 at noon on June 12, 2009, coinciding with the national full-power (DTV) mandated by the (FCC). The station had initiated earlier, launching its full-power digital signal on UHF channel 18 in 2002, ahead of the requirements. Following the analog sign-off, KLJB optimized its digital operations by relocating the physical channel to UHF 30 while remapping to 18 via PSIP, adhering to ATSC 1.0 standards for standard-definition and high-definition content delivery. During the FCC's 2017-2020 spectrum repack, the physical channel was reassigned to UHF 30, completed by 2020. The station's transmitter is situated near , , at coordinates 41°18′44.5″N 90°22′46.2″W, operating with an () of 1,000 kW from a mounted at a () of 328.1 m (1,077 ft). This setup enables a coverage radius exceeding 100 miles, encompassing the metropolitan area across and , as well as adjacent regions in both states, with the FCC 54011 assigned to the . Signal benefits from the elevated , providing robust over-the-air for primary and secondary markets without significant in core areas. KLJB broadcasts using both ATSC 1.0 and protocols following the NextGen TV deployment in the on December 10, 2024, which introduced advanced features such as enhanced mobile reception, higher data rates, and integration; no major signal outages have been reported during this phase. The station's signal exhibits overlap with nearby broadcasters, including WHOI-DT in , and KWQC-DT in , facilitating shared market coverage while maintaining distinct service contours.

References

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    Technical Data · (33.8 kW + 14.71 dB gain = 1000 kW ERP) · 60.7 mile contour / 11581.4 sq. mi. area / Est. Pop. 1,025,836 · 1065 ' AGL ; 1818 ' AMSL ; (1225582).<|control11|><|separator|>
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