An Iowa TV anchor used his final moments on air to announce he is leaving journalism, delivering an emotional message about the kind of reporting viewers should expect from local news.
Dustin Nolan, a morning anchor at NBC affiliate KWQC TV6 in Davenport, Iowa, since 2022, surprised viewers during Friday’s broadcast when he shared that he was stepping away from the business altogether.
Fighting back tears, Nolan addressed the audience directly as the program came to a close.
“I’ll try to get through this,” he began. “Well, before we go this morning, I have an announcement.
“Today is my last day here at KWQC TV6. I have chosen to step away from the news industry.”
He also reflected on what the role had meant to him during his time on viewers’ screens each morning.
“Before I say goodbye, I just want to say, I hope every one of you that’s allowed me to be a part of your mornings know just how important that I have taken this job.”
Nolan did not explain exactly why he had chosen to leave, but he used much of his farewell to speak about what he believes local journalism should stand for.
During the broadcast, he described the job as a public service and said he had always tried to be transparent, present the facts and remain himself on air. He also thanked viewers for trusting him with their mornings over the past few years.
Anchor says news should make people ‘think about the world’
He said his focus had always been on covering meaningful stories and serving the community honestly.
“When it comes to this job, all I’ve ever wanted to do is report on the issues that really matter,” Nolan said. “I’ve 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.”
He then broadened his remarks to what he sees as a larger problem in local television news.
“I also believe that we as a local news station have to be more than trends or sanitized news because it makes people feel uncomfortable,” he said.
“That’s why 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 think about the world we all live in.”
Before ending the segment, Nolan thanked both his wife and his co-anchor, Jenna Jackson, who worked beside him during his run at the station.
The pair were recognized in 2025 when they won a Mid-America Emmy for Best Morning/Daytime Newscast in the medium and small market category for their work on KWQC’s “Remembering May 28th” coverage.
After the broadcast, KWQC TV6 posted a clip of Nolan’s on-air goodbye to its official TikTok account, where viewers quickly responded to the unexpected announcement. The farewell also circulated widely online as viewers reacted to the emotional sign-off and his criticism of what he called “sanitized news.”