Rockford, Illinois United States |
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Branding | Fox 39 (general) Eyewitness News (newscasts) Bounce Rockford (on DT2) |
Slogan | Two Stations. More Local News. |
Channels |
Digital: 42 (UHF) Virtual: 39 (PSIP) |
Subchannels | 39.1 Fox 39.2 Bounce TV 39.3 Escape |
Affiliations | Fox (since 1989) |
Owner |
Nexstar Media Group (Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.) |
First air date | November 27, 1978 |
Call letters' meaning | Quality RockFord |
Sister station(s) | WTVO, WCIA, WCIX, WHBF-TV, KLJB, KGCW, WMBD-TV |
Former channel number(s) |
Analog: 39 (UHF, 1978–2009) |
Former affiliations | Independent (1978–1989) |
Transmitter power | 900 kW |
Height | 148 m (486 ft) |
Class | DT |
Facility ID | 52408 |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°17′14″N 89°10′15″W / 42.28722°N 89.17083°W |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Public license information: |
Profile CDBS |
Website | mystateline.com |
WQRF-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Northern Illinois that is licensed to Rockford. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 (or virtual channel 39.1 via PSIP) from a transmitter at its studios on North Meridian Road/IL 24 in Rockford. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 6 and in high definition on digital channel 910. Owned by the Nexstar Media Group, WQRF operates ABC/MyNetworkTV affiliate WTVO (owned by Mission Broadcasting) through joint sales and shared services agreements (the two outlets share a facility).
The station signed-on November 27, 1978 as the market's fourth television outlet, first broadcasting from studios located on Kishwaukee Street between State and 1st streets in downtown Rockford. It was the last full-power analog television station to sign-on in Rockford while other stations in the area since then have either been low-powered, cable-only, or a digital subchannels. Airing an analog signal on UHF channel 39, WQRF was founded by local businessman Marvin Palmquist. The channel allotment was previously used by WTVO from its sign-on in 1953 until 1967. It was promoted as an independent, "family-oriented" alternative to the area's big three network affiliates. Palmquist sold the station to Orion Broadcasting in 1984.