Local Iowa news anchor Dustin Nolan stunned viewers Friday when he announced live on air that he was leaving KWQC TV6 and stepping away from the news industry altogether.
Nolan, who has worked at the NBC affiliate since 2022, delivered the emotional farewell during a morning broadcast and appeared to fight back tears as he addressed viewers directly.
“I’ll try to get through this,” Nolan said. “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. 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.”
The anchor did not offer a detailed explanation for his departure, but his remarks made clear he believes local newsrooms have a responsibility to do more than deliver watered-down coverage designed to avoid discomfort.
Nolan said he was grateful for the trust viewers placed in him and said he tried to be as transparent as possible during his time behind the desk.
“When it comes to this job, all I’ve ever wanted to do is report on the issues that really matter. 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,” Nolan said.
Then he took aim at the kind of soft, sanitized coverage that many Americans have grown tired of from legacy media outlets.
WATCH: Emmy-winning reporter and KWQC TV6 morning anchor Dustin Nolan was visibly emotional as he announced on-air Friday that he’s quitting both the station and the news industry. He said the newsroom owed viewers “more than trends or sanitized news”#quadcities #IApol pic.twitter.com/TVOpls7MPs
— Jackie Singh (@HackingButLegal) June 21, 2026
“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. 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.”
The statement landed as another reminder of the growing frustration inside and outside the news business over coverage that often feels filtered, cautious or shaped by institutional pressure.
Nolan also thanked his co-worker and wife, Jenna Jackson, for their work together at the station.
Fox News Digital reached out to KWQC TV6 for comment.
Nolan and Jackson previously won a Mid-America Emmy in 2025 for Best Morning/Daytime Newscast in the medium and small market category.
KWQC TV6 later posted Nolan’s farewell on its official TikTok account, where the emotional signoff drew attention beyond the station’s usual local audience.
For viewers who trusted him with their mornings, Nolan’s exit was more than another local TV goodbye.
It was a rare on-air moment where a journalist walked away while making a blunt case for news that tells people the truth, even when it makes them uncomfortable.
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