WQRF-TV

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WQRF-TV
Rockford, Illinois
Branding	FOX39
Slogan	There's always something better on FOX39
Channels	39 (UHF) analog, 42 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	Fox
Owner	Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Founded	November 1978
Call letters meaning	W Quality Rockford FOX Network
Former affiliations	Independent (1978-1989)
Website	www.fox39.com

WQRF-TV (Fox 39) is the Rockford, Illinois-based television affiliate of FOX. The station began its operations in November 1978, and became the area's Fox station in August 1989.

Until Fox programming came into Rockford, area viewers would either pick-up (depending on location) Chicago's WFLD or Madison's WMSN, via antenna, or cable. Its transmitter is located in Rockford. It is the last full-power analog television station to sign-on in Rockford, while other stations in the area since then have either been lower-powered, cable-only, or a digital subchannel.

The station is currently owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, and is operated by Rockford's ABC affiliate, WTVO Channel 17 (which originally occupied the channel 39 frequency from its 1953 sign-on until the mid-1960s). The station joined Nexstar as part of the company's acquisition of Quorum Broadcasting in late 2003.

In March 2006, Fox 39 began airing a 9:00 p.m. newscast 7 nights a week. Alan Jones, weekend anchor and reporter for WTVO, anchors the WQRF newscast. This is the first 9:00 p.m. newscast on a broadcast station in the Rockford market; WREX currently produces a primetime newscast for its cable WB affiliate, WBR 14, and WTVO airs repeats of its newscasts on its cable/digital-only Rockford UPN 16, also a sister station to WQRF.

[edit] External links

• WQRF website
• Nexstar Broadcasting Group: WQRF Station Profile
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WQRF