KCRG-TV - News Operation

News Operation

Currently, KCRG-TV broadcasts a total of 31 hours of local newscasts each week (with 5 hours on weekdays, three hours on Saturdays, and three hours on Sundays). In addition to its main newsroom at its Cedar Rapids studios, the station also operates satellite newsrooms in Iowa City and Dubuque.

KCRG-TV has the distinction of being one of only four remaining broadcast television stations in the United States currently utilizing the "24 Hour News Source" format, which it began using in 1990—the only other stations still using the format As of February 2010, are NBC affiliates WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan and KFDX-TV in Wichita Falls, Texas, and CBS affiliate WISH-TV in Indianapolis.

Sports Director John Campbell and reporter Dave Franzman have been with the station since the 1970s, while Bruce Aune started anchoring at KCRG in 1986. Meteorologist Denny Frary was the station's longest-running on-air personality, working on KCRG from 1974 until he retired on November 17, 2006. Upon Frary's retirement, several pieces aired with friends and associates sharing a few words on Frary, and a roast ceremony was held the night prior to his retirement.

On January 3, 2011, KCRG-TV expanded its weekday morning newscast by one half-hour, moving it to 4:30 a.m., creating a 2½ hour block of news each weekday morning.

On January 21, 2012, KCRG-TV became the second station in the Cedar Rapids market to broadcast its newscasts in high definition. The switch to HD came with brand-new logo, graphics, news set and a new 113-inch interactive touch screen that will be used for weather and other interactive storytelling. It is the largest interactive touch screen of its kind in the U.S.A. and third largest in the world.