News Operation
Early in KQDS's Fox affiliation, it experimented with a 9 p.m. newscast produced by NBC affiliate KBJR. It was broadcast out of that station's studios on South Lake Avenue in Duluth and was anchored by Mark Mallory with meteorologist Paul Heggen and sports from Tom Hansen. The broadcast was canceled after about nine months due to low ratings and was replaced by a half-hour simulcast of CNN Headline News. KBJR's 9 o'clock broadcast resurfaced in September 2002 when that station launched a UPN affiliate on its second digital subchannel.
KQDS currently produces a live newscast twice nightly during the week at 6 and 9 p.m., and once per evening on the weekends at 9. The weeknight show debuted on March 12, 2007 with co-anchors Amy Rutledge and Nick LaFave (the only dual anchor team in the market). Rutledge co-anchored at CBS affiliate KDLH until it was combined with KBJR in March 2005. The Fox 21 News staff at one time included veterans of every commercial station in the area. The Sunday newscast was added on August 26, 2007 and was the first one in the area. The Saturday production was added on November 29, 2008 and also holds that distinction.
In its first ratings period in May 2007, KQDS was third among all evening newscasts. It drew more viewers than KBJR's Northland's NewsCenter Tonight at 9 and KDLH's 10 p.m. shows. In August, after just six months on-air, Fox 21 News was nominated for three Upper Midwest Emmy Awards in the categories of "Best Newscast", "Best News Special", and "Investigative Series". KQDS provides weather forecasts for the Red Rock Radio-owned stations in the market. July 2009 showed to be this station's best ratings period to date. It came in third place with about 8,650 viewers just about 2,000 less than KBJR's 10 o'clock show. In Fall 2009, this station was the winner of two regional Emmys for "Best Newscast" and "Overall Station Excellence". On June 28, 2010, KQDS debuted a half-hour weeknight newscast at 6 p.m.
The station found itself in the midst of controversy in August 2012 after news director Jason Vincent posted a racially-offensive comment on his Facebook account on August 1, after discovering a Native American man (whom Vincent described as a "drunk, homeless... animal") in his yard that evening. After protests calling for his resignation, Vincent resigned as the station's news director on August 6, 2012.
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