KLJB
KLJB is a Fox-affiliated television station serving the Quad Cities area from Davenport, Iowa.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KLJB is a full-power television station licensed to Davenport, Iowa, and serving the Quad Cities region spanning southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 18 and is affiliated with the Fox network. Its transmitter is located near Orion, Illinois, while its studios are shared with other area stations in the Telco Building in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. The station began broadcasting on July 28, 1985, as the first independent television station in the Quad Cities market. Its original programming mix consisted primarily of syndicated reruns, movies, cartoons, and sports, reflecting the operating model of a new independent station in a market that had previously lacked one. The call sign was derived from the name of Lee J. Blumberg, the father of founding partners Ed and Lee Hanna. Before launch, the station had been developed by Davenport Communications, a partnership that also included former Rock Island mayor James R. Davis and general manager Gary Brandt. KLJB became a charter Fox affiliate when the network launched in October 1986. The relationship initially proved unstable. Station management objected to Fox's changing programming schedule, and KLJB ended the affiliation in March 1988, moving Fox programming to late-night slots. At the same time, Davenport Communications faced financial pressure from programming commitments made during the station's launch and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Fox's programming profile strengthened during KLJB's absence, particularly through the popularity of The Simpsons, and the station returned to the network in September 1990. Davenport Communications emerged from bankruptcy later that year and sold the station to Grant Communications in 1991. Under Grant, KLJB expanded its regional reach and became part of a broader group of independent and Fox-affiliated stations. Grant restored a previously silent Burlington, Iowa, station, KJMH, which initially simulcast KLJB and was later relaunched as KGWB-TV, a separately programmed WB affiliate. After the 2006 merger of The WB and UPN, KGWB became KGCW, the area's CW affiliate. KLJB also carried selected WB programming in late-night periods before the separate WB outlet was established. KLJB introduced local news programming on December 31, 1999. The initial Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News was produced through an unusual outsourcing arrangement with Davenport production company EBI Video. That relationship helped establish a model for remotely produced local newscasts and evolved into the Independent News Network, which later produced news programming for stations in multiple markets. KLJB's newscast production subsequently moved to WQAD-TV, then KWQC-TV, and finally WHBF-TV. The station later added a two-hour weekday morning news extension, which began in 2017. Ownership changed again during Nexstar Broadcasting Group's acquisition of Grant stations. Regulatory requirements led to KLJB being sold to Marshall Broadcasting Group in 2014, while Nexstar provided operational support under a shared services agreement. Marshall filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019. Mission Broadcasting agreed to acquire Marshall's stations in 2020, and the transaction received Federal Communications Commission approval that August. KLJB remains owned by Mission Broadcasting and operated with substantial support from Nexstar, including shared facilities and services. Its core role is to deliver Fox network programming, syndicated content, local news, weather, advertising, and other broadcast services to viewers in the Quad Cities market.
History
KLJB was developed in response to the Quad Cities market's lack of an independent television station. Five applications were initially designated for a comparative hearing, but the applicants later reached a settlement that allowed Davenport Communications, Limited Partnership, to receive the construction permit. The partnership included New York brothers Ed and Lee Hanna, former Rock Island mayor James R. Davis, and Gary Brandt, who became general manager. Construction planning included a transmitter site near Orion, Illinois. KLJB-TV began broadcasting on July 28, 1985, from studios on 53rd Street in Davenport. It was the area's first independent station, and its early schedule featured cartoons, syndicated reruns, films, and sports. The station also experimented with locally produced entertainment, including the Saturday-night sketch-comedy program Live on Tape, which debuted in 1987. The station's call letters honored Lee J. Blumberg, the father of the Hanna brothers. When Fox launched in October 1986, KLJB was among its charter affiliates. The affiliation ended in March 1988 after management expressed dissatisfaction with Fox's changing schedule and programming strategy. Fox programs were shifted to late-night periods, leaving the Quad Cities without normal access to the network. Davenport Communications also faced substantial financial problems related to programming contracts negotiated around the station's launch. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection while seeking relief from those obligations. Fox's audience position improved while KLJB was unaffiliated, particularly after The Simpsons became a major attraction. KLJB returned to Fox in September 1990, despite earlier statements that management did not expect to restore the relationship. Davenport Communications emerged from bankruptcy in December 1990 under a repayment arrangement and sold KLJB-TV to Grant Communications in 1991. Grant expanded the station's regional presence. In 1996 it acquired KJMH in Burlington, Iowa, a former Fox outlet that had gone dark after losing its affiliation. KJMH was restored to service and initially simulcast KLJB. Grant also obtained rights to selected WB programming in 1999, after WGN's national superstation feed stopped carrying the network's programming. In 2001, KJMH was relaunched as KGWB-TV with separate WB programming. It later became KGCW after the 2006 formation of The CW from the merger of The WB and UPN. Some KGCW programming was also carried on a KLJB digital subchannel. Local news became part of KLJB's schedule at the end of 1999. The Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News was produced by EBI Video, a Davenport video-production company, rather than by a conventional in-house newsroom. EBI's work for KLJB became the foundation for a wider outsourced-news operation that developed into the Independent News Network. INN produced KLJB's newscasts for nearly eleven years, while also supplying services such as weather production. After INN entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2009, Fusion Communications acquired its assets and retained the INN name and most clients. KLJB ended its INN arrangement in 2010 and contracted with WQAD-TV for production. On December 31, 2012, production moved to KWQC-TV. Following Nexstar's acquisition of WHBF-TV and the related shared-services arrangement, WHBF assumed production at the end of 2015. A two-hour weekday morning extension was added in September 2017, expanding the station's local-news presence. Nexstar announced its purchase of Grant Broadcasting's stations in November 2013. Because Nexstar was also acquiring WHBF-TV and therefore faced Federal Communications Commission ownership constraints, KLJB was ultimately sold to Marshall Broadcasting Group in December 2014. Nexstar continued to provide operational support, including certain technical and sales resources, under a shared services agreement. KGCW's relationship with the Nexstar-controlled station group also changed during this period, including a move to a WHBF subchannel in 2015. Marshall Broadcasting filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2019 and sued Nexstar, alleging that Nexstar's conduct undermined Marshall's business. Mission Broadcasting agreed in March 2020 to acquire Marshall's stations, and the FCC approved the deal in August. KLJB consequently became a Mission-owned station operated with Nexstar support. The station completed the United States digital television transition in 2009, ending its analog transmission on UHF channel 18 while retaining virtual channel 18 through its digital signal.
- 2020
Mission Broadcasting becomes owner
[1]The FCC approves Mission Broadcasting's acquisition of Marshall Broadcasting's stations, including KLJB.
- 2017
Morning news expands
[1]KLJB adds a two-hour weekday morning news extension running from 7 to 9 a.m.
- 2015
WHBF assumes newscast production
[1]Production of KLJB's local newscasts moves to Nexstar-owned WHBF-TV at the end of the year.
- 2014
Marshall Broadcasting acquisition closes
[1]Marshall Broadcasting Group acquires KLJB while Nexstar begins providing operational support.
- 2009
Completes digital television transition
[1]KLJB ends analog broadcasting on June 12 and continues digitally using virtual channel 18.
- 2006
KGWB becomes KGCW
[1]Following the creation of The CW, the former WB outlet becomes KGCW and serves as the local CW affiliate.
- 1999
Local news launches
[1]KLJB begins airing the Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News through an outsourced production partnership with EBI Video.
- 1991
Grant Communications ownership begins
[1]Grant Communications acquires KLJB-TV.
- 1990
Returns to Fox after bankruptcy restructuring
[1]The station restores its Fox affiliation in September, and Davenport Communications emerges from Chapter 11 later that year.
- 1988
Leaves Fox
[1]KLJB ends its Fox affiliation in March and carries selected network programming late at night.
Products and positioning
A local Fox television affiliate combining national network entertainment and sports programming with Quad Cities news, weather, advertising, and community-oriented broadcast content.
Television network affiliate · 1985
KLJB Fox 18
KLJB's primary broadcast service carries Fox network programming on virtual channel 18 for viewers in the Quad Cities area. Its schedule combines national entertainment, sports, news, and other Fox programming with syndicated shows, local advertising, weather information, and station-produced material.
Local television news · 1999
Fox 18 local news
KLJB's local news operation began in 1999 with the Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News. Production has been outsourced successively to EBI Video and the Independent News Network, then to WQAD-TV, KWQC-TV, and WHBF-TV. The service includes local news, weather, and related Quad Cities coverage.
Morning television news · 2017
Fox 18 morning news
The station's weekday morning news offering was expanded in 2017 with a two-hour extension from 7 to 9 a.m. It provides an additional local-news and weather window before or alongside national morning programming.
Brand decisions
2020
Transfer ownership to Mission BroadcastingM&ABackground
Marshall Broadcasting entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2019.
Action taken
Mission Broadcasting agreed to acquire Marshall's stations, including KLJB, and received FCC approval in August 2020.
Aftermath
KLJB became a Mission-owned station with continuing operational support from Nexstar.
Reported acquisition price. 49 million USD (2020)
2014
Sell KLJB to Marshall BroadcastingM&ABackground
Nexstar's acquisition of Grant stations overlapped with its acquisition of WHBF-TV, creating Federal Communications Commission ownership constraints.
Action taken
KLJB was transferred to Marshall Broadcasting Group, while Nexstar supplied operational services through a shared services agreement.
Aftermath
KLJB remained operationally integrated with Nexstar's local station group despite having a different licensed owner.
Reported acquisition price. 58.5 million USD (2014)
1999
Launch an outsourced local newscastProduct launchBackground
KLJB had previously offered only limited syndicated weather updates and did not operate a conventional local-news department.
Action taken
The station launched the Fox 18 Nine O'Clock News using facilities and presenters supplied by EBI Video.
Aftermath
The arrangement helped create a scalable outsourced-news model that developed into the Independent News Network.
1990
Rejoin FoxStrategyBackground
Fox's audience profile improved during KLJB's absence, particularly because of the popularity of The Simpsons.
Action taken
KLJB restored its Fox affiliation in September 1990.
Aftermath
The station resumed regular Fox programming and reduced some sports scheduling to accommodate the network lineup.
1988
End the initial Fox affiliationStrategyBackground
Station management objected to Fox's changing programming schedule and network direction.
Action taken
KLJB ended its regular Fox affiliation in March and moved available Fox programming to late-night periods.
Aftermath
Fox strengthened its schedule while KLJB was unaffiliated, contributing to the station's decision to return to the network in 1990.
Recent events
- 2020
Mission Broadcasting agrees to acquire Marshall stations[1]
M&A · Regulation
Mission Broadcasting agreed to purchase Marshall Broadcasting's stations for $49 million. The FCC approved the transaction in August 2020, bringing KLJB into Mission's ownership.
- 2019
Marshall Broadcasting Group files for Chapter 11[1]
Bankruptcy · Lawsuit
Marshall Broadcasting Group sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and later became involved in litigation with Nexstar over the operation and condition of its stations.
- 2014
KLJB is sold to Marshall Broadcasting Group[1]
M&A · Regulation
To address ownership limitations associated with Nexstar's other Quad Cities holdings, KLJB was sold to newly formed Marshall Broadcasting Group, with Nexstar providing operational services.
- 2013
Nexstar announces acquisition of Grant stations[1]
M&A · Regulation
Nexstar announced an $87.5 million acquisition of Grant Broadcasting stations, including KLJB, subject to regulatory restructuring of the Quad Cities station portfolio.
- 1999
KLJB launches an outsourced local newscast[1]
Product launch
KLJB introduced a prime-time local newscast produced by EBI Video, an arrangement that later contributed to the development of the Independent News Network.
- 1991
Grant Communications agrees to acquire KLJB-TV[1]
M&A
Following Davenport Communications' emergence from bankruptcy, Grant Communications agreed to purchase the station and added it to its portfolio of mid-market independent and Fox stations.
- 1990
KLJB returns to the Fox network[1]
Other
After leaving Fox in 1988, KLJB restored its network affiliation in September 1990 as Fox programming gained audience momentum, especially through The Simpsons.
Sources2 sources
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