Iowa anchor Dustin Nolan says his viral farewell was ‘twisted’ by outlets

Former Iowa news anchor Dustin Nolan released a statement announcing his viral farewell to KWQC TV6 on Friday.

Nolan “Facts matter” He started his statement On Monday. “Journalism is important. Honesty is important. That was my message on Friday, and now that message is being twisted to fit whatever ideology people want. I wasn’t going to talk about the virality of my farewell message and was hoping that interest would wane. But now, seeing multiple publications twisting my words into unintended meanings, I feel I need to set the record straight.”

Nolan was referring to his announcement during the KWQC TV6 broadcast that he was resigning from his job and the news industry.

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“I’m going to try to get through this,” Nolan said. “Well, I have an announcement before we leave this morning. Today is my last day here on KWQC TV6. I chose to step away from the news industry. “Before I say goodbye, I want to say this: I hope that each of you who allow me to be a part of your mornings knows how much I care about this job.”

Since his comments gained national attention, Nolan has spoken out against what he describes as the distortion of his story to fit his narrative agenda.

Nolan wrote: “First, I wasn’t leaving on-air. My wife and I had made the decision months ago, and the job was advertised at the station months ago. Second, I wasn’t blasting the news channel or the news industry. I was simply explaining my approach to journalism and reminding everyone why we do what we do. Lastly, I wasn’t fired or forced out of a job. Again, this was a difficult decision for me, but it was one that would allow me to pursue a dream I’ve always had.”

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Dustin Nolan claimed that his comments were distorted by some media outlets to set an agenda. (Britta Pedersen/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)

Nolan added that he was not at liberty to discuss future plans at the time.

He also attacked publications that published the news “without asking for context” and framed his decision as a stance against journalism.

“To the outlets that published this story without asking for context and went to ridiculous lengths to create a story that wasn’t there, you are part of the problem. Especially those who used our son’s name in the story without our permission. Shame on you. To those who are disappointed to hear that this is not a news outlet taking a stand against the industry, I hope you know that local journalists work hard every day to make a difference in the industry. Our world needs strong journalists now more than ever,” Nolan said.

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He closed his speech by thanking the people who have reached out to him in the Quad Cities since his departure.

Dustin Nolan stood behind his work in journalism in a statement on Monday. (iStock)

In an additional comment to Fox News Digital, Nolan stood by his statement, claiming he was “speaking for himself.”

“I really wanted to thank our audience for welcoming us into their homes every morning and telling us how I approach my work. I really didn’t expect that people would take what I said and turn it into a narrative that I never intended,” Nolan said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to KWQC TV6 for comment.

Nolan has been with KWQC TV6, an NBC affiliate, since 2022. He and his wife previously won the 2025 Mid-America Emmy for Outstanding Morning/Daytime newscast in the mid- and small-market category.