Rockford News: Local TV, Radio and Newspapers
The latest headlines from Rockford's own TV stations, newspapers and radio newsrooms, updated through the day. Further down: which channel each network is on and every station licensed in the Rockford, IL market.
Latest Rockford news
- Rockford man found guilty following stalking investigation
- Huntley District 158 school bus driver charged after police allege attempts to upload child sex abuse files
- Coroner identifies bicyclist hit on Welty Avenue in Rockford
- Harlem girls tennis makes history with first full-team state berth
- Woman identified following fatal Rockford crash involving truck
- Sheriff's office: Motorcyclist, passenger suffer life-threatening injuries after three-vehicle crash in Lee County
- NSA warns organizations to patch security flaws identified by AI
- School board considers class action lawsuit against social media
- Blue Streaks wait for first playoff opponent
- Rockton-Roscoe News: Wednesday, Oct 21 2026
- Village of Roscoe Hometown Holidays & Merry Market
- Hononegah Community High School Performing Arts Department Brings the Holiday Classic It's a Wonderful Life to the Stage.
More Rockford headlines (9)
- South Beloit VFW Post 11019 Marks Auxiliary Milestone, Strengthens VA Partnerships and Honors Local Veteran
- A Rockford fundraiser will celebrate the LGBTQ+ and the Latin community
- Your Horoscope – October 21, 2026
- Environmentalist Bill McKibben reflects on the climate crisis ahead of his appearance in Rockford
- This Week In Illinois History: The End Of Al Capone (October 17, 1931)
- Free school lunch is no longer on the menu for many kids. It's one of many strains on cafeterias
- Rock Commerce: Investment, workforce training and business growth highlight regional roundup
- A freshman at Marian Central donates over $7,000 worth of books
- New exclusive negotiating agreement at City Council
Headlines and links come from each outlet's own news feed; the story opens on the outlet's website. Updated Oct 21, 4:56 pm EDT.
The Rockford, IL TV market has 4 full-power stations in FCC records. Here is which channel each network is on, who holds each license, and what viewers say about them.
What channel is ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS in Rockford?
- ABC: WTVO on channel 17 (Rockford)
- NBC: WREX on channel 13 (Rockford)
- FOX: WQRF-TV on channel 39 (Rockford)
- The CW: WSLN on channel 19 (Freeport)
All full-power stations in the Rockford market
| Network | Station | Channel | RF | City of license |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | WTVO | 17 | 16 | Rockford, IL |
| NBC | WREX | 13 | 13 | Rockford, IL |
| FOX | WQRF-TV | 39 | 36 | Rockford, IL |
| The CW | WSLN | 19 | 9 | Freeport, IL |
Channel is the virtual channel your TV shows; RF is the frequency the station transmits on. A channel scan on your TV picks up changes after a station moves frequency.
Where to find MeTV, Antenna TV and other networks in Rockford
Digital subchannels carry 14 more networks over the air in this market, free with an antenna:
| Network | Channel |
|---|---|
| 365BLK | 19.2 (WSLN) |
| Antenna TV | 23.2 (WIFR-LD) |
| Bounce TV | 39.2 (WQRF-TV) |
| Court TV | 13.4 (WREX) |
| Cozi TV | 39.4 (WQRF-TV) |
| Defy | 23.7 (WIFR-LD) |
| Grit | 17.4 (WTVO) |
| Ion Mystery | 39.3 (WQRF-TV) |
| Ion Plus | 23.6 (WIFR-LD) |
| Laff | 17.3 (WTVO) |
| MeTV | 13.3 (WREX) |
| MeTV Toons | 13.2 (WREX) |
| Outlaw | 23.3 (WIFR-LD) |
| True Crime Network | 13.5 (WREX) |
Low-power and Class A stations in the Rockford market
| Network | Station | Channel | City of license |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBS | WIFR-LD | 23 | Rockford, IL |
News, talk and public radio in the Rockford area
| Frequency | Station | Format | City of license |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89.5 FM | WNIJ | Public radio (news/talk, AAA) | Dekalb, IL |
| 90.5 FM | WNIU | Public radio (Classical music) | Rockford, IL |
| 1440 AM | WROK | News/talk | Rockford, IL |
Music, sports and other radio in the Rockford area
See all 10 stations
| Frequency | Station | Format | City of license |
|---|---|---|---|
| 88.3 FM | WFEN | Christian | Rockford, IL |
| 92.1 FM | WFPS | Contemporary country | Freeport, IL |
| 95.3 FM | WRTB | Country | Winnebago, IL |
| 96.7 FM | WKGL-FM | Classic rock | Loves Park, IL |
| 97.5 FM | WZOK | Top 40 (CHR) | Rockford, IL |
| 98.5 FM | WXXQ | Country | Freeport, IL |
| 104.9 FM | WXRX | Active rock | Belvidere, IL |
| 106.9 FM | WHRD | Christian radio | Freeport, IL |
| 1330 AM | WNTA | Sports talk radio | Rockford, IL |
| 1520 AM | WLUV | Conservative Christian radio | Loves Park, IL |
NOAA Weather Radio in the Rockford area
| Frequency | Call sign | Transmitter | NWS office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 162.550 MHz | WNG536 | DeKalb, IL | Chicago, IL |
| 162.450 MHz | KZZ56 | Freeport, IL | Quad Cities, IA |
| 162.475 MHz | KZZ57 | Rockford, IL | Chicago, IL |
Local newspapers in the Rockford area
3 newspapers are based in communities in this TV market.
| Newspaper | Based in | Type | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beloit Daily News | Beloit, WI | Daily newspaper | 1848 |
| Rock River Times | Rockford, IL | Weekly newspaper | 1987 |
| Rockford Register Star | Rockford, IL | Daily newspaper | 1855 |
Obituaries in the Rockford area
Death notices and obituaries from 4 local newspapers; each link opens the paper's own obituaries page.