Founded in 1970 by Warren Adler and Adler Communications (originally under the call letters WHAG-TV), the station that would eventually become DC News Now came into being to serve a region largely ignored by major city broadcasters. The idea sparked when Adler, a businessman and future novelist, realized that residents in the Hagerstown, Maryland area—wedged between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore—lacked a dedicated local television station to cover their specific community events. Over the decades, the station expanded its reach dramatically and underwent a major rebranding, but it continues to operate today under the ownership of the massive broadcasting company, Nexstar Media Group. Today, DC News Now is based in Washington, D.C., and serves as a major news hub for the entire DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) region. They are mainly focused on local news, covering a broad mix of community happenings, state and national politics straight from Capitol Hill, regional entertainment, and severe weather updates. They also dedicate coverage to sports, featuring local high school athletics as well as the major professional teams in the Washington metropolitan area. One interesting fact: A unique fact about DC News Now is how it survived a massive setback that usually destroys local TV stations. For over 45 years, the station was a traditional NBC affiliate, but when the network suddenly pulled its contract in 2016, the station didn't fold; instead, it boldly pivoted to become a 24/7 independent news operation, eventually expanding and relocating its headquarters directly into the nation's capital to compete with major city broadcasters.