WTVQ-TV first signed on the air June 2, 1968 as WBLG-TV. Broadcasting from studios on Man O' War Boulevard, the station first transmitted its signal on UHF Channel 62. WBLG-TV was founded by Lexington businessman Roy White. Since the first day of operation, the station has been the ABC affiliate for Central Kentucky . In 1974, Mr. White's company, Starr Broadcasting, changed the call letters of WBLG-TV to WTVQ-TV.

In 1978, Shamrock Broadcasting, Inc., of Burbank , California , purchased WTVQ-TV from Mr. White. Two years later, Shamrock installed a new 1.5 million watt transmitter and changed the channel frequency number of WTVQ-TV from Channel 62 to Channel 36. The station underwent a major renovation in 1985.

On January 30, 1992, Park Broadcasting of Kentucky, Inc. purchased WTVQ-TV from Shamrock Broadcasting, Inc. Park Broadcasting of Kentucky, Inc. was a subsidiary of Park Communications, Inc., a multi-media company based in Lexington , KY.

Media General, Inc. of Richmond, Virginia purchased Park in January 1997. Media General is an independent communications company situated primarily in the Southeast with interests in newspapers, television stations, interactive media and diversified information services. Media General's 22 network-affiliated television stations reach more than 30 percent of the television households in the Southeastern United States. Broadcast properties include:

On February 26, 2002, WTVQ became Central Kentucky 's first commercial television station to broadcast a digital television signal. WTVQ-DT, digital channel 40, officially hit the airwaves, broadcasting WTVQ's programming in crisp, clean digital television. Soon afterward, WTVQ-DT became Central Kentucky 's first commercial digital television channel to broadcast programming in High Definition TV. Now, WTVQ-DT offers the full line of HDTV programs available on the ABC television network.

WTVQ-TV produces more than 22 hours of live local news programming each week. All of our local newscasts are closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired. In addition to news, WTVQ-TV has built a reputation as a strong community partner. We partner with various community organizations of multitude of free charitable events in the community, and are active in supporting the arts.
For two decades, WTVQ-TV has televised the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, raising millions of dollars for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Central Kentucky. In the past few years Action News launched the “3 Degree Guaranteed” forecast and each night we give money to charity when we get the forecast correct. With our 90% accuracy rate we have given well over $20,000 to charity.

Each week, WTVQ-TV/DT serves over 465,000 different homes in 39 counties in Central Kentucky .

WTVQ-TV/DT is owned by Media General, Inc. an independently owned communications company situated primarily in the Southeast with interests in newspapers, television stations, interactive media and diversified information services.

The company's publishing assets include The Tampa Tribune, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Winston-Salem Journal and 22 other daily newspapers in Virginia , North Carolina , Florida , Alabama , and South Carolina , as well as nearly 100 other periodicals.

Media General's 22 network-affiliated television stations reach more than 30 percent of the television households in the Southeast, and nearly 8 percent of those in the United States.