KCWI-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Ames, Iowa, United States, serving as the CW affiliate for the Des Moines area.

The two stations share studios on Westown Parkway in West Des Moines; KCWI-TV's transmitter is located in Alleman, Iowa.

A few months later, MyNetworkTV announced that it would affiliate with a new station also owned by Pappas, KDMI (then on channel 56), which began broadcasting that network on September 5, 2006.

The deal separated the station from KDMI, but created a new duopoly with ABC affiliate WOI-DT (channel 5), by coincidence also licensed to Ames.

[9] Shortly after the sale was announced, Harry and Stella Pappas sued to block the deal, arguing that the price undervalued KCWI.

[13][14] Prohibited from owning all three stations, Nexstar opted to retain WHO and sold KCWI and WOI to Tegna Inc. as part of an 11-station, $740-million divestiture package.

In addition to news, weather, sports and traffic reports, Great Day features guest interviews, animal segments, comedians, music and various videos.

The station did not previously offer a prime time newscast following CW network programming, with syndicated sitcom reruns airing instead during the 9 p.m. timeslot.