KARK-TV

KARK-TV is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Little Rock, Arkansas, and identified on air as channel 4. It is one of the principal local broadcast news outlets in the Little Rock–Pine Bluff television market and is among the city’s longest-running continuously operating television stations. The station’s principal business is the production and distribution of local news, weather, sports, public-affairs programming, and community-oriented content, combined with programming supplied by NBC and other multicast networks. KARK began broadcasting on April 15, 1954, as Little Rock’s second-oldest continuously operating television station. It was established by oil executive Thomas Harry Barton, who also owned the associated KARK radio station. The station initially operated from Spring Street studios. After Barton’s death, his family sold the television operation to Mullins Broadcasting in 1966. A later ownership transition took KARK into Combined Communications in 1972, followed by a 1979 acquisition of Combined’s television properties by Gannett. Gannett sold KARK in 1983 to Southwest Media, a United Broadcasting subsidiary, and United later sold its television holdings in 1988 to Morris Multimedia. Morris Multimedia owned KARK until 2003, when it sold the station to Nexstar Broadcasting Group, now Nexstar Media Group. Under Nexstar, KARK became part of a broader Arkansas news and programming network that included NBC affiliate KNWA-TV in Northwest Arkansas and other Nexstar-operated stations serving Arkansas and neighboring Louisiana markets. The station also became closely connected operationally with KARZ-TV, KLRT-TV, and KASN. KARK and KARZ share downtown Little Rock facilities with the other stations, while KARK’s transmitter is located on Shinall Mountain. The station’s news operation is central to its identity. KARK produces extensive daily local newscasts and contributes programming and reporting to sister stations. Its programming has included the statewide midday newscast Arkansas Today, the public-affairs program Capitol View, and the sports program Razorback Nation Pig Trail, produced in cooperation with KNWA and focused in part on University of Arkansas athletics. KARK also produces Talkin’ Outdoors at the Corner Café with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, covering outdoor recreation and related Arkansas interests. KARK has experienced several notable changes in its news strategy. It historically held the leading position in Little Rock local-news ratings, but its position weakened after a tabloid-influenced format change in the 1990s. The station later rebuilt its competitiveness while emphasizing Arkansas-focused reporting. In 2011 it became the first Nexstar-owned station to broadcast local newscasts in high definition. It added Arkansas Today in 2012 and a weekday 4 p.m. newscast in 2018. KARK has also been involved in nationally discussed programming decisions. In 2006, it declined to air NBC’s The Book of Daniel, citing concerns about indecency rules and the station’s responsibility to protect its broadcast license. The program was carried locally by the then-independent KWBF, later renamed KARZ-TV, but was canceled by NBC after three episodes. The incident reflected the editorial and regulatory discretion exercised by network affiliates and became one of KARK’s most prominent programming controversies. Today, KARK functions as a local-news brand within Nexstar’s central Arkansas station group. It shares a downtown facility with several affiliated or co-managed outlets, operates a digital news presence through ArkansasMatters.com, and continues to combine NBC network programming with locally produced journalism, weather coverage, sports, and public-affairs content.

KARK-TV began broadcasting on April 15, 1954, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded by oil magnate Thomas Harry Barton, it operated alongside KARK radio and initially used studios on Spring Street. KARK became the city’s second-oldest continuously operating television station, following KATV’s launch by several months. Its early identity was shaped by its NBC affiliation and by locally produced programming intended to supplement the network schedule. Following Barton’s death in 1960, his family sold KARK in 1966 to Mullins Broadcasting, then associated with KBTV in Denver. After Mullins owner John C. Mullins died, the Mullins estate sold KARK and KBTV to Combined Communications in 1972. KARK moved to a new downtown facility on West Third Street in 1976. Combined’s television assets were acquired by Gannett in 1979 in a major media transaction. Gannett sold KARK in 1983 to Southwest Media, a subsidiary of United Broadcasting, which also owned stations in El Paso and Meridian. United disposed of its television properties in 1988, transferring KARK to Morris Multimedia. Morris operated KARK for roughly fifteen years. In April 2002, the station moved from its longtime Third Street facility to its present downtown location on West Capitol Avenue. In 2003, Morris sold KARK to Nexstar Broadcasting Group. The acquisition brought KARK into a growing station group with shared resources across Arkansas. KARK subsequently coordinated sports and news operations with KNWA-TV and KFTA-TV in Northwest Arkansas and with other Nexstar stations serving nearby markets. Nexstar expanded its Little Rock presence through the acquisition of KWBF, a MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Equity Media Holdings. The transaction was announced in 2008 and approved by the FCC in December of that year. Bankruptcy-related complications delayed closing until March 2009. Nexstar operated the station under an interim agreement, and KWBF changed its call sign to KARZ-TV in February 2009. KARK and KARZ became sister stations, with KARK supplying news and other operational resources. A further consolidation followed Nexstar’s 2013 acquisition of stations from Newport Television. Because direct ownership of KARK, KARZ, and the acquired KLRT-TV and KASN would have raised FCC ownership concerns, KLRT and KASN were placed with Mission Broadcasting and operated in cooperation with Nexstar. On February 2, 2013, the operations of all four full-power stations were consolidated at KARK and KARZ’s downtown studios. The arrangement brought NBC, Fox, The CW, and MyNetworkTV operations under one facility and led to the elimination of approximately thirty positions, particularly in management and news operations. KARK’s local programming history includes the locally produced programs Matter of Conscience, First Saturday, Kids Like You, and Bozo’s Big Top. During the 1970s and 1980s, these shows occupied portions of NBC’s Saturday-morning schedule, replacing some network cartoons. In 2006, KARK gained national attention after refusing to air The Book of Daniel. General manager Rick Rogala first framed the decision as an exercise of the station’s contractual right to reject programming and later emphasized concerns about FCC obscenity and indecency rules. The drama was moved to KWBF, but NBC canceled it after three episodes amid low ratings and affiliate preemptions. The station’s news operation was historically a ratings leader in Little Rock. Its position deteriorated during the 1990s after a shift toward a tabloid-style presentation, although the format was less extreme than those used by some competitors. KARK generally remained competitive and later restored audience strength by emphasizing locally relevant Arkansas reporting. The station shares news resources with KNWA, and in 2007 the two began producing Arkansas at Noon with anchors in both Little Rock and Fayetteville. KARK introduced additional local-news products during the Nexstar period. It began producing a 7 p.m. newscast for KARZ in 2008 and expanded its morning news output for that station in 2010; those KARZ-produced programs ended in January 2013 before the KARK–KLRT consolidation. KARK upgraded its production facilities and began broadcasting local newscasts in high definition on April 20, 2011. On April 2, 2012, it launched Arkansas Today, a statewide midday program using reporting from Nexstar’s Arkansas NBC stations and local weather inserts from participating stations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. A weekday 4 p.m. newscast was added in February 2018. KARK also serves as a master hub for Nexstar and Mission stations in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Monroe, and Shreveport. Its transmitter is on Shinall Mountain. The station ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, while retaining virtual channel 4 through its digital transmission. Its continuing role combines NBC programming, local journalism, severe-weather information, sports, public affairs, and digital publishing through ArkansasMatters.com.

1. 20184 p.m. newscast launches

   KARK premieres an hour-long weekday afternoon newscast.

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2. 2013Four-station operations consolidate

   Operations for KARK, KARZ, KLRT, and KASN are consolidated at the downtown studios.

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3. 2012Arkansas Today launches

   KARK debuts the statewide Arkansas Today midday newscast.

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4. 2011Local newscasts move to high definition

   KARK becomes the first Nexstar-owned station to broadcast local newscasts in high definition.

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5. 2009KWBF becomes KARZ-TV

   Nexstar completes its acquisition of KWBF after bankruptcy-related delays; the station adopts the KARZ-TV call sign.

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6. 2003Nexstar acquires KARK

   Morris Multimedia sells KARK to Nexstar Broadcasting Group.

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7. 2002Move to the Victory Building area

   KARK relocates from its Third Street studios to its present downtown location on West Capitol Avenue.

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8. 1988Sale to Morris Multimedia

   United Broadcasting sells KARK to Morris Multimedia.

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9. 1983Sale to Southwest Media

   Gannett sells KARK to Southwest Media, a United Broadcasting subsidiary.

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10. 1979Gannett acquisition of Combined properties

    Gannett acquires Combined Communications’ television properties.

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11. 1976Move to West Third Street

    KARK moves to a new downtown Little Rock facility.

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12. 1972Combined Communications ownership

    The Mullins estate sells KARK to Combined Communications.

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13. 1966Sale to Mullins Broadcasting

    Barton’s family sells the station to Mullins Broadcasting.

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14. 1954KARK-TV signs on

    The station begins broadcasting on April 15 as Little Rock’s second-oldest continuously operating television station.

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A locally focused NBC affiliate emphasizing Arkansas news, weather, sports, public affairs, and community coverage.

• KARK local newscastsTelevision news1954

  KARK’s core product is its schedule of local news, weather, traffic, sports, and breaking-news broadcasts for central Arkansas. The operation also supplies reporting and production resources to related Nexstar and Mission stations. Its editorial positioning emphasizes Arkansas-specific stories alongside national and regional developments.

• Arkansas TodayStatewide news program2012

  Arkansas Today is a statewide midday news program launched by KARK in 2012. It draws reports from Nexstar’s Arkansas NBC stations and incorporates local weather segments for different broadcast areas, extending KARK’s news brand beyond the immediate Little Rock market.

• Capitol ViewPublic affairs

  Capitol View is KARK’s Sunday morning political and public-affairs discussion program. Its subject matter reflects the station’s location near the Arkansas State Capitol and its role as a statewide news outlet.

• Razorback Nation Pig TrailSports programming

  This weekly sports program is produced with Fayetteville sister station KNWA-TV and focuses on Arkansas sports, including University of Arkansas athletics. It airs in connection with KARK’s Sunday evening news schedule.

• Talkin' Outdoors at the Corner CaféOutdoor recreation

  Produced in cooperation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, this Saturday-morning program covers outdoor recreation and related interests in Arkansas. It airs after NBC’s Weekend Today programming.

• ArkansasMatters.comDigital news

  ArkansasMatters.com is KARK’s digital publishing platform for local news, weather, video, sports, and community coverage. It extends the station’s broadcast reporting into web and digital-video formats.

• 2013Consolidation of Little Rock station operationsStrategy

  Nexstar’s acquisition of KLRT-TV and KASN was structured through Mission Broadcasting because direct common ownership with KARK and KARZ raised FCC market-concentration concerns.

  What changed. Nexstar and Mission moved KLRT and KASN operations into KARK and KARZ’s downtown facility.

  Aftermath. The consolidation placed four full-power stations affiliated with NBC, Fox, The CW, and MyNetworkTV in one facility and eliminated approximately thirty positions, mainly in management and news operations.

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• 2011Transition to high-definition local newsGeneration change

  Nexstar began upgrading KARK’s production equipment and news set during the 2010–11 television season.

  What changed. KARK installed HD cameras and a new news set and began broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.

  Aftermath. The station became the first Nexstar-owned outlet to produce local newscasts in high definition and introduced a refreshed visual identity.

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• 2006Preemption of The Book of DanielOther

  KARK’s management objected to airing NBC’s The Book of Daniel and cited the station’s affiliate rights, community standards, and potential exposure to FCC action over indecent or obscene material.

  What changed. The station declined to carry the program in its normal NBC timeslot. The series instead aired locally on KWBF, which later became sister station KARZ-TV.

  Aftermath. The program was canceled by NBC after three episodes, with low ratings and affiliate preemptions among the factors reported in connection with its short run.

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• 2025Nexstar announces acquisition of Tegna

  Nexstar announced a transaction to acquire Tegna, whose portfolio included Little Rock CBS affiliate KTHV. The transaction was described as completed in 2026, but subsequent litigation prevented immediate station integration.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2016Nexstar announces multicast-network affiliations

  Nexstar announced agreements involving Escape, Laff, Grit, and Bounce TV for stations in its portfolio, including KARK-TV and KLRT-TV.

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• 2006KARK declines to air The Book of Daniel

  The station chose not to broadcast the NBC drama The Book of Daniel, citing community standards and potential FCC indecency concerns. The program instead aired locally on KWBF, later known as KARZ-TV.

  OtherRegulation
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• 1954KARK-TV begins broadcasting

  KARK-TV signed on as a Little Rock television station and NBC affiliate, becoming the city’s second-oldest continuously operating television station.

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1. KARK-TV
2. KARK-TV official website