KSLA

KSLA is television station KSLA-TV, broadcasting on virtual and VHF channel 12 from Shreveport, Louisiana. It operates as the CBS network affiliate for the Shreveport–Texarkana market, commonly described as the Ark-La-Tex region because its coverage and audience span parts of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. The station is owned by Gray Media and shares facilities in Shreveport with KTSH-CD, a low-power Class A Telemundo affiliate also associated with Gray's local operations. The station's origins lie in the Federal Communications Commission's allocation of VHF channel 12 to Shreveport after the end of the postwar freeze on new television applications. Several local groups initially competed for the construction permit, including interests connected with radio station KRMD, the Shreveport Television Company, and Southland Television. To accelerate the arrival of television service while the comparative licensing proceeding continued, the applicants created Interim Television Corporation. The FCC authorized that temporary venture in September 1953, and the station adopted the call sign KSLA-TV, reflecting its Shreveport, Louisiana location. KSLA began broadcasting on January 1, 1954. It was the first television station to sign on from Shreveport proper and joined CBS from its launch, benefiting from the long-standing relationship between CBS and Shreveport radio station KWKH. During its earliest years, KSLA also carried selected programming from ABC, NBC, DuMont, and later the NTA Film Network. Once competing stations entered the market, its schedule became increasingly focused on CBS. The station has retained its primary CBS affiliation throughout its history, making continuity of network identity one of its defining characteristics. Local programming was important to KSLA from the beginning. The station carried Louisiana Hayride, a prominent regional music program produced at Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium; Elvis Presley made an early television appearance on the program in 1955. KSLA also broadcast religious programs and locally produced community content. It moved from temporary downtown facilities to a permanent studio complex on Fairfield Avenue and Dashiel Street in 1972. Technical development was another recurring theme: the station activated a tall permanent transmission tower in 1955, became the market's first color broadcaster in 1959, and introduced stereo television service in 1984. Ownership changed several times. Shreveport Television Company obtained the permanent channel authorization in the mid-1950s. In 1960, the station was sold to KSLA-TV Inc., a locally connected ownership group associated with the Journal Publishing Company and the Shreveport Journal. It was promoted for a period as “The Journal Station.” Local control continued through the 1970s before Viacom International acquired the station in 1983. Following Viacom's acquisition of Paramount Pictures, KSLA became part of the Paramount Stations Group. It briefly carried limited United Paramount Network programming in late-night time periods after UPN launched in 1995, but that arrangement ended when another local station took over the market's UPN affiliation. KSLA was subsequently sold to Ellis Communications in 1995 and later became part of the Raycom Media station group. Gray Television acquired Raycom Media in 2019, bringing KSLA into Gray's national local-broadcast portfolio. Today, KSLA's brand is centered on local news, weather, severe-weather coverage, sports, public-service reporting, CBS network programming, and digital distribution. Its broad regional signal and long tenure give it a central role in news and emergency information for communities across the Ark-La-Tex area.

KSLA's history began during the expansion of American television broadcasting in the early 1950s. The VHF channel 12 allocation in Shreveport attracted competing applications from local and regional broadcasting interests. Radio Station KRMD Inc., the Shreveport Television Company, and Southland Television each sought authorization from the FCC. Because the applicants wanted television service to begin before the comparative licensing case was resolved, they formed Interim Television Corporation and jointly operated the temporary station under an FCC construction authorization. KSLA-TV began broadcasting on January 1, 1954. Its call sign referred to Shreveport, Louisiana, and its primary affiliation was CBS. The station initially operated from space in the Washington Youree Hotel in downtown Shreveport and used a temporary transmission arrangement. In the same period, it carried selected programming from other networks, including ABC, NBC, DuMont, and later NTA. The station's early schedule combined network programs with locally significant productions. Louisiana Hayride, produced from the Municipal Auditorium, provided a major regional music connection, while religious broadcasts and other community programs helped establish KSLA as a local institution. The FCC eventually awarded the permanent channel authorization to the Shreveport Television Company. The station activated a permanent, substantially taller transmission facility in November 1955, greatly expanding its service area across portions of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. When KTBS-TV and other stations developed their own network relationships, KSLA's secondary affiliations declined. By the early 1960s, channel 12 was principally identified with CBS. KSLA introduced color broadcasting in 1959, becoming the first station in its market to do so, and later became the first local station to offer stereo television transmission. Ownership shifted to KSLA-TV Inc. in 1960. The ownership group was associated with the Journal Publishing Company and the Shreveport Journal, and the station used “The Journal Station” as a promotional identity during part of the 1960s and 1970s. During this period, the company also participated in FCC proceedings concerning possible signal interference between KSLA and another channel 12 station in Beaumont, Texas. KSLA moved its operations to its Fairfield Avenue and Dashiel Street studios in 1972. A major technical disruption occurred in October 1977, when the station's tall transmission tower collapsed. The failure interrupted the main signal and temporarily forced KSLA to use an auxiliary facility with much shorter coverage. A replacement tower was constructed and activated in 1978. The station remained locally controlled until Viacom International acquired it in 1983. Viacom ownership brought KSLA into a larger national broadcasting organization and later into common ownership with Paramount's stations after Viacom acquired Paramount Pictures. In 1989, KSLA temporarily preempted CBS's Sunday Morning in favor of religious programming and infomercials. Viewer objections included a letter-writing campaign and picketing, and the program was restored later that year after a management change. In 1995, the station briefly carried late-night UPN programming as a charter outlet while it remained committed to its CBS schedule. The arrangement was short-lived, ending when another Shreveport station assumed the local UPN affiliation. Viacom sold KSLA to Ellis Communications in 1995. Ellis's station holdings were subsequently associated with Raycom Media, under which KSLA continued as a regional CBS affiliate. Gray Television completed its acquisition of Raycom in 2019. KSLA currently operates as a Gray Media station, sharing Shreveport facilities with KTSH-CD and serving the wider Ark-La-Tex region through broadcast, digital, and local-news operations.

1. 2019Gray Television acquires Raycom Media

   Gray's acquisition of Raycom placed KSLA within the Gray station group.

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2. 1995Ellis Communications acquisition

   Ellis Communications acquired KSLA after a proposed transaction with Hillside Broadcasting did not proceed.

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3. 1989CBS Sunday Morning restored after viewer campaign

   The station restored CBS Sunday Morning after public opposition to its temporary replacement with religious programming and infomercials.

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4. 1984Stereo television introduced

   KSLA became the first station in the Shreveport–Texarkana market to broadcast television programming in stereo.

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5. 1983Viacom acquisition

   Viacom International acquired KSLA through a stock transaction.

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6. 1978Replacement transmission tower activated

   KSLA completed and activated a replacement tower at the former transmitter site.

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7. 1977Main transmission tower collapses

   A major transmission tower collapse interrupted service and temporarily reduced the station's coverage.

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8. 1972Station moves to Fairfield Avenue studios

   KSLA relocated its operations to its current studio area on Fairfield Avenue and Dashiel Street.

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9. 1960Local Journal Publishing ownership begins

   KSLA-TV Inc., associated with the Journal Publishing Company and Shreveport Journal interests, acquired the station.

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10. 1959Color broadcasting begins

    KSLA became the first station in the Shreveport market to broadcast in color.

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11. 1955Permanent transmission facility activated

    The station activated a much taller transmission tower, substantially increasing coverage across the regional market.

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12. 1954KSLA-TV signs on

    KSLA began broadcasting on January 1 from Shreveport as a CBS affiliate.

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13. 1953Temporary operating company receives FCC authorization

    Interim Television Corporation received authorization to build and operate a temporary channel 12 station while competing license applications were being considered.

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A long-established regional CBS affiliate positioned as a trusted source for local news, weather, emergency information, and community coverage in the Ark-La-Tex region.

• KSLA local newsLocal television news

  KSLA's local-news operation covers Shreveport and communities across the Ark-La-Tex region. Its output includes scheduled newscasts, breaking-news reports, public-affairs coverage, local government reporting, and community stories distributed through broadcast and digital channels.

• KSLA weatherBroadcast weather service

  Weather reporting and severe-weather alerts are a central part of KSLA's regional service. The station provides forecasts, storm information, radar-oriented coverage, and emergency updates for viewers in northern Louisiana, eastern Texas, and southern Arkansas.

• CBS programmingNetwork television affiliation1954

  KSLA has carried CBS programming as its primary network affiliation since signing on in 1954. The relationship supplies the station with national entertainment, news, sports, and special-event programming alongside its locally produced schedule.

• Digital news and videoDigital media

  KSLA extends its broadcast brand through online news, video, weather information, alerts, and other digital content. These channels complement the station's linear television service and provide access to regional reporting outside scheduled broadcasts.

• 1995Carry limited UPN programmingStrategy

  When UPN launched, KSLA was a Viacom-owned CBS affiliate and therefore had access to programming from the new network, but its CBS commitments limited the available schedule.

  What changed. KSLA carried UPN's Monday and Tuesday prime-time programming in late-night slots.

  Aftermath. The arrangement ended in August 1995 when another Shreveport station assumed the market's UPN affiliation.

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• 1989Restore CBS Sunday Morning to the scheduleStrategy

  KSLA replaced CBS Sunday Morning with religious programming and infomercials, prompting substantial viewer criticism and a public campaign directed at the station, Viacom, CBS, and local newspapers.

  What changed. After a management change, KSLA returned CBS Sunday Morning to its schedule on August 27, 1989.

  Aftermath. The episode demonstrated the audience's attachment to established CBS programming and ended the preemption.

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• 2019Gray Television completes acquisition of Raycom Media

  Gray Television completed its acquisition of Raycom Media, placing KSLA within Gray's expanded portfolio of local television stations.

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• 1995KSLA changes ownership from Viacom to Ellis Communications

  After an initially proposed sale to Hillside Broadcasting was abandoned, Ellis Communications acquired KSLA from Viacom.

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• 1994KSLA joins the Paramount Stations Group structure

  After Viacom completed its acquisition of Paramount Pictures, KSLA became commonly owned with Paramount's broadcast properties.

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• 1983KSLA becomes part of Viacom International

  KSLA-TV Inc. agreed to exchange its station ownership for shares in Viacom International, ending the station's period of locally controlled ownership.

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• 1954KSLA begins broadcasting from Shreveport

  KSLA-TV signed on January 1 as Shreveport's first television station operating from the city proper. It launched as a CBS affiliate and initially maintained several secondary network relationships.

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1. KSLA
2. KSLA official website