A Fox-affiliated television station serving the Monroe, Louisiana–El Dorado, Arkansas market from West Monroe, Louisiana.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KARD is a television station licensed to West Monroe, Louisiana, and serving viewers across the Monroe, Louisiana–El Dorado, Arkansas designated market area. The station operates as a Fox affiliate and is owned by Nexstar Media Group. Its programming combines Fox's national schedule with locally produced news, weather, sports, public-affairs material, syndicated programming, digital content, and other services aimed at audiences in northeastern Louisiana and southern Arkansas. KARD's principal studios are on Pavilion Road in West Monroe, while its transmitter is located in Columbia, Louisiana. The station's primary digital service is also simulcast in high definition on the second digital subchannel of NBC affiliate KTVE, channel 10. KTVE is licensed to El Dorado and owned by Mission Broadcasting, with Nexstar providing operational services under a local marketing or sales arrangement. The two stations share facilities and have historically operated with closely integrated sales, promotion, news, and online functions. The station's history began in 1967, when it signed on as KUZN-TV on channel 39. That first operation was associated with Howard E. Griffith and the KUZN radio station, but it ceased broadcasting in early 1968. After a period of ownership change and preparation, the facility returned in 1970 as KYAY-TV, only to go dark again in 1971. It was relaunched in 1974 as KLAA on channel 14 and initially became a full NBC affiliate, giving the region a more complete local outlet for the major broadcast networks. The station changed to ABC in 1981 and adopted the KARD call letters in 1982. KARD's most important programming transition occurred in the early 1990s. It initially carried selected Fox programs during late-night hours after Fox launched in 1986, including entertainment and action-oriented series. In 1994, amid the major U.S. network-affiliation realignment and following Fox's acquisition of National Football League rights, KARD abandoned ABC and became a full-time Fox affiliate. The switch took place on April 17, 1994, making KARD one of the earliest stations in the country to move from a traditional Big Three network to Fox during that period. ABC programming remained available in the broader market through stations such as KLAX-TV and KTBS-TV until a dedicated Monroe-area ABC outlet signed on in 1998. Ownership changed several times during the station's development. Woods Communications acquired KARD in 1984, but Woods entered bankruptcy in 1993, after which Banam Broadcasting assumed control. Banam sold the station to Petracom Broadcasting in 1995, and Petracom transferred it to Quorum Broadcasting in 1998. Nexstar acquired KARD in 2003 through its purchase of Quorum Broadcasting. Operational ties with KTVE began earlier, in 2002, and later evolved into arrangements under which Nexstar managed or provided services to the Mission-owned station. KARD remains an active local television outlet within Nexstar's regional station portfolio.
History
KARD traces its lineage to KUZN-TV, which began broadcasting on August 19, 1967, from channel 39. Howard E. Griffith, who was also associated with KUZN radio, established the television operation. Griffith had previously been involved with KFAZ, an earlier Monroe television venture that had signed on in 1953 and left the air the following year. KUZN-TV offered a limited schedule that included a local newscast, the BBC program Panorama, and older Western films, but the station stopped operating on January 12, 1968. The facility was sold to Northeast Louisiana Broadcasting Corporation and returned to the air on August 31, 1970, under the KYAY-TV call sign. KYAY carried local news, syndicated films and Westerns, and selected ABC, NBC, and CBS programs that were not being shown by the market's other stations. Its schedule included programs such as That Girl, The Mod Squad, Hawaii Five-O, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and The Merv Griffin Show. The operation again proved unsustainable and went dark on August 16, 1971. A new version of the station launched in 1974 as KLAA, following a reassignment to channel 14. Operated by Monroe Television, Inc., with Kenneth Meyer as its largest owner, KLAA became an NBC affiliate on October 6, 1974. Its launch supplied the Monroe and southern Arkansas area with a full local outlet for the major commercial networks at a time when KTVE and KNOE-TV carried only portions of NBC's schedule alongside their primary affiliations. On December 6, 1981, KLAA switched from NBC to ABC, while KTVE resumed the NBC affiliation it had held in earlier decades. On December 6, 1982, the station adopted the KARD call letters. Woods Communications, controlled by Charles Woods of Alabama, purchased KARD and KMTC in 1984. Two years later, Woods moved the transmitter from the West Monroe studio site to Caldwell Parish and increased effective power to approximately five million watts, materially expanding the station's regional coverage. KARD also became one of the first Louisiana stations to broadcast in stereo. After Fox began operations in 1986, KARD carried selected Fox programs during late-night hours, including The Simpsons, In Living Color, Married... with Children, and America's Most Wanted. During the early 1990s, KARD moved its studios from Parkwood Avenue to the newly built Glenwood Mall facility. In 1993, Woods Communications entered bankruptcy and Banam Broadcasting, a BankAmerica subsidiary, assumed control of the station. Banam made a decisive programming change in 1994: it dropped ABC and took Fox on a full-time basis. The April 17 switch was driven in part by Fox's acquisition of NFL football and by the competitive strength of ABC affiliates in nearby Alexandria and Shreveport. KARD's change was among the earliest examples of a station moving directly from a traditional major network to Fox during the 1994 affiliation changes. ABC service remained available through out-of-market stations until KAQY began broadcasting in 1998. Banam sold KARD to Petracom Broadcasting in 1995. Petracom sold the station to Quorum Broadcasting in 1998, and Nexstar acquired it in 2003 through its purchase of Quorum. KARD moved into its current West Monroe facilities in 2000. Beginning in 2002, KTVE's owner, then Piedmont Television, operated KARD under a local marketing agreement, and the stations consolidated operations at KARD's newer facility. KTVE was later sold to Mission Broadcasting in 2008, after which Nexstar continued to provide operational services under a local sales arrangement. The stations' sales, promotions, news production, and internet operations have remained closely connected. KARD's current local-news schedule includes a weekday morning program, early-evening newscasts at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., and a one-hour 9 p.m. newscast. Its digital service is carried on its own signal and simulcast in high definition on KTVE's second digital subchannel. KARD completed its analog-to-digital transition on April 16, 2009, retaining virtual channel 14 while transmitting digitally on channel 36. The station continues to operate as a Nexstar-owned Fox affiliate serving the Monroe–El Dorado region.
- 2009
Analog transmission ends
[1]KARD ends analog broadcasting on April 16 and continues with digital transmission on channel 36 under virtual channel 14.
- 2008
Mission Broadcasting acquires KTVE
[1]KTVE is sold to Mission Broadcasting, while Nexstar continues to control or provide services to the station through a local sales arrangement.
- 2003
Nexstar acquires KARD
[1]Nexstar obtains KARD through its acquisition of Quorum Broadcasting.
- 2002
KTVE begins operating KARD under an LMA
[1]Piedmont Television, then the owner of KTVE, takes over KARD's operations under a local marketing agreement.
- 2000
Current West Monroe facility opens
[1]KARD moves into its newer studio facility in West Monroe's industrial area.
- 1998
Quorum Broadcasting acquires KARD
[1]Petracom transfers ownership of the station to Quorum Broadcasting.
- 1995
Petracom Broadcasting acquires KARD
[1]Banam sells KARD to Petracom Broadcasting.
- 1994
Full-time Fox affiliation begins
[1]KARD drops ABC and becomes a full-time Fox affiliate on April 17.
- 1993
Banam Broadcasting assumes control
[1]Following Woods Communications' bankruptcy filing, Banam Broadcasting takes control of KARD.
- 1991
Studios move to Glenwood Mall
[1]KARD relocates from Parkwood Avenue to a newly built facility at Glenwood Mall.
Products and positioning
A locally focused Fox television station serving northeastern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, with regional news coverage and programming delivered through broadcast, digital subchannels, and online platforms.
Broadcast television · 1994
KARD Fox affiliate service
KARD's principal service carries Fox's national programming schedule alongside station branding, local commercial inventory, emergency information, and market-specific announcements. The service is transmitted from the station's digital facility and reaches viewers across the Monroe, Louisiana–El Dorado, Arkansas market.
News broadcasting · 2001
KARD local news
The station's local-news offering includes a weekday morning broadcast, 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. evening newscasts, and a one-hour 9 p.m. program. News production is closely integrated with KTVE, whose newsroom produces KARD newscasts under the stations' shared operating structure.
Digital television · 2009
KARD digital broadcast service
KARD's digital signal carries its primary service in high definition and is also simulcast on KTVE's second digital subchannel. The digital operation uses virtual channel 14 while transmitting on UHF channel 36 after the station's analog shutdown.
Brand decisions
2009
Complete the analog-to-digital transitionOtherBackground
The station reported serious analog transmitter equipment problems and sought permission to end analog broadcasting before the national transition deadline.
Action taken
After the early-termination request was denied, KARD shut down its analog channel on April 16 and continued on its digital channel.
Aftermath
The station retained virtual channel 14 and continued digital service using UHF channel 36.
2003
Nexstar purchase through Quorum acquisitionM&ABackground
KARD was owned by Quorum Broadcasting after earlier transfers involving Banam and Petracom.
Action taken
Nexstar acquired KARD as part of its purchase of Quorum Broadcasting.
Aftermath
KARD became part of Nexstar's national local-television portfolio and remains owned by the company.
1994
Adopt Fox as the full-time network affiliationStrategyBackground
Fox had strengthened its appeal by obtaining National Football League programming, while nearby ABC affiliates were viewed as strong competitors for regional viewers.
Action taken
KARD ended its ABC affiliation and began carrying Fox full time on April 17, 1994.
Aftermath
KARD became one of the earliest U.S. stations to move directly from a traditional major network to Fox during the 1994 affiliation realignment.
1981
Switch from NBC to ABCStrategyBackground
KARD's predecessor, KLAA, operated in a market where local stations divided coverage of the major networks.
Action taken
KLAA changed its affiliation from NBC to ABC on December 6, 1981.
Aftermath
KTVE resumed NBC service, while KLAA continued under ABC until the later transition to Fox.
Sources1 sources
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