Founded in 1950, KTAL News (originally KCMC-TV) began as part of the media holdings of Clyde Palmer, a newspaper publisher who expanded into the world of broadcasting. After Palmer passed away in 1957, his heirs, led by Walter Hussman, Sr., took over the station to continue his vision of integrating print and television news for the local community . The idea was to provide a dedicated news voice for the region, which eventually led to the station becoming a major NBC affiliate. Today, the station is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which purchased it in 2000 to strengthen its presence in the local television market . Today, KTAL News covers a wide range of topics including local politics, sports, and community events. They are based in Shreveport, Louisiana, but they also operate a news bureau in Texarkana to serve the "Ark-La-Tex" area, which includes parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas . The station produces many hours of local news each week to keep residents and students updated on what is happening in their neighborhoods and across the region . One interesting fact: In 1984, KTAL News made the surprising decision to stop airing The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. They replaced the famous late-night show with reruns of the drama series Dallas to try and get better ratings, but they eventually brought Johnny Carson back after viewers complained .