Previous logo.KLAX was launched on March 3, 1983 originally as an Independent station. Two years later, it became the area's ABC affiliate with Monday Night Football serving as its first network program. Prior to then, area cable companies had piped in either WBRZ-TV from Baton Rouge, KTBS-TV in Shreveport, KATC from Lafayette, or KBMT in Beaumont, Texas. KLAX became one of two default ABC affiliates for the Monroe area (along with KTBS) in 1994 after that city's former ABC affiliate, KARD, became a Fox affiliate. This situation continued until 1998 when KAQY signed-on and took the ABC affiliation.