The station first went on the air on November 1, 1953 as KLZ-TV. It was owned by Edward K. Gaylord and his Oklahoma Publishing Company along with KLZ radio (560 AM and 106.7 FM, now KBPI). KLZ-TV immediately took CBS from KBTV (channel 9, now KUSA), owing to KLZ-AM's long affiliation with CBS Radio. In 1954, Gaylord sold KLZ-AM-FM-TV to Time-Life. McGraw-Hill bought the station in 1972, changing the calls to the present KMGH-TV.