Channel 8 was originally licensed to Albion, Nebraska, and began broadcasting in December 1964, as KHQL-TV, a satellite of KHOL-TV (now KHGI-TV) and the Nebraska Television Network (NTV). The station served as the ABC affiliate for much of the Nebraska side of the Sioux City market. In 1973, the call letters were later changed to KCNA-TV (representing the major area towns, Columbus, Norfolk, and Albion. In December 2006, KLKN began using new graphics and music, similar to its sister stations KCAU-TV, WOI-TV and WHBF, but did not drop the Eyewitness News title.