KATC, virtual channel 3, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Lafayette, Louisiana; the station is owned by Cordillera Communications, the television subsidiary of the Evening Post Industries. The station's studios are located on Eraste Landry Road on the city's South side and its transmitter (which became operational on November 6, 2007) is located near Branch, Louisiana. It is th
e last of the highest United States structures before One World Trade CenterHistoryThe station began operations on September 19, 1962, and was locally owned by Acadian Television Company. Previously, ABC had been limited to off-hours clearances on CBS affiliate KLFY-TV. This was a very unusual move for a then two-station market, especially one of Lafayette's size. Usually, ABC, as the smallest and weakest network, was relegated to secondary status on one or both of the existing stations. However, Lake Charles' KPLC-TV and Baton Rouge's WBRZ-TV (the latter now a fellow ABC affiliate) provided at least grade B coverage to much of the market. In contrast, no ABC affiliate even put a grade B signal into the area. Acadian Television apparently figured that if it linked up with ABC, it would not get much local competition.
