On August 12, 1956, the station went on the air as KVSO-TV. It was created by a family-driven consortium led by Albert Riesen, Maurine Easley and their children, John and Buddy Riesen, and Betty Dillard, and was originally licensed to Ardmore, Oklahoma. Following the retirement of Maurine's father, John Easley—longtime owner of the newspaper/radio station combo who had bought the Ardmoreite in 1917—the Riesen-Easley family took over control of The Daily Ardmoreite and KVSO (1240 AM).