On November 3, 1980, less than two months after channel 43 signed on, KAUT began offering news programming, in the form of a daytime local rolling news format. Initially airing Monday through Fridays from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m., the block—branded as "TV-43 Newswatch"—featured a mix of local news headlines (which were updated each hour), national and international news content sourced from CNN, feature reports and call-in segments. It was anchored by Chris Davala (who served as the station's news and public affairs director), Ralph Combes (a veteran anchor/reporter with previous stints at WKY-TV KTVY and now KFOR, KOCO-TV and KWTV), Linda Farrel and Ken Hansen; all of the anchors conducted the newscasts in rotating three-hour shifts, with Davala anchoring solo for the final hour of the block. Bob Barry Jr. (who would later move to KTVY to become the deputy sports anchor to his father, Bob Barry Sr., after channel 43 discontinued the all-news format) served as sports director and Gene Moore served as chief meteorologist. By March 1981, the all-news format was shifted by two hours (running from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.), putting it in direct competition with early evening local and network newscasts on KTVY, KOCO and KWTV.