It was founded by Corpus Christi businessman Vann Kennedy, who also owned KVTV in Laredo. Prior to establishing the station, Kennedy worked for the International News Service in Austin and was known for hiring Walter Cronkite when he was a graduate student to work for him. Kennedy ran the station on a shoestring budget. He believed in giving anyone who wanted to learn the principles of good television journalism the chance to train on the job. As a result, over the years the station served as a training ground for recent college graduates.