Starting today, viewers can tune their TVs to CBS Lake Charles, the new local CBS Network affiliate, on Channel 17.

Officials with Lake Charles Television LLC made the announcement Tuesday. Louis Wall, a partner with Lake Charles Television, said the station’s office will be at 129 W. Prien Lake Road.

Wall said the idea to bring a CBS affiliate to Lake Charles had been in the works for eight or nine months. He said he was surprised the area did not already have one, considering its size and recent growth.

“There are a lot of smaller markets that have a CBS affiliate,” Wall said. “Lake Charles has deserved its own CBS affiliate for a long time (and) has a lot going for it.”

Wall said there are plans to air local programming on the station, including local news.

“We are absolutely planning to be engaged in Lake Charles,” he said. “It’s another outlet for the community and another opportunity to spread the good things about what goes on in Lake Charles.”

Wall said bringing the station to Lake Charles “fits within the vision what the CBS footprint should be.”

“CBS would like to be in every market with their own representations,” he said.

While the channel is officially on the air, Wall said there are some steps left to cover.

“Right now, we’re still trying to test equipment and put programming in place,” he said.

Rusty Kirkland will serve as the station’s general manager. A news release said Kirkland “has over 30 years in broadcast management.”

The station will be broadcast in high definition and will be available on providers like DISH, DirecTV and Suddenlink.

Wall said MeTV, which airs older programming, along with MyTV, will be shown on Channel 19.

(MGNonline)