KFPW (AM)

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title: "KFPW (AM)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["fort-smith,-arkansas", "news-and-talk-radio-stations-in-the-united-states", "radio-stations-established-in-1924", "radio-stations-in-arkansas"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFPW_(AM)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

FieldValue
nameKFPW
cityFort Smith, Arkansas
countryUS
areaNorthwest Arkansas
frequency
brandingThe Marshal 1230 AM
formatTalk radio
affiliations
ownerPharis Broadcasting, Inc.
sister_stationsKFPW-FM
translator
airdate
licensing_authorityFCC
facility_id23868
classC
power
coordinates
webcast
website
::

| name = KFPW | city = Fort Smith, Arkansas | country = US | logo = | logo_size = | area = Northwest Arkansas | frequency = | branding = The Marshal 1230 AM | format = Talk radio | affiliations = | owner = Pharis Broadcasting, Inc. | licensee = | sister_stations = KFPW-FM | translator = | airdate = | licensing_authority = FCC | facility_id = 23868 | class = C | power = | coordinates = | webcast = | website = KFPW (1230 kHz, "The Marshal") is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a talk radio format to the Northwest Arkansas area. The station is licensed to Pharis Broadcasting, Inc which is owned by William L. Pharis and Karen A. Pharis.

History

From Missouri to Arkansas (1924–1928)

In May 1924, Rev. Lannie Wright Stewart began KFPW from the parsonage at his church, St. John Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Carterville, Missouri. It had a 20-watt transmitter (common then, but considered low power by modern standards), on 1160 kHz frequency. Its slogan was "Keeping Pace with Christ Means Progress" and it broadcast only a few hours each week, with popular programming and Stewart's Sunday morning church service.

It was supported by donations from John Brown College (now John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas).

John Brown University (1928–1930)

In 1928, John Elward Brown had two schools in Arkansas: John Brown College in Siloam Springs, and John Brown University in Sulphur Springs. The two towns are 20 mi apart. The College hired Stewart to head a new Department of Instruction and Broadcast, and he moved the station's equipment to Sulphur Springs, and then to Siloam Springs. The license was issued to John Brown College with Stewart named as the manager.

Ten months after moving to Siloam Springs, Stewart filed another request to move the station back to Carterville. There were conflicting claims on the ownership of the equipment. The Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. investigated (Lannie W. Stewart v. Commission, No. 5158), and the case was voluntarily dismissed with the station licensed to John Brown schools, to operate on 1340 kHz, with 50 watts power, during daytime hours.

Wright retired from the ministry due to a throat ailment, and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to run a gas station. Brown sold the radio station.

Goldman Hotel (1930–1950)

Siloam Springs and Sulphur Springs were rural areas, and the radio transmission was not powerful enough to reach many people, so Brown sold the station in 1930 to Goldman Hotel, which was owned by Southwestern Hotels Company. In about 1930, KFPW's tower was moved to 1213 Garrison St., Fort Smith Arkansas. In 1932, its frequency changed from 1340 to 1210 kHz, power increased to 100 watts, and it was allowed unlimited broadcast times instead of just daytime hours.

The Goldman Hotel was known for its expensive hotel rooms and offices, with spaces big enough to host conventions and professional organizations, and dances held in the evenings with live orchestras. KFPW broadcast the live music from the top floors of the hotel.

Griffin Grocery Company (1950–1958)

One of KFPW's advertisers was Griffin Grocery Company, which advertised Polar Bear coffee. In the 1940s, J.T. Griffin bought KOMA and KTUL and had affiliated with the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). KFPW was Griffin's third station, paying $50,000 (equivalent to $ in dollars) for the station and then moving the station to a new building. They bought it to promote Polar Bear Coffee with shows like "Polar Bear Coffee News". KFPW also became a CBS affiliate, which brought a wider audience: Griffin Grocery claimed to have 100% distribution of Polar Bear Coffee in Fort Smith by 1952, which they attributed to their radio advertising.

George Hernreich (1958–2003)

In 1958, Griffin Grocery sold KFPW to George T. Hernreich, a local businessman who owned Esquire Jewelers, which primarily sold and repaired watches for military personnel stationed at Camp Chaffee. Hernreich paid $75,000 (equivalent to $ in dollars) for the station, at about the same time he sold his 50% interest in KNAC-TV.

After Hernreich's death, KFPW was sold briefly to Prime, LLC, and then sold to Pharis Broadcasting.

References

References

  1. "AM Station Profile: KFPW, Ownership Reports". US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
  2. (May 10, 1924). "Radiophone Broadcasting Stations". Radio Digest.
  3. (June 14, 1924). "Radiophone Broadcasting Stations". Radio Digest.
  4. (September 1926). "Time Table Indexed Alphabetically by Call Letters". Radio Review Combined with Radio Listeners' Guide and Call Book.
  5. (1937). "Education's Own Stations: The History of Broadcast Licenses Issued to Educational Institutions". University of Chicago Press.
  6. (June 30, 1928). "Broadcasting Stations, by Call Signs". Radio Division of the US Dept. of Commerce.
  7. (May 7, 1929). "Conditional Renewal Granted 46 Stations by Radio Commission". The United States Daily.
  8. (November 1929). "Complete Call Book and Log of All Stations". Radio Digest Illustrated.
  9. (July 1930). "Appeals from Radio Decisions". The Journal of Air Law.
  10. (April 6, 1930). "Court Gets Station Moving Too Often". The Washington Post.
  11. (May 26, 1936). "Rites today for man found dead: Poison test being made in death here of L. W. Stewart". Nashville Tennessean.
  12. Williams, Earl R.. (1971). "John Brown University: Its Founder and Its Founding 1919-1957". University of Arkansas.
  13. (May 6, 1930). "Radio Permits Granted, Denied and Hearings Set". The United States Daily.
  14. (April 15, 1932). "Actions of the Federal Radio Commission, April 1 to April 14 Inclusive". Broadcasting.
  15. "The Lost Hotel".
  16. (December 22, 1952). "Coffee News: KFPW Marks Milestone". Broadcasting.
  17. (1991). "Quality and Spirit: The Griffin Heritage in Oklahoma". Oklahoma Heritage Association.
  18. (1992). "History of Fort Smith, Arkansas, 1817 through 1992". Prestige Press, Inc..
  19. (April 7, 1958). "Griffin Selling KFPW". Advertising Age.
  20. (December 21, 1956). "Transcript of Record, Southwestern Publishing Co. v. Federal Communications Commission (D.C. Cir. 1956)". United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
  21. "Clips from the Current Press". Television Digest with Electronics Reports.

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fort-smith,-arkansasnews-and-talk-radio-stations-in-the-united-statesradio-stations-established-in-1924radio-stations-in-arkansas