radio station
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...
broadcasting a
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
Christian radio
Christian radio refers to Christian media radio formats that focus on Christian religious broadcasting or various forms of Christian music. Many such formats and programs include contemporary Christian music, gospel music, sermons, radio dramas, ...
format. Licensed to
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...
, United States, the station serves the Wichita area. The station is owned by
American Family Association
The American Family Association (AFA) is a conservative and Christian fundamentalist 501(c)(3) organization based in the United States.American Family Radio
American Family Radio (AFR), also known as American Family News (AFN), is a network of more than 180 radio stations broadcasting Christian-oriented programming to over 30 states.evangelist Gerald Winrod. The organization has been previously described by critics as "
anti-semitic
Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
" and "
racist
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...
". However, under Hart Reid Armstrong's ownership in the 1970s, the image of the organization has changed, with the slogan being "serving where needed". The Defenders of the Christian Faith also held retirement homes in Wichita,
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
(Missouri), Rogers (Arkansas), Harrison (Arkansas), Beatrice (Nebraska), and McCook (Nebraska). The organization planned on having an FM radio station, hoping to be on air by early 1978.
In December 1977, the Defenders of the Christian Faith began construction of a 5,000 watt, non-commercial FM radio station on the 11th floor of the Lassen Hotel in Wichita, Kansas, the same building previously used by 1330 KFH (now KNSS). The station initially broadcast from 11 am to 11 pm, although it planned to expand hours into 6 am to midnight. KDSA aired programming previously heard during the
Golden Age of Radio
The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the earl ...
, and also a variety format including jazz, band music, and religious programming. One of KDSA's slogans was "A Great Step Backward".
On February 1981, a fire damaged their transmitting antenna, putting the station off the air for months. All other equipment was checked and was found to still be in good condition. The Defenders of the Christian Faith sold their property on April 1981.
On July 1981,
Friends University
Friends University is a Private university, private Nondenominational Christianity, nondenominational Christian university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1898. The main building was originally built in 1886 for Garfield Uni ...
signed a contract to acquire the former KDSA 91.1. The future station chose to broadcast from the outskirts of Wichita instead of within downtown due to known interference issues. Proposed call letters were KFUR (Friends University Radio), KFUW (Friends University of Wichita), and two or three other unspecified call letters, but it was eventually settled on KSOF, for "Sound of Friends". The new station originally planned to go on air by April, but due to awaiting of FCC approval and completion of new facilities, it was delayed. KSOF broadcast fine arts programming, including classical music, and a few local news broadcasts. KSOF's transmission tower was near 61st and North Hillside, broadcasting with 14,500 watts of power.
Due to financial issues, KSOF planned to cease operations by July 31. Friends University sold its equipment and license of KSOF to New Life Fellowship, Inc. which previously operated KZZD 90.7 (now KYWA with the WayFM brand). The KZZD call sign would betransferred to the 91.1 frequency once the sale was completed. KSOF continued to operate at a reduced schedule until the sale was completed. The FCC approved the transfer of KSOF's license to New Life Fellowship on April 1992. 91.1 would broadcast the Christian Contemporary format of KZZD carried over from 90.7.
In 1993, the call letters were changed to KCFN, and the station simulcast the content of Kingman-based radio station KTCM (now KNZS in Arlington, a commercial classic rock station) owned by New Life Fellowship. In April 1994, the station was sold to the American Family Association, alongside Topeka-based station KBUZ, without notifying New Life Fellowship of a bond offer; programming from