KFRO (1370 AM) is a terrestrial American radio station licensed to Longview, Texas, United States.
In 1941 power was increased to 1,000 watts and a new RCA BTA-1D was installed, it stayed in service until 1983, when it was replaced by a Rockwell Collins 820-D2.
[2] James R. Curtis received a license in 1924 to operate KFRO on 1220 kilohertz in Ft. Worth, Texas.
However, financial problems forced Curtis to abandon the plans for the Ft. Worth station, and later revive the KFRO license on 1370 kHz in Longview.
KFRO "The Voice of Longview" signed on the air on February 6, 1935, on 1370 kilohertz with a power of 100 watts daytime by owner J.R. Curtis.
In 1939 KFRO's transmitter moved to its current site, the property behind the J.R. Curtis mansion at 2118 East Marshall Avenue (Hwy 80).
At the new transmitter site there were three towers erected, which allowed KFRO to be a full-time station, now on 1340 kHz.
In 1947, KFRO moved into the former home of the Hurst Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital on Methvin Street in downtown Longview and renamed it the Curtis Building.
The East Texas Hillbilly Jamboree was started to capitalize on the popularity of the WSM Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and the KWKH Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport.
With the close proximity of Longview to Shreveport KFRO was hoping to siphon some of the Louisiana Hayride's talent and audience.
In the 1980s, Curtis moved KFRO to new facilities at 481 East Loop 281 near N. Fourth St, in northeast Longview.
The Curtis Building and the former Hilton Hotel were torn down in the early 1990s and the site is now occupied by Heritage Plaza.
In the mid-1980s J.R. Curtis Jr. bought 95.3 KNIF Gilmer, on December 5, 1986, 95.3 became KAEZ, and moved the studios to Longview.
On March 1, 1993, 95.3 was rebranded as KFRO-FM, and the format changed to oldies (1950s and 1960s rock and roll and pop), and was called "The Frog".
Until May 2013 KFRO was an affiliate of the Moody Bible Institute, but has since dropped the service in favor of Fox Sports Radio.
On October 18, 2000, KFRO, KFRO-FM, KKUS, and KYKX were sold to Waller Media of Jacksonville.
On January 7, 2005, KFRO was purchased by Access.1 (East Texas Radio Group), and became a tri-mulcast of Classic Country 104.1 KKUS, Tyler.
KFRO was being run from a small six-channel mixer in the KKUS control room in Tyler, this ended with the simulcast of The Ranch.
Alpha Media purchased KFRO's sister stations KYKX, KKUS, KOOI, and KOYE.
November 30, 2015, Access.1 ceased to exist, and the last three remaining stations, KFRO, KCUL-FM, and KSYR, were folded into a new holding company, A.1 Investco LLC.
Following the Christmas format, and beginning January 2, KFRO began stunting with continuous Star Trek and Sci Fi theme music until 8 pm February 6.