KTCS

What KTCS does

KTCS is an independently operated local FM radio station broadcasting at 99.9 FM from Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving the Fort Smith metropolitan area and surrounding Arkansas-Oklahoma border communities including Van Buren and Sallisaw. The station's core product is over-the-air radio programming supplemented by an iOS mobile application and web-based listen-live streaming, with on-air talent including The TJ Show (6a-10a), Stephanie Richison (10a-2p), and Mike Oldham (2p-6p) on weekdays. The company's primary outputs are music, news, and community-oriented programming, with recurring branded content features such as Pet of the Week in partnership with Fort Smith Animal Haven and Best Friends Pet Clinic, Walmart AMP concert ticket giveaways, and public service series such as 'Beat the Heat' with Fort Smith ER & Hospital.

The business model is advertising-supported, with two revenue streams: on-air advertising sold to local and regional businesses, and digital advertising across the station website and digital channels. GTM is explicitly sales-led, with a dedicated advertising page inviting businesses to submit contact forms for sales follow-up; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with monthly billing on custom packages. The customer base is horizontally segmented across local SMBs (Blue Ribbon Auto Group, Parrot Island Water Park, Magic Springs Water Park), regional entertainment venues (Walmart AMP, Fort Smith Convention Center), and community nonprofits (Make-A-Wish Foundation, Fort Smith Animal Haven, Sallisaw Lion's Club, Old Town Merchants of Van Buren).

Operationally, KTCS is a small private company with approximately 15 staff positions listed on the contact page despite a firmographic headcount range of 51-100. The leadership team is led by General Manager Melissa Harper Eckelhoff, who also serves as Promotions Director. Other named roles include Music Director/Program Director Troy Eckelhoff, Sales Manager Lee Young, Traffic Director Sherry Bishop, and sales staff. The station is FCC-licensed, holds an EEO public file, and is NOT affiliated with a parent company or institutional investor.

Name

KTCS

Legal name

KTCS

Website

https://ktcs.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

KTCS is an independently operated local FM radio station broadcasting at 99.9 FM from Fort Smith, Arkansas, serving listeners in the Fort Smith metropolitan area and Arkansas-Oklahoma border region with music, news, community content, and on-air and digital advertising for local businesses and nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABACAC

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Local Broadcast Stations & Affiliates (TV & Radio)

SECONDARYMPAIAEAE

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Radio & Audio Broadcasting (Terrestrial, Satellite, Digital Radio)

Keywords

• FM radio broadcasting
• Local radio station
• Radio advertising services
• Community radio programming
• Digital audio streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Smith

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. On-Air Advertising: Local and regional businesses purchase radio spots aired during programming to reach the Fort Smith listening audience. The primary revenue stream for the station.
2. Digital Advertising: Website and digital advertising opportunities alongside on-air spots, allowing advertisers to reach audiences across multiple platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KTCS operates a local FM radio station at 99.9 FM, broadcasting music, news, and community programming to the Fort Smith, Arkansas metropolitan area and surrounding Arkansas-Oklahoma border region. The company sells on-air and digital advertising to local and regional businesses, and distributes its audio content via FM broadcast, a dedicated iOS mobile app, and website streaming. The station also curates a community events platform featuring local nonprofit promotions and entertainment content.

Product overview

KTCS is a local radio station (KTCS 99.9 FM) based in Fort Smith, Arkansas offering FM radio broadcasting, a mobile iOS application, on-air programming shows, on-air and digital advertising services, and a community events platform. The station serves the local Fort Smith community with music, news, and community content. The product portfolio consists of the core radio broadcast service, a mobile app for listening on Apple devices, scheduled on-air programming shows, advertising packages for businesses, and a community events feature.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KTCS 99.9 FM Radio Broadcasting Local FM radio station broadcasting at 99.9 MHz serving the Fort Smith, Arkansas metropolitan area and surrounding Arkansas-Oklahoma border region with music, news, and community programming.
• KTCS iOS Mobile Application
• KTCS On-Air Programming
• KTCS Advertising Services
• KTCS Community Events Platform

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fort Smith Animal HavencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWeekly Pet of the Week feature showcasing adoptable dogs and cats from the Fort Smith Animal Haven shelter. The station promotes individual animals and drives adoption traffic to the shelter.
• Best Friends Pet CliniccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Pet of the Week content, providing free vet check-ups for adopted animals. Also partners on pet safety tips content published on the station website.
• Walmart AMPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerConcert ticket giveaway partnership where KTCS runs contests offering pairs of tickets to Walmart AMP concerts. Artists promoted include Turnpike Troubadours, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw, Parker McCollum, Koe Wetzel, and Dan + Shay.
• AVECminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConcert promotion partner for Walmart AMP ticket giveaways, assisting with concert event marketing and ticket distribution.
• Make-A-Wish FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRefer A Child program encouraging listeners to refer children with critical illnesses to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for wish fulfillment.
• Fort Smith ER & HospitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic service content partnership featuring health and safety tip series including 'Beat the Heat' safety tips covering heat stroke symptoms, pet safety, and outdoor safety.
• Old Town Merchants of Van BurenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity event promotion partnership featuring events like Christmas in July celebration on Historic Main Street in Downtown Van Buren.
• Sallisaw Lion's ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotion of the IPRA Championship Rodeo event organized by the Sallisaw Lion's Club, including event details and ticket information.
• Fort Smith Convention CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent promotion partnership for events held at the Fort Smith Convention Center, such as Reed Timmer's 'Dominate the Storm' show.
• Magic Springs Water ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdvertising advertiser appearing on station website and promotional materials. Water park located in Hot Springs, AR.
• Blue Ribbon Auto GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal automotive dealership group advertising on the station. Ongoing advertiser with logo placement on website.
• Parrot Island Water ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment venue advertising on station. Located in Berrien Springs, MI.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bonneville International: Operates local radio stations in several US markets with a focus on local news, talk, and music formats. Comparable local-market station operations and ad-driven revenue model.
• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster operating hundreds of local FM/AM stations plus iHeartRadio streaming platform. Represents the dominant incumbent that competes for the same local SMB ad dollars KTCS pursues.
• Cumulus Media: Major US radio group with a large portfolio of local FM stations across many markets, including smaller markets. Provides direct competitive overlap on local ad sales at much greater scale.
• Audacy: Major US radio operator (formerly Entercom/CBS Radio) running local FM stations plus a national streaming/podcast platform. Competes for both local advertisers and digital audio share.
• Cox Media Group: Diversified regional media company operating local radio and TV stations across multiple US markets. Comparable local-station business model at meaningfully larger scale.

Direct peers

• Salem Media Group: Operates local radio stations across multiple US markets with community/talk formats and local ad sales. Salem's small-market local station operations are directly comparable to KTCS's single-market structure.
• Hall Communications: Family-owned operator of local FM/AM radio stations in small-to-mid-sized US markets. Closely aligned with KTCS in scale, local-market focus, and community-driven programming approach.
• Beasley Media Group: Regional radio broadcaster operating clusters of local FM stations with ad-sales-led models targeting SMB and regional advertisers. Comparable operating footprint and revenue mix to KTCS.
• Townsquare Media: Operates local FM/AM radio stations in similar small-to-mid-sized US markets with a comparable advertising-driven revenue model. Townsquare's portfolio of community-focused local stations closely mirrors KTCS's go-to-market and audience orientation.
• Mid-West Family Stations: Family-owned operator of local FM/AM radio stations in mid-sized Midwestern and Southern markets. Closely comparable in scale, local-market focus, and advertising-led revenue model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/999KTCS
• Facebookfacebook.com/999ktcs
• Instagraminstagram.com/ktcs999

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KTCS