About KFSM 5

KFSM is a television station located in Fort Smith, Arkansas that signed on for the first time on July 9, 1953 as KFSA-TV on channel 22. It is one of the oldest television stations in the state. KFSA-TV was owned by American Television Company, Inc., which was run by Donald W. Reynolds, who also owned Fort Smith's two major newspapers – the Southwest American and Times Record (later merged as the Southwest Times Record) – and KFSA-AM 950. The station's studios and transmitter were located in the Times Record/Southwest American building at 920 Rogers Avenue in downtown Fort Smith.

The first broadcast on KFSA-TV was hosted by KFSA radio personality Pat Porta. The station carried programming from all four networks of the time – NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont – but it was primarily affiliated with NBC. It is not clear how the station's programming and content may have differed from that of other stations in the area at the time.