KFPH-DT
A Flagstaff-licensed television station broadcasting Spanish-language UniMás programming across northern and central Arizona.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
KFPH-DT is a television station licensed to Flagstaff, Arizona, and operated as part of TelevisaUnivision's UniMás network. The station broadcasts on virtual channel 13 and is marketed as UniMás Arizona. Its service area is focused on northern and central Arizona, while its coverage in the Phoenix market is supplemented by KFPH-CD, a full-time satellite, and by carriage of its main programming on a subchannel of Phoenix-based Univision station KTVW-DT. The station's present operation is the result of several changes in ownership, call sign, programming identity, and network affiliation. A construction permit for channel 13 was granted in 1984 to Minority Television of Flagstaff. After the permit was transferred to physician Michael Gelfand, construction began in 1991, and the station commenced broadcasting on December 31 of that year under the call sign KKTM. Initially, KKTM operated as a local independent station, relying substantially on programming supplied by Channel America and Main Street TV. It also produced limited local content, including a newscast and a country-music program recorded in Flagstaff. In 1995, KKTM became a charter affiliate of The WB and changed its call sign to KWBF. The affiliation was short-lived. The station's owner concluded that the operation lacked sufficient economic resources and agreed to sell it to Christian Network, an affiliate of Paxson Communications. Following the transfer of the stations into Paxson's corporate structure, the channel became associated with Pax TV, a network launched in 1998 with a schedule built around syndicated entertainment, reruns, and other broadly targeted programming. The station adopted the KBPX call sign. During the period before Phoenix's intended Pax outlet, KPPX-TV, was completed, KBPX programming was also made available in Phoenix through a translator. Paxson sold KBPX in 2001 to Equity Broadcasting Corporation. Equity briefly replaced the Pax-oriented schedule with home-shopping programming under the America's Collectibles Network brand. The station was then sold later that year to Univision, together with several other properties. Univision used the acquisition to establish an Arizona outlet for Telefutura, the Spanish-language network that was later renamed UniMás. The call sign became KFPH, and the station ultimately evolved into the KFPH-DT operation known today. KFPH-DT's technical footprint reflects the geography of Arizona. Its main transmitter is located on Mormon Mountain, approximately 20 miles south of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest. Because the primary Flagstaff signal does not adequately cover Phoenix, KFPH-CD operates as a full-time Phoenix-area satellite. KFPH-CD converted to ATSC 3.0 operation in 2018, with its subchannels made available through other Phoenix stations for transmission. The principal KFPH programming is also carried on a KTVW-DT subchannel. The station completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting in 2008. Its analog service on VHF channel 13 ended on September 18, 2008, and its digital signal moved from pre-transition UHF channel 27 to VHF channel 13. Most operational functions are handled from KTVW-DT's studios on 30th Street in Phoenix, while TelevisaUnivision maintains a news bureau and sales office on North Fourth Street in Flagstaff. KFPH-DT therefore combines a local Flagstaff license and transmitter with centralized metropolitan operations and the national Spanish-language programming identity of UniMás.
History
Channel 13 in Flagstaff was authorized through a construction permit granted in October 1984 to Minority Television of Flagstaff. Ware Communications had also sought the channel. The permit was later transferred to Michael Gelfand, a physician from Bethesda, Maryland. Construction began in August 1991, and studio facilities were arranged in the Greenlaw Village shopping center on Fourth Street. The station began broadcasting on December 31, 1991, as KKTM. It initially operated at reduced power from a transmitter on Mormon Mountain and functioned as a local independent station. Much of its schedule came from Channel America and Main Street TV, services commonly used by smaller broadcasters. KKTM also attempted local programming, including a Flagstaff newscast and a country-music program recorded at the Redwood Inn. The newscast ended in June 1994. On January 11, 1995, KKTM became a charter affiliate of The WB and changed its call sign to KWBF. The affiliation and independent ownership did not last long. Gelfand determined that he lacked the resources needed to sustain the station economically and agreed in September 1995 to sell KWBF to Christian Network, an affiliate of Paxson Communications. The stations held by Christian Network were transferred into Paxson's ownership structure in 1996. When Paxson launched Pax TV on August 31, 1998, the Flagstaff station became KBPX and carried the new network. The Phoenix station intended to carry Pax TV, KPPX-TV, was not yet ready, so a translator rebroadcast KBPX's programming in Phoenix. KPPX-TV began broadcasting on February 15, 1999, reducing the strategic importance of KBPX's temporary Phoenix relay. In March 2001, Paxson sold KBPX and WPXS of Mount Vernon, Illinois, to Equity Broadcasting Corporation. The transaction was reported at $17.75 million for the two stations. Although Paxson retained the KBPX call letters at the time of the sale, the Flagstaff station changed to KDUO on June 21, 2001, and adopted programming from America's Collectibles Network, a home-shopping service later known as Jewelry Television. Equity also owned Phoenix low-power station KOND-LP, which carried KDUO's programming. Equity soon sold KDUO, KBGF in Douglas, Arizona, and three low-power stations to Univision. The reported value of that transaction was $19.1 million. Univision used the Arizona properties to build distribution for Telefutura, its then-new Spanish-language network. KDUO changed its call sign to KFPH and became part of the network's Arizona footprint. Telefutura was subsequently renamed UniMás, and the station became associated with the UniMás Arizona identity. The station's technical and operating structure has since reflected its two-market role. The main KFPH transmitter is located on Mormon Mountain south of Flagstaff, while the main signal does not reach Phoenix adequately. KFPH-CD therefore operates as a full-time Phoenix satellite, and KFPH programming is also carried on a KTVW-DT subchannel. KFPH-CD converted to ATSC 3.0 in 2018; its subchannels were made available through other Phoenix stations. KFPH's analog service ended on September 18, 2008. The station cited limited transmitter-site space and difficult winter conditions as reasons for shutting down the analog facility before the broader transition deadline. Its digital signal moved from pre-transition UHF channel 27 to VHF channel 13. In the current TelevisaUnivision structure, most operations are conducted from KTVW-DT's Phoenix studios, with a Flagstaff bureau and sales office maintaining a local presence.
- 2018
Phoenix satellite adopted ATSC 3.0
[1]KFPH-CD converted to ATSC 3.0 transmission, with its subchannels distributed through other Phoenix outlets.
- 2008
Completed its digital transition
[1]The analog VHF 13 signal was discontinued and the digital signal moved from pre-transition UHF 27 to VHF 13.
- 2001
Transferred to Equity Broadcasting
[1]Paxson sold the station to Equity Broadcasting, which changed its call sign to KDUO and briefly used a home-shopping format.
- 2001
Joined Univision's Telefutura operation
[1]Univision acquired the station, changed the call sign to KFPH, and used it as an Arizona outlet for Telefutura, now UniMás.
- 1998
Became a Pax TV affiliate
[1]Paxson relaunched the station as KBPX and placed it on the Pax TV network.
- 1995
Joined The WB
[1]KKTM became a charter affiliate of The WB and adopted the KWBF call sign.
- 1991
KKTM began broadcasting
[1]The station launched on December 31 as KKTM, initially operating as a local independent broadcaster.
- 1984
Construction permit granted
[1]Minority Television of Flagstaff received authorization to build a television station on channel 13 in Flagstaff.
Products and positioning
A Spanish-language UniMás broadcast outlet serving Flagstaff and northern and central Arizona, with supplementary distribution in the Phoenix market.
Digital television station · 1991
KFPH-DT channel 13
The main broadcast service licensed to Flagstaff, Arizona. It uses virtual channel 13 and transmits Spanish-language UniMás programming from a facility on Mormon Mountain south of Flagstaff. Its coverage is aimed principally at northern and central Arizona.
Television satellite station
KFPH-CD
A full-time Phoenix-area satellite created to extend KFPH programming beyond the effective coverage of the Flagstaff transmitter. The station adopted ATSC 3.0 in 2018, while its subchannels were carried through other Phoenix stations.
Network-affiliated broadcast brand
UniMás Arizona
The market-facing identity used for KFPH's Spanish-language service. It connects the local station to the national UniMás network and its entertainment-oriented programming schedule.
Brand decisions
2008
Early analog shutdown and digital-channel relocationGeneration changeBackground
The transmitter site lacked enough room for the analog transmitter, the existing digital transmitter, and the new digital VHF facility. Winter weather also constrained the work schedule.
Action taken
KFPH discontinued analog broadcasting on September 18 and moved its digital signal from pre-transition UHF channel 27 to VHF channel 13.
Aftermath
The station continued as a digital television service under the channel 13 identity.
2001
Sale from Paxson Communications to Equity BroadcastingM&ABackground
Paxson Communications sold KBPX together with WPXS as part of a station-portfolio transaction.
Action taken
Equity Broadcasting acquired the two stations and subsequently changed the Flagstaff station's call sign to KDUO.
Aftermath
Equity briefly programmed America's Collectibles Network before selling the station to Univision later in 2001.
Reported purchase price for KBPX and WPXS. $17.75 million (March 2001 transaction)
2001
Univision acquisition and Telefutura conversionM&ABackground
Univision was assembling stations for its new Spanish-language Telefutura network in Arizona.
Action taken
Univision acquired KDUO and related Arizona properties, changed the station's call sign to KFPH, and made it part of Telefutura's Arizona distribution.
Aftermath
Telefutura was later renamed UniMás, and the station became identified as UniMás Arizona.
Reported purchase price for KDUO, KBGF, and three low-power television stations. $19.1 million (August 2001 transaction)
1998
Adoption of the Pax TV formatStrategyBackground
Paxson Communications was launching a national network and needed interim distribution in the Phoenix region before KPPX-TV was ready.
Action taken
The station became KBPX and carried Pax TV, with a translator rebroadcasting the service in Phoenix.
Aftermath
The Phoenix relay became less important after KPPX-TV began broadcasting in February 1999.
1995
Shift from independent programming to The WBStrategyBackground
KKTM was operating as a small local independent station with limited locally produced content and syndicated or supplied programming.
Action taken
The station joined The WB at the network's launch and changed its call sign to KWBF.
Aftermath
The affiliation lasted only until the station entered Paxson's ownership structure and was repositioned for Pax TV.
Recent events
- 2018
KFPH-CD converted to ATSC 3.0[1]
Product generation
The Phoenix-area satellite station adopted ATSC 3.0 transmission, with its subchannels distributed through other Phoenix stations.
- 2008
KFPH ended analog broadcasting and moved its digital signal to VHF channel 13[1]
Regulation
The station shut down its analog transmitter and moved its digital operation from pre-transition UHF channel 27 to VHF channel 13.
- 2001
Equity Broadcasting acquired KBPX[1]
M&A
Paxson Communications sold the station to Equity Broadcasting, which temporarily replaced the network schedule with home-shopping programming.
- 2001
Univision acquired the station for its Telefutura expansion[1]
M&A
Univision purchased the station from Equity Broadcasting and converted it into an Arizona outlet for Telefutura, the network later renamed UniMás.
- 1998
Pax TV launched on the station[1]
Other · Product launch
After Paxson Communications acquired the station, it became KBPX and began carrying the newly launched Pax TV network while the planned Phoenix outlet was not yet operating.
- 1995
KFPH-DT became a charter affiliate of The WB[1]
Other
The station, then operating as KKTM, joined The WB at the network's launch and adopted the KWBF call sign.
Sources2 sources
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