The station first signed on the air on June 6, 1998 as K53EO, broadcasting on UHFchannel 53. It was originally an affiliate of both America's Voice and ZDTV. On November 16, 1998, the station's call letters were changed to KTQW-LP, in reference to its slogan "Total Quality Wichita". At first, it was the sole broadcast affiliate of the otherwise cable and satellite network that evolved into TechTV, carrying the network's programming 20 hours a day, with the remaining four hours allocated to locally produced programs. The station relocated its signal to UHF channel 49 on June 10, 2004, and upgraded its license to Class A status, modifying its callsign to KTQW-CA. In 2006, Knowledge LC sold the station to Great Plains Television Network, LLC; the sale was approved by the Federal Communications Commission on December 14, 2006, and was completed one week later on December 21. On January 8, 2007, the station's call letters were officially changed to KGPT-CA to match the name of the company, Kansas Great Plains Television Network. The station has applied to increase its effective radiated power from 4.8 to 13.91 kilowatts. On August 6, 2013 at 1:30 p.m., the station moved its signal to UHF channel 26 and began operating its digital signal from a newly constructed transmission tower located north-northeast of Colwich; the station also increased its effective radiated power to 15 kilowatts, resulting in a significant increase in the station's coverage area.
In addition to carrying programming from eight networks on its digital subchannels, the station also produces locally produced programs.
''Yellow Ribbons from Home''
KGPT also produced a special saluting U.S. military personnel and their families titled Yellow Ribbons From Home, which aired on July 4, 2007. The special included video greetings to the military members from their families, then-Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback and all four of Kansas' Congressional representatives, as well as former Senator Bob Dole and Wichita mayor Carl Brewer. Country musicians including Darryl Worley, Blake Shelton, Emerson Drive, Terri Clark and Heartland also sent greetings and provided special performances. The special was also streamed and later offered on-demand on the station's website, allowing its viewing by members of the military stationed elsewhere around the world. On June 22, 2007, Governor Sebelius proclaimed July as Yellow Ribbons From Home Month, in commemoration of the special.
