Pappas Adds Savage, Flips Modesto AM To "Patriot" Talk

Unfortunately, it looks like Pappas Radio's attempt at a hybrid Adult Standards and Infomercials format on KMPH/840 in Modesto has ended. It was fun while it lasted — the music more so than the long-form ads for colon cleansers — but the sound was incongruous in Modesto, which is still very much a farm town (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Of course, I still think that they should have (1) kept the transplanted KTRB/860 call letters in Modesto, where they mean something, and (2) at least tried the Adult Standards on 860 in San Francisco, rather than fifth-rate talk. I reserve the right to repeat this line over and over again, if only because I believe I'm right.

I'm still hearing that Oakland A's baseball will be moving to 50,000-watt KTRB in 2009 after one more season on KFRC/106.9 and KYCY/1550.

KMPH is being repositioned with conservative talk as "The Patriot," starting this Monday (March 10). Here's the press release from Pappas, issued this afternoon:

New Talk Radio Station To Debut In Modesto
Michael Savage Returns To The Airwaves!

March 7, 2008—(Modesto, California) KMPH-AM 840, which went on the air on July 24, 2006 as the successor station to Modesto’s first radio station, KTRB-AM 860 (now in San Francisco) changes format to bring The Michael Savage Show and other great talk programs to the Modesto, Merced, and Stockton area starting on March 10, 2008.

Among its shows, the station will feature the fiery Laura Ingraham every weekday morning, nononsense personal advice from Dr. Laura, the passionate intellect of Michael Savage, and a unique mix of commentary with satire and comedy on The Phil Hendrie Show. Plus, AM 840 KMPH The Patriot features Modesto’s only talk show that focuses exclusively on local issues, The Morning Mayor with former Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino, traffic updates during the morning commute, and local news with Modesto’s most experienced radio news man, Tim St. Martin.

The Michael Savage Show is now the third largest radio talk show, according to TALKERS Magazine, and airs on well over 300 stations nationwide. Michael Savage is the author of four best selling books: The Savage Nation, The Enemy Within, and Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.

His most recent book is the irreverent Political Zoo. He attacks big government and liberal media bias, but champions the environment and animal rights. Trained as a scientist, he holds Master's degrees in medical botany and medical anthropology and earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Epidemiology and Nutrition Science.

Jim P. Pappas, General Manager of AM 840 KMPH The Patriot said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to give Modesto area listeners a real choice with a Talk Radio station that is anchored by popular hosts like Michael Savage, Dr. Laura, Laura Ingraham, Jerry Doyle, Phil Hendrie, and successful weekend talkers like Bob Brinker, Clark Howard, Leo Laporte, and Bill Handel, not to mention great sports programming with Fox Sports Radio.”

AM 840 KMPH The Patriot is owned and operated by Pappas Radio of Modesto, LLC, and represents a Modesto broadcast tradition dating back to 1953.