The Portland Web is buzzing today about a reported format change coming to radio station KPOJ (620 AM), which bills itself as "Portland's Progressive Talk Station."

about KPOJ host Carl Wolfson announcing on his Facebook page that KPOJ was dropping its politically oriented programming as of Monday.

that KPOJ, which is owned by Clear Channel Radio, is switching to an all-sports format coming this Monday.

I have a call into the local Clear Channel office to get more information. KPOJ has been a local home for progressive programming since it became the Portland affiliate for Air America, the liberal radio network that launched in 2004. Air America later filed for bankruptcy in 2006. But KPOJ has continued to air shows hosted by liberal figures such as Thom Hartmann, Ed Schultz, and Randi Rhodes.

Today, during Hartmann's show on KPOJ, a Portland caller mentioned the format change, suggesting it might be a politically oriented move by Clear Channel.

Hartmann said, "I don't see any evidence that this is a political game being played" by Clear Channel. But Hartmann's guest, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, expressed concern that radio is dominated by "extreme right-wing" hosts. "We have got to figure out a way," Sanders said, to give radio listeners alternatives to "Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity." He said, "That's a major, major issue."

Hartmann said that "KPOJ is going away," and added that the ratings had been up.

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