KPAM (860 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a conservative talk radio format. Licensed to Troutdale, Oregon, it serves the Portland metropolitan area. The station is owned by the Salem Media Group, with radio studios and offices on SE Lake Road in Portland. It is branded as "860 The Answer" and carries nationally syndicated Salem Radio Network hosts including Dennis Prager, Mike Gallagher, Sebastian Gorka, Hugh Hewitt and Charlie Kirk.
By day, KPAM broadcasts at 50,000 watts non-directional, the highest power permitted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). But because 860 kHz is a Canadian clear channel frequency, KPAM must reduce power to 15,000 watts at night, and use a directional antenna, to avoid interfering with CJBC Toronto, the Class A station on the frequency. The transmitter is on NE 34th Street in Vancouver, Washington.[3]
History
KPAM signed on the air in 1997. It was owned by Pamplin Broadcasting, from which it gets its call sign. The station initially had a contemporary Christian music format but soon switched to a talk radio format. It carried world and national news updates from ABC Radio News.[4]
In 2018, Pamplin Broadcasting sold the station to Salem Media.[5][6] On April 2, 2018, KPAM rebranded as "860 The Answer".[7] It began airing the line up of Salem Radio Network programs.
References
- ^ Nelson, Bob (June 2, 2009). "Call Letter Origins". Vol. 238. The Broadcast Archive. Archived from the original on February 18, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KPAM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KPAM
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 page D-457, Broadcasting & Cable
- ^ "Salem Media Group, Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2018 Total Revenue of $66.3 Million". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31.
- ^ "KPAM Is Alive and Well". finance.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31.
- ^ Salem Shuffles Programming at Three Portland AMs Radioinsight - April 3, 2018