Tucson Radio: The Truth Is Ending

Starting Monday, It’s no longer The Truth. It’s no longer “Right Talk for Tucson.” But it will be more local, according to the Tucson Weekly.

KQTH 104.1 FM, the market’s lone news/talk FM, will on Monday follow the lead of stations in other cities and move its best known talent out of morning drive in hopes a local presence will cut into KNST 790 AM mid-day talk advantage with Rush Limbaugh. Jon Justice, who has locked down KQTH’s more traditional morning talk slot since its launch seven years ago, will broadcast his program from 8:30 to noon weekdays.

In place of Justice in morning drive, 104.1 will add a news block hosted by Program Director Bill White. The news block, a series of reports that generally includes national, state and local news, weather, sports and traffic, also features opportunities for the host to chat about the day’s topics of note before returning to the next block of headlines.

KQTH 104.1 FM (3Kw) 60dBu Coverage

Tucson hasn’t opted for a morning news block since KCUB 1290 AM jettisoned an effort last decade. During that time it was an aggressive effort to model 1290, which had just wrested the UA sports contract from KNST AM 790, to transition into a news/talk oriented station that broadcast UA games.

Jon Justice

Tucson’s Morning News will air from 6-8:30 weekdays. All told, Journal Broadcasting's KQTH will offer nine hours of local programming every weekday. In addition to Tucson’s Morning News and the Jon Justice Show, James T. Harris will continue to broadcast his talk show weekdays from 3-6.

However, they will no longer do so as “The Truth.” That moniker, and “right talk for Tucson” are being scrapped in favor of “104.1 KQTH, Tucson’s News and Talk.” A new website domain, kqth.com, was purchased a few weeks ago. The talk show tone will remain conservative, so the programming change doesn’t affect the content and approach for Justice and Harris.

Nationally syndicated programming will include Dave Ramsey from noon-3 weekdays and Laura Ingraham, who will move into evenings from 6-9. Mark Levin will continue in his 9-midnight time slot.

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