The Gift of Gab: America’s Top 11 Talk Radio Stations
Senior Editor and Researcher
While music radio stations can be a great way to pass the time, talk radio stations provide a unique sense of companionship while keeping you up-to-date on entertaining life and social topics.
That said, finding the best talk radio station to tune in to can be tricky with all the available options. That’s where this guide comes in handy!
In today’s article, we’ll provide a brief overview of America’s top 11 talk radio stations to save you the hassle of searching.
So without further ado, let’s dive right in!
1. WAMU
Available: Online or 88.5 MHz (Washington, D.C.)
American University Radio, also known as WAMU, is one of the most well-established radio stations in the talk/news genre and the primary member of National Public Radio since 2007.
The radio station has been around for over 70 years, creating a remarkable listeners base among Washingtonians and all over the nation!
WAMU is a firm believer in civic power, which is why the station heavily relies on engagement from the listener’s community throughout its programs.
The station broadcasts various interesting and enjoyable programs discussing several topics, whether news, social, environment, economy, pop culture, and much more!
While the station airs a great selection of shows, its most popular flagship shows are 1A, The Big Broadcast, and All Things Considered.
2. SuperTalk – WTN
Available: Online or 99.7 MHz (Nashville, Tennessee)
SuperTalk 99.7 WTN is one of the most successful radio stations specializing in the talk/news genre.
The station serves the Nashville metropolitan area to provide high-quality talk show content for its vast and loyal listener community.
The station was launched in 1962 from a small town in Tennessee, but its interesting and unique podcasts allowed it to focus on the Nashville market since the early ’90s, despite having some financial difficulties.
In 2003, the station was purchased by Cumulus Media for $65 million. It retained its excellent content quality, providing an enjoyable mixture of talk shows that discuss social, sports, and business topics, among many more.
While the station airs a variety of shows, some of the most popular SuperTalk WTN shows include Red Eye Radio, Chris McKay Show, The Matt Walsh Show, The Ben Shapiro Show, and The Drive with Brian Wilson.
3. Talk Radio 560 KSFO
Available: Online or 560 kHz (San Francisco, California)
KSFO 560 is one of the oldest radio stations, which has been airing since August 1925.
However, it launched its current format in 1995 with the branding Hot Talk 560, which mainly discusses conservative political topics.
The radio station was purchased various times and had multiple owners, including the Walt Disney Company.
Cumulus Media has owned the station (the same one that holds SuperTalk WTN) since 2011.
Talk Radio 560 KSFO airs various shows, but the most notable podcaster on the channel was Michael Savage, who hosted The Savage Nation show.
According to reports, around 11 million listeners tuned in to this show every week, making it one of the most popular shows in the US.
The Ben Shapiro Show now replaces the show, but the station also hosts various popular podcasts and shows, including The Dave Ramsey Show, The Armstrong & Getty Show, and more.
4. KXL-FM
Available: Online or 101.1 MHz (Portland, Oregon)
KXL-FM is one of the most popular radio stations airing in Oregon.
When the station was launched in 1948, it provided a more varied format, including news, music, sports, and classical concerts.
The station, now owned by Alpha Media, shifted between music genres for several years until it switched to its current talk and news format in 2011.
Besides airing news blocks daily, KXL-FM is now the flagship station for multiple shows, most notably The Lars Larson Show.
Additionally, the channel airs a variety of popular podcasts and shows, such as Red Eye Radio, This Morning, America’s First News with Gordon Deal, and much more!
5. WFSX-FM
Available: Online or 92.5 MHz (Estero, Florida)
WFSX-FM serves Southwest Florida, especially the Fort Myers-Naples area.
Sun Broadcasting owns the station and specializes in talk radio format. However, not very long ago, it was a completely different station.
Before 2009, the station mainly aired music and hosted shows about specific genres, such as oldies and country music.
After the format flip in 2009, the station changed its on-air name to 92.5 Fox News and then WSFX-FM.
The station broadcasts several talk shows, such as Daybreak with Drew Steele, which airs every morning on weekdays, followed by The Drive with Trey Radel during the afternoon drive time.
Besides these shows, the station also hosts various nationally syndicated shows, including Mark Levin, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, and more.
On weekends, WSFX-FM hosts a variety of interesting talk shows that discuss topics such as health, technology, finance, law, and even boating!
6. The Blaze Radio
Available: Online only
The Blaze Radio is an online radio station focusing on the talk genre, hosting unique shows and programs to appeal to various listeners.
The radio station is part of The Blaze Media, which owns various magazines and TV channels catering to conservative media consumers.
The Blaze Radio is completely free, and you can enjoy its shows on the company’s website and dedicated apps, such as the iHeartRadio app.
The Blaze Radio currently holds exclusive rights for popular conservative talk show hosts, such as Pat Gray.
You can also find various syndicated and specialty programs airing on the radio, such as Unashamed with Phil & Jase Robertson, Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey, The Glenn Beck Program, The Steve Deace Show, and much more.
7. TalkRadio 790 KABC
Available: Online or 790 KHz (Los Angeles, California)
KABC is an AM radio station that serves the greater Los Angeles area. Like SuperTalks and Talk Radio 560 KSFO, this one is also owned by Cumulus Media.
However, the KABC offers slight variety in its talk format.
The radio station broadcasts various syndicated radio shows, including The Dan Bongino Show, The Michael Knowles Show, Red Eye Radio, America in the Morning, and The Ben Shapiro Show.
The radio station is also deeply affiliated with sports talk shows, being the flagship station of the USC Trojans basketball and football teams.
You can also enjoy various local programs and shows hosted by popular names in the talk show industry, such as Leo Terrell, John Phillips, Frank Mottek, and more!
8. Science360 Radio
Available: Online only
While the conventional talk show format is enjoyable to many people, you might be looking for something slightly different.
If you’re interested in science/technology and educational content, you might want to give this one a try!
Science360 is a free American radio station that is available online only.
The station hosts talk shows in various fields, including scientific news, technical discussions, food, live shows about trades, and much more.
The only downside of this radio station is that it doesn’t have a clear program schedule, making it a little hard to keep track of your favorite shows.
9. WFAN Sports Radio
Available: Online (through the Audacity app) or 101.9 MHz (New York, New York)
Another unique talk radio station is WFAN, simply known as The Fan.
This commercial radio station serves the New York metropolitan area but can be heard loud and clear all over the East Coast and Canada!
Unlike many radio stations focusing on politics and news, WFAN specializes in sports.
The Fan is the first-ever radio station to broadcast sports-related talk shows around the clock. It remains the most popular sports talk radio station to this day!
Besides airing through FM radio, the station started online streaming in 2006, although it remains limited to the United States only due to copyright issues.
Audacity currently owns the station, and you can tune in online through the Audacity app.
10. WNYC FM
Available: Online or 93.9 MHz (New York, New York)
WNYC is a public radio station from New York City that serves the New York metropolitan area.
The radio station was established in March 1943. Back then, it was broadcasted as a sister station to WNYC AM at 43.9 MHz but later switched to its current radio frequency.
WNYC FM has always been a big player in the news talk format, hosting some of the biggest names in the radio industry, and is known for the first quiz radio show in America.
Besides its talk shows, WNYC is also a trustworthy news source. In fact, the WNYC local news team is composed of 38 broadcasting professionals, including journalists, editors, producers, and more.
WNYC broadcasts various radio shows, including syndicated and local ones. These shows tackle topics like culture, society, politics, economics, etc.
Among the most popular programs aired on WNYC FM are On the Media with Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield, The Brian Lehrer Show, All of It with Alison Stewart, All Things Considered, and Morning Edition.
11. WJR
Available: Online or 760 KHz (Detroit, Michigan)
Last but not least, we have WJR, a commercial radio station owned by Cumulus Media that specializes in the talk format, especially the news and sports genre.
The station broadcasts local and national radio shows hosted by popular media personalities, including Paul W. Smith, Dan Bongino, Mark Levin, Mitch Albom, Kevin Dietz, and Tom Jordan.
Final Thoughts
This marks the end of today’s guide that walks you through 11 of America’s top radio stations specializing in the talk format.
As you can see, talk radio isn’t only limited to politics and news, but you can also find a range of topics and dedicated stations for some of them, such as culture, economics, science, and much more!
