Radio station goes back to rock roots

After more than 2½ years as "La Preciosa," a Spanish- language variety station playing hits from the '70s through '90s, Clear Channel-owned KMRQ 96.7FM in Modesto is ready to rock again.

At 5 p.m. today, the channel once known as Rock 96.7 and then New Rock 96.7 rolls out an "active rock" format, music from the 1990s to today and heavy on such bands as Metallica, Korn, Disturbed and Tool.

The switch is the latest in a number of programming changes at Clear Channel this year. In January, it returned the longtime "Cruise and Good" show to mornings on KOSO at 93.1 FM and revamped the lineup of News/Talk KFIV 1360 AM to feature a news-intensive morning show and a live local talk show in afternoons hosted by longtime community resident Dave Diamond.

This story was originally published September 4, 2008 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Radio station goes back to rock roots."