If you're a fan of sports talk radio, there's now plenty of it available in Bismarck-Mandan. And if you're searching for a fix of Rush Limbaugh, he's moved a bit down the dial.

Clear Channel Communications, owners of KFYR-AM 550, also runs the programming and brokers the air time for KXMR-AM 710. As of Tuesday, 710 is now home to the FAN, a regional network based in the Twin Cities.

Filling 710's air time with sports talk meant Limbaugh needed a new home, which he found from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on 550. And that meant the end of the local long-running What's On Your Mind program, which is on hiatus for now.

KFYR-AM general manager Syd Stewart said it made most sense to keep the programming on 710 consistent with what the FAN network offered, so that's why Limbaugh was moved to 550.

And by operating both stations, Stewart said he has more flexibility in offering local sports coverage. A Dakota Wizards game could be on one station while University of North Dakota hockey could be on the other, he said. There were times before where both stations were covering the same event.

Moving Limbaugh to KFYR-AM, though, means Steve Norris, the host of What's On Your Mind, is no longer with the station.

"Our afternoon programming is not complete yet," Stewart said.

A program director has been hired and will fill some of the 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. time slot with a local talk show and more interviews. That person doesn't start until later this month, so Stewart said final details can't yet be announced.

The format on 710 will now be sports talk. The FAN Sports Radio Network was launched in July 2002 and comes from Minneapolis station KFAN, which debuted in 1991.

The FAN lineup features the Power Trip with Mike Morris from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Morris is the former Minnesota Vikings long snapper and a 13-year NFL veteran. That's followed by P.A. & Dubay from 9 a.m. to noon. The show is Paul Allen, play-by-play voice of the Vikings, and Jeff Dubay, host of the Vikings post-game show. The Common Man Dan Cole is on from noon to 2 p.m. and Chat Hartman, play-by-play voice of the Timberwolves, is on from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The drive time slot of 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. is held by Dan Barreiro, Minneapolis Star Tribune sports columnist. The Jim Rome show is on from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. slot is filled by the Fox Sports Network.

(Reach reporter Mark Hanson at 250-8264 or mark@ndonline.com.)