Will Portland talk itself out soon? Many radio talk jocks hope not.(Portland, Oregon's talk radio market continues to expand)

Portland won't shut up.

Last week KPAM-AM became the city's ninth station with a talk format, pushing Portland right up to the top of metropolitan talk-radio markets.

The city has attracted more news and talk hosts and programs - from Christian talk to Howard Stern - than hot radio markets like New York City and Los Angeles.

You name the talk, Portland has it.

"It's known in the business that Portland is a good talk market," said Michael Harrison, editor of Talkers magazine, the Springfield, Mass.-based bible of the talk-radio industry. "You've got a market that is media savvy, well-educated and interested in current events."

Many programs, like Stern on KUFO and the "Mark and Brian Show" on KGON, are syndicated and air during the morning-drive time. You won't ever hear mention of rush hour on the Sunset Highway because the shows tape out of New York City and Los Angeles, respectively, and have more of a yen for talking about strippers and teen sensation Brittney Spears' bust than traffic.

The rest of the radio talkers - …