Madden, a source said, will join WXDX, a new-rock music station, and fill in the afternoon drive-time slot, at either 3 to 6 p.m. or 3 to 7 p.m, if contract details can be finalized.

Phone and e-mail messages left by the Post-Gazette with Madden, who was fired at 1250 ESPN in late May, and executives of Clear Channel, which operates WXDX, were not returned.

The exact format of the show is not known. It's possible Madden will intersperse music with his sports talk. Tim Benz left 1250 ESPN two years ago and has been a success attracting a young audience in the morning drive-time slot at WXDX with music and talk, with an emphasis on sports. Sources said Madden reached a buyout with ESPN, which can keep him off the air for up to six months. He was removed after making inflammatory remarks about Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

FM radio and WXDX are near-perfect landing spots for Madden. The FM dial is more suitable for his edgy style and sexual references. What probably will be missing from his repertoire is the mean-spirited attacks on popular figures that have been one of his trademarks. He used such popular figures as Myron Cope, Franco Harris, Willie Stargell, Bruno Sammartino, Arnold Palmer and Hines Ward as verbal punching bags, often not allowing the facts to get in his way.

Clear Channel, which owns and operates about 1,200 radio stations across the country, would probably frown on such attacks. One of Madden's strengths is his knowledge of the Penguins and the close rapport he has with many of the players. That will be more than welcome at WXDX, which carries the Penguins games. His show would be a natural lead-in to Penguins broadcasts.

The Penguins' contract with Clear Channel expires after the upcoming season. With the great success the team has had and the strong following it has developed, there will almost certainly be much interest from other stations. Among them would be KDKA, which lost the Pirates after the 2006 season, and 1250 ESPN, where general manager Mike Thompson has expressed an interest in acquiring broadcasting rights to one of the local teams. Madden's presence would make WXDX all the more attractive to the Penguins.