Joel McCrea, vice president of Clear Channel Inc. in Des Moines, said “Miller and Deace in the Morning on KXNO” will center mostly on University of Iowa and Iowa State sports.

“Jon Miller is the ultimate Iowa Hawkeye fan and insider and Steve Deace returns to KXNO as the Iowa State Cyclone fan and insider,” McCrea said. “While a lot of this show will center around Iowa and Iowa State collegiate sports, we are excited about Jon and Steve’s grasp of personality radio.”

Deace will keep his regular 4-7 p.m. show on WHO Radio.

The launch of the new morning show is the most recent development stemming from the firing of radio personalities Marty Tirrell and Larry Cotlar last month after a broadcast of a profanity-laced argument between the men. In addition, Geoff Conn, a co-host and producer of Cotlar’s morning show, lost his job as a result of the argument.

Tirrell had been paired with Ken Miller in the late afternoon slot on KXNO. Cotlar recently was hired by 1700 The Champ and began his employment today.

McCrea said the new morning show, which will be broadcast from 6-8 a.m., would permit the station to carry the entire three hours of “The Dan Patrick Show” from 8-11 a.m. Jim Rome will follow in his usual 11 a.m.-2 p.m. slot.

McCrea said the station hoped to announce the hosts for the 2-4 p.m. slot by the end of the week. That show is scheduled to premiere next Monday, he said.

The late afternoon slot — from 4-7 p.m. — will retain Ken Miller, but negotiations for a co-host are continuing. McCrea said the goal is to have that show launched by April 27.