Clear Channel has begun a major restructuring of its small market stations that will result in more of its Premium Choice programming being heard on more of its stations.
Because we don’t normally cover people moves on a regular basis, we’re going to compile a rundown of detailed reports from elsewhere as well as comment on their lasting effects. For the most detailed list of who’s out, All Access is updating as they come in. Update: A second day list appears here.
Time Out Chicago’s Robert Feder explains why these cuts are happening.
CNYRadio.com reports on the departure of a longtime Syracuse, NY host and of others in that cluster.
There has been a format change due to the restructuring as 100.1 WXBT Columbia shifts from Urban to a simulcast of sister News/Talk 560 WVOC.
The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports on cuts at 1180 WHAM.
Ohio Media Watch runs down who’s out in Northeast Ohio.
Fishbowl NY covers the cuts at CC’s Metro Traffic in New York.
Omaha.com has details on the dismissal of KFAB afternoon host Tom Becka.
The Arizona Daily Star lists who is out in Tucson.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel profiles John Laton, who resigned as Clear Channel’s Market Manager for their Iowa stations rather than proceed with today’s cuts. He has since been hired by Adelante Media Group to manage 104.7 WDDW and their television station in Milwaukee.
KRQE reports on the “cancellation” of the Tony Lynn & Myles show at KBQI in Albuquerque.
The Herald-Dispatch reports on one of the cuts in Huntington, WV.
Update 10/27:
The Honolulu Star Advertiser has reports from the far west coast of 9 cuts. (Registration Required)
The Modesto Bee has the cuts in that part of California.
Clear Channel won’t publicly comment on any of yesterday’s cuts, but made sure to get a Press Release out for their new National Programming Platform that will replace many of the people let go yesterday.
Indianapolis Business Journal spotlights the cuts there.
Delaware Online reports on the cut of 1450 WILM host John Watson after 26 years with the station.
Brian Stelter of the New York Times details some of the people cut and the logic behind it.
WREC-TV in Memphis features a video report on how the cuts affected local powerhouse WDIA.
The reports keep coming in from local news sources about the changes. Here’s some from Dayton, Corpus Christi, and Bismarck.
We extend our best wishes to all those forced out at Clear Channel today and hope that somehow this leads to a future turnaround in localism for radio.
UnemployedinChilliOH 
MattParker 
Joseph
Thanks for the wishes.
axed this morning…chillicothe oh
All Access says so far the RIF is happening mostly in smaller markets. That means Philly may be safe (for now) but Allentown, Reading and Wilmington may well see heads roll (again).
Looks like The Purge has hit Wilmington and Watson is history.
WILM is running Premiere Radio’s (CC’s syndication arm) America Now with Andy Dean. Watson’s name has been removed from the list of programs on the station website’s drop-down menu.
Dean has filled in for Neal Boortz and Herman Cain on WSB in Atlanta and was a contestant on The Apprentice. He sounds like a high school kid on a student station.
WDOV, which did not run Watson, continues to run the last hour of Savage and Dennis Miller in late evening (the only daypart in which the two Delaware Clear Channel stations are not simulcast).
It may only be a matter of time before The Cheap Channel Purge hits the company’s large markets.
Here in Boston, were I either of the two local weekday talk hosts at WXKS-1200 (Jeff Katz in the mornings; Jay Severin, newly hired for afternoons), I’d be scared.
Cheap Channel could replace Katz with the syndicated Don Imus (not heard in Boston in the past couple of years) and Severin by moving Sean Hannity from a delayed-broadcast to a live PM drive feed (and finding some syndicated fare to replace the delayed Hannity show in the early evenings).
In fact, I’d be surprised if either Katz or Severin is still at WXKS-AM come the first of the year!