After making previous staff purges on the same day in previous years, Clear Channel has taken a more stealth approach to layoffs this summer as they have spread the cuts over several weeks. This round of cuts have seen quite a few veteran staffers replaced by part-timers, syndication, or staffers from smaller markets moved up.
Update 8/19: And the hits just keep on coming.
Lauren MacLeash, PD of Modern AC “Cities 97” KTCZ and Classic Hits “Kool 108” KQQL Minneapolis is gone after 19 years with the company. Her duties are split as CHR 101.3 KDWB PD Rich Davis adds those duties at KTCZ and Country “K102” KEEY PD Gregg Swedberg adds them at KQQL.
Las Vegas VP/Market Manager Brandy Newman is out after 16 years.
Update 8/16: The cuts continue to come from Clear Channel.
Chuy Gomez was let go from Urban 106.1 KMEL San Francisco after 20 years in the morning slot. Sana G moves from afternoons to mornings, Big Von from nights to afternoons while weekender Shay Diddy takes evenings. CC/San Francisco does add Marcus D., former afternoon host of CBS Hot AC “Alice 97.3” KLLC for mornings at Hot AC “Star 101.3” KIOI.
Ryan Kramer, PD/Afternoon Host of CHR “96.1 Kiss-FM” KSME Fort Collins, CO has been promoted to APD at CHR “96.7 Kiss-FM” KHFI and Rhythmic “102.3 The Beat” KPEZ Austin as well as morning host at KPEZ. He replaces Zannie K who was let go in July.
Greg Hoffman, morning host at Rhythmic CHR “B95” 94.9 KBOS Fresno is out after 17 years at the station including a stint as Program Director.
Among other earlier moves we missed: Shannon Steele, morning co-host at Hot AC 98.1 WKDD Munroe Falls/Akron, OH departs as does Lori Shepard, News Director of News/Talk 610 WIOD Miami.
Original Report 8/13:
In Boston, “Jam’n 94.5” WJMN afternoon host Bobby Blaze was replaced by weekender Maverik.
The Phoenix cluster saw the ouster of 1230 KOY morning host Danny Davis after 15 years as his position was eliminated, Hot AC “Mix 96.9” KMXP afternoon host Bryan Allen, and Country 102.5 KNIX Music Director Kevin Mannion and afternoon host Billy Michaels. Those two will be replaced by Anthony ‘Antman’ Allen, who holds both of those titles at sister 97.9 WSIX Nashville.
Mick Lee, PD of CHR “Z104.3” WZFT Baltimore was promoted to Chicago to program Hot AC “93.9 My-FM” WLIT. The position of WZFT PD was folded into the duties of Mark Medina, PD of “Hot 99.5” WIHT Washington, DC.
A pair of morning hosts departed in Oklahoma City. Joe Friday of Country “101.9 The Twister” KTST was replaced by the syndicated Bobby Bones, while his co-host Kathi Yeager moves to middays. Reid Mullins, morning host at News/Talk 1000 KTOK is gone after eight years at the station.
News/Talk 1190 KEX Portland Afternoon Hosts Mark Mason and Dave Anderson were replaced by former Wall Street Journal Daily Wrap host Michael Castner. Scott Lynn, Sports Director at KEX and sister “Fox Sports 620” KPOJ for the past 24 years had his position eliminated as did newscaster Jim Mclaren.
Adam Wexler and Matt Jackson, morning hosts at “Sportstalk 790” KBME Houston were let go in a schedule shuffle that led to the addition of the syndicated Jay Mohr.
Darla Thomas, PD/Afternoons of Variety Hits “102.9 The Lake” WLKO Charlotte left as her position was downgraded to part-time with the duties assumed by Tyler Reese, APD/MD of sister “96.9 The Kat” WKKT.
Night hosts Jack Tomczak and Ben Kruse moved to mornings at News/Talk 1130 WTCN Minneapolis replacing Bob Davis, who was let go, and Tom Emmer, who resigned in June to run for Congress.
Classic Rock “Lonestar 92.5” KZPS Dallas Afternoon Host Jon Dillon was let go in mid-July.
‘Joe Elvis’ King was let go from Classic Rock 105.9 WNRQ Nashville after 23 years at the station.
I’m bummed to hear about Joe Elvis. I remember him from the old 103 KDF rock days in Nashville. His “Arena Beer” bit (It tastes great and you can’t have it!) still makes me laugh thinking of it 15+ years later. He didn’t spend 23 years at WNRQ — not even possible since 105.9 FM was previously Adult Contemporary WLAC-FM and didn’t go classic rock as WNRQ until 1998 — but he was a longtime staple of Nashville radio and it’s a shame that his run there has come to an end.
Cheap Channel won’t be happy until they can run the entire company with the top brass and MAYBE… a secretary.