Westwood One has downsized its affiliate relations department. The staffing reductions include several longtime employees.
What We Know: Westwood One recently reduced the size of its affiliate relations team, according to multiple industry sources. Barrett Media has learned that Laura Martinez, a 14-year company veteran, is among the employees affected by the layoffs. Also, Stuart Greenblatt is out as SVP of affiliate sales after 26 years with the company. Neal Weiner also departs as VP of Affiliate Sales for its 24/7 formats after 31 years with the company.
What’s At Stake: Affiliate relations representatives play a critical role in supporting radio stations and maintaining relationships with hundreds of affiliates. As a result, a smaller department could shift responsibilities among the remaining staff or change how stations receive day-to-day support. Because Westwood One syndicates major news, sports, and music programming, any changes to that operation will likely draw attention throughout the radio industry.
What Remains Unclear: Westwood One hasn’t disclosed which programming formats or units were specifically affected by the reductions. It’s also unknown how many employees were impacted by the layoffs or whether additional organizational changes are planned.
What It Means: The reductions reflect another example of continued cost management across the media business as companies evaluate staffing and operational priorities. Although Westwood One remains a major syndication partner for stations nationwide, the downsizing suggests even established network operations aren’t immune from ongoing industry pressures. Radio executives and affiliate partners will likely watch closely to see whether the staffing changes affect service levels or signal broader organizational shifts.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.