Turmoil at Hot 97 is spilling into public view. In fact, The Kid Mero, Kaz, and former morning host Peter Rosenberg are all critical of the station.
What We Know: Mero criticized Hot 97 during a recent livestream alongside co-host Kaz. The show’s October 14th stream is no longer available on the station’s YouTube channel though content creators captured it. An example is available below. Mero said contributors are frustrated with Hot 97 management for not paying them. Meanwhile, rumors suggest the station is in the midst of layoffs. However, those reports remain unconfirmed, and MediaCo has yet to address them.
Mero took over the station’s morning slot after Ebro in the Morning ended in December. Since then, MediaCo has touted the show’s growth, including a rise to number three in New York earlier this year. However, Mero painted a different picture behind the scenes. He questioned the value of executives earning far more than on-air talent. The New York City morning host also urged creators to stay independent advising them to always have a parachute.
Kaz backed him up. He claimed the show has outperformed its chief competition in the ratings over the past three months. He also said he understands the frustrations voiced by Ebro Darden, Laura Stylez and Rosenberg.
Meanwhile, The Jasmine Brand captured a response from Rosenberg on social media. He said several longtime DJs are no longer on the station, including DJ Drewski, Bobby Konders and Jabba. Rosenberg also traced the cuts back to the cancellation of his own show, which pushed him, Darden and Stylez into independent media.
Not everyone is on board with the hosts, though. DJ Akademiks, who has clashed with both Mero and Rosenberg, offered to take over mornings for $5 million if Hot 97 fires Mero.
What They Said: “There’s a guy who gets paid two more zeroes than you, and you’re like, what does this guy even do? That’s a question I find myself asking a lot. Having a job requires something called payments. Adequate payment.” – Mero
“They are trying to make this station work, and the only thing they’ve done as a company is fire people. Remove, remove, remove. Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. First cut fat, then cut meat, now cut into the bone.” – Peter Rosenberg
“This is the worst place I have ever worked in my life. It’s an awful situation that we’re in right now. It hasn’t been a fun few months here. We love Hot 97 and it sucks what it’s become.” – Kaz
What Remains Unclear: Mero and Kaz’s future with the radio station could be in jeopardy. Whether they wanted that to be the case or not is unknown. Should they leave or the station force a change, questions will follow regarding Hot 97’s morning show direction. MediaCo, the station’s owners have not yet publicly addressed the remarks.
What It Means: Public criticism from a station’s morning team on the outlet’s own YouTube channel is rare. When former stars pile on, the damage multiplies. If Hot 97 isn’t paying employees, as Mero suggested, the station could struggle to retain staff. As a result, Hot 97 faces growing questions about its leadership and direction.
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