It’s been less than a year since I was laid off as part of a reduction in force by iHeartMedia. It was quick, simple, heartbreaking—but also expected. Unfortunately, the days of working in the radio industry as a career you can trust are over. I didn’t realize it until then, and many find themselves in the same boat today as the company engages in another series of layoffs this week.
For years, I was told you never truly work in radio until you’ve been the victim of a cut. I went over two decades working in two markets for two different companies before my name was marked out with the red pen. It was yet another day in another year where iHeartMedia was once again “positioning for long-term growth.”
What strikes me now, on the other side of the coin, is the question of iHeartMedia’s leadership. For years, the company has been known to cut time and time again with no penalty paid by its senior management team. It makes me wonder—will there ever be a time when senior management feels the sting instead of cutting what once made radio great: local people?
When the cuts began earlier this week, I was reminded of Jason Barrett’s piece written when former Audacy CEO David Field stepped down. In the piece, Barrett recalled a company-wide email that Field wrote to staffers about his time in South Africa. The message was intended to motivate employees to bring their A-game while the company restructured. While jobs were eliminated, and more pressure was placed on local management to get revenue in shape.
Barrett called the note a “holier-than-thou message,” written by someone disconnected from his employees.
Words Matter
Last year, following iHeart’s November reduction in force—which included little ol’ me—Bob Pittman said on a Q3 earnings conference call that what the company was doing with the layoffs at the time was “not getting rid of air talent.”
“I think what we’re doing is not getting rid of air talent. What we’re able to do now, because we’ve got technology, is we can take talent we have in any location and put them on the air in another location,” said Pittman. “So it allows us to substantially upgrade the quality of our talent in every single market we’re in.”
Pittman also went on to herald his highly paid and fully secure syndicated programs as the people everyone wants to be “friends” with.
“Great talent are great talent because people all want to be their friends,” noted Pittman. “When you look at Ryan Seacrest, he’s America’s favorite friend. Everybody wants to be his friend. Or Charlamagne tha God or Bobby Bones.”
Then came the dagger in the iHeart (pun intended) to all local talent who found the axe during last year’s reduction in force. Which affected more than five percent of the company’s entire workforce.
“There’s not a slot for everybody,” said Pittman. “Just because [talent] was willing to live in the market doesn’t assure that they’re the best person for that slot. The criteria had to be willing to live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, or Jackson, Mississippi—my old hometowns—in order to be on the radio. Today, technology frees us of that constraint, and our programmers can now make the decision about who’s going to be the best talent in that time slot on that radio station, regardless of where they live.”
It leads me to question: which example was more tone-deaf?
An executive trying to rally the troops through a difficult time using a personal trip as an example, or an executive telling those who were laid off that they were not talent to begin with and didn’t matter in the grand picture for iHeartMedia?
Losing the Locker Room
Since those November 2024 layoffs, iHeartMedia has continued to cut staff, including the current wave underway. In fact, two close friends of mine just signed multi-year extensions recently were part of the hundreds who will be let go by week’s end. How can anyone believe in a company that signs people one minute to reward hard work, to only be let go a month or two later.
I’m fully aware that businesses have to adapt to changing landscapes and challenges. But what will Pittman’s response be this time?
iHeartMedia continues to be one of the few giant broadcasting companies to turn a profit, albeit not as high as it once was. In Q1 of this year, iHeartMedia’s digital revenue rose by almost $40 million year-over-year. Almost solely driven by podcasting and digital audio ads. Under Pittman’s leadership, the company has rebranded, created a national streaming app other broadcasters envy, and finally embraced podcasting by creating several national networks—all while going through bankruptcy.
From a business standpoint, the company continues to be profitable despite the number of people it no longer seems to need. With the adoption of AI and more acquisitions—like the reported bid for Audioboom—where does that leave the thousands of hard-working employees around the country?
Pittman just signed an extension in September, and a month later, a round of company-wide layoffs is underway. He earned a bonus of nearly $3 million for his work last year. Which included a number of reductions in force throughout the year.
For all the pain, stress, and worry that many iHeartMedia employees deal with daily, does Pittman feel any semblance of the same? For those fortunate enough to remain employed but forced to take on more duties and responsibilities without compensation—is that fair? Can Pittman defend the line of thinking that salaried employees should work well beyond their hours to keep the ship afloat without added pay?
That’s iHeartMedia today. Don’t believe me? Ask around.
A Request
It’s been nearly a year since I departed my position with the company. However, i’ve had the pleasure of supporting and attending events held by my former teammates here in Tampa Bay. The first topic past pleasantries is always about holding on until it’s over—not by choice, but because there’s no other option to stay employed. That’s not a culture problem inside one building; that’s a culture problem defined by the company’s positioning and its leadership.
Radio station employees want strong leadership. They want people who believe in the product they pour their passion into. Pittman once held that standard and goal. However recent comments and actions tell a different tale. Especially when those comments and actions are rewarded while others are punished, no matter their performance.
I’m not writing this to call for change. I’m writing in hopes that the message is received. To encourage treating these moments with the respect and dignity people give the consumers of iHeartMedia. Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are facing. In moments like this, all management should lean on that while treating others well and staying true to who you are. When you do, many will want to see you rise despite the pain along the way.
Once you stop, many can’t wait to watch you fall.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
Well stated my friend. I hope you doing well. Love reading you columns!
Appreciate the read and the words, friend. Hope you’re doing well
Bob Pitiless.