Another round of layoffs hit iHeartMedia last week, with dozens of employees being handed their pink slips.
As the names continued to roll in, a theme began to take shape: many of those cut loose in the latest round of cuts had spent plenty of time — in some cases, up to nearly 30 years — with the company before seeing their positions eliminated last week.
That fact wasn’t lost on many of the both current and former iHeartMedia employees we spoke with over the course of the layoffs, all who were granted anonymity to speak freely on the topic, and to also avoid any issues with potential severance packages after the most recent round of cuts.
“I was blown away by how many people had dedicated their lives to iHeart and were cut like they didn’t matter,” one former employee who was let go last week shared with Barrett Media. “If you look around, there are people who had been there since the 90s who were cut. Some didn’t even get told in person. It was done over the phone, which is extra (expletive) to me.
“They didn’t even have the (expletive) to tell them in person? That’s next-level cruel,” they concluded.
Other employees who were let go shared suprisingly upbeat reactions to the news of their ouster.
“I’m actually looking forward to new challenges,” one affected on-air personality said of their situation. “I had a great run. It’s a business, and one that I’ll continue to love after this. I did my part, produced great ratings, met with clients, and helped wherever I could. I’m at peace knowing that I did everything I could, and if even that wasn’t enough, I can live with that.”
Another shared that they weren’t surprised to see many midday hosts be included in the cuts.
“Times change and habits change,” the former large market employee said. “At (their former station), mornings makes money. Afternoons does ok. But middays? Wasn’t overwhelmed with spots. If you’re not the ‘at work’ station, cutting costs there does make sense, as much as it sucks for me.”
Another employee that was subject of the reduction in force added that they took some solace in what was viewed as the “random” nature of cuts from iHeartMedia.
“When you’ve been around as long as I have, you come to recognize that layoffs at iHeart aren’t about talent, aren’t about who does what or doesn’t do things. They’re about money,” the former employee shared. “When the market president is told how much money they need to cut, and that’s the only thing that matters, I can live with it. Did I make the most money? No. But when you’re told that that’s the only thing that factors into who stays and who goes? It doesn’t make me question if I can still do this. It doesn’t make me feel like they didn’t value me or believe that I could still perform. There’s more to it.
“When money matters, there’s not much to calculate. It’s a math problem. I was just part of that math,” they concluded.
One current iHeartMedia program director did take issue with the “math problem” and the seniority of some of those laid off.
“What is never going to show up in a spreadsheet is that radio is built, at least behind the scenes, on comradery,” they stated. “If we’re not having fun with people you know and trust, this job can be very difficult. That’s the heart and soul of the job: working with people who you know who are as invested in this as you are. We’re losing those people, and it hurts morale more than those at the corporate office know.”
They added that the trust isn’t built as quickly as some might suggest.
“You don’t learn people overnight,” they added. “It takes time. When you’re with a staff that you don’t have to even think twice about how to handle or what buttons to press, stations are a beautiful thing. You don’t have to wonder about what will or won’t get done. We’re at our best when those folks are here. And now they’re not. We’ve got to figure out how we’re moving forward, and we’ve got ideas in place, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t going to be more difficult.”
Morale was a word mentioned frequently by the program director we spoke with. While they said it wasn’t as low as it has been in the past surrounding other layoffs, it is now lower than it had been previously.
“We had been riding high off some pretty big wins,” they shared. “Morale is fickle. I’ve learned that you can be surprised what does and doesn’t turn the tide sometimes. Layoffs always hurt morale. That’s not unexpected because it’s always going to be a somber attitude when you learn that you’re no longer working with people you liked. Finding what brings the momentum back — after layoffs — though, is more difficult. Because people get inside their heads. They see what goes on and wonder when or if it will happen to them. Trying to tell them that things are going to be alright is difficult, because I don’t have the answers.
“Managing morale isn’t something you think about until it’s down. At least for me. I don’t think about it until it starts to sway. Unfortunately, I’ve been having to think about it more and more. I still think this is a great place to work, for lots of reasons. But that’s a tough one to get over.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to 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.
