Trent Condon departs KXNO. The Des Moines sports talk host departed iHeartMedia after remarks he made about recent company layoffs drew corporate scrutiny.
What We Know: iHeartMedia recently cut staff at KXNO, eliminating several positions at the Des Moines sports talk station. Condon publicly responded to those cuts, and his comments prompted iHeartMedia to part ways with him. His departure marks another significant loss for local sports radio in the market. Even despite not being an employee of iHeartMedia.
What They Said: Trent Condon on being cut by iHeartMedia: “My days at KXNO are over. My comments were considered “controversial” from corporate about my colleagues that were let go. I stand by what I said. I am still incredibly sad that Ken Miller didn’t get his final show after starting sports talk in Iowa 30 years ago. Thank you for listening and showing that local sports talk matters. You can still hear me daily on Locked On Iowa & have already had conversations with many outlets. I’m here to listen to any and all ideas. As media evolves, I will evolve with it. Thank you to the my clients and sponsors as we work together to find what and where’s next. And to my friends, colleagues and family, thank you for your kind words. Talk to you all soon.”
What Remains Unclear: iHeartMedia has not publicly addressed Condon’s departure or clarified its reasoning. No timeline for his next move has emerged yet.
What It Means: This situation is unique due to the fact that Condon was not an employee of iHeartMedia. In fact, as an independent contractor who bought his own time, Condon still resembled a trusted voice for the outlet. Condon’s willingness to speak out — and face consequences — underscores how layoffs are reshaping the relationship between hosts and their employers. With his departure, KXnO currently has no local dayparts following a massive impact created by iHeartMedia’s recent reduction in force.
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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.
