Radio industry layoffs. We don’t seem as surprised anymore, and that’s not good. Last week’s latest radio reduction-in-force was hosted by Audacy, America’s second largest radio station company. The news generated criticism from analysts and pundits for the next 72 hours and then faded as other stories grabbed our Goldfish-like attention span.
Dozens of the estimated 200-300 employees on the job-loss list used social media to share the moment and express gratitude to their company, co-workers, bosses, and the audience. That’s a social media benefit in 2025. Twenty years ago, no one outside of your family and friends would know what happened to you until you crossed the street to another radio station.
As I read through the names of people willing to share their dismissal with popular media publications like this one, I had these reactions: “Oh, wow. He was there a long time. Great run.” Or, “No way. That’s a big loss.” Here’s one of my favorite reactions in the multi-job era, “How is this a savings? Those guys were hosting a morning show in one market, an afternoon show in another market and serving as an APD!”…