SAN ANTONIO (CelebrityAccess) – Radio and podcast giant iHeart Media has reduced its workforce by hundreds of employees as the company grapples with an extensive debt burden and the decline of the radio industry.
According to the New York Post, iHeartMedia, headed by CEO Bob Pittman, cut its workforce by less than 5% but still accounting for hundreds of job losses at the company.
A spokesperson for iHeart Media confirmed the layoffs to the Post and noted that the company has refocused on expanding its Gen Z audience, stating that radio has “more listeners than it did 10 years ago.”
The layoffs at iHeart began on Monday and extended into Tuesday, according to the Post.
The staff cuts impacted some on-air personalities, including Stan Norfleet, host of Houston’s SportsTalk 790, who revealed on social media on Monday that he had been laid off.
Alfred “Big Al” Williams, who has hosted an afternoon show on KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM since February 2019, was almost impacted by the layoffs.
“Thank you for being such an essential part of my journey. I look forward to the next chapter and to reconnecting with each of you soon,” he announced on X.
