The list is no longer growing by the hour.
It’s growing by the minute.
What began as a handful of programming changes has evolved into one of the most sweeping personnel shakeups the radio industry has seen in years. Across America, stations are saying goodbye to personalities and programmers whose voices have become woven into the fabric of their communities.
Some served five years.
Many served twenty.
A remarkable number devoted thirty years or more to the same stations.
That’s what makes this story bigger than a restructuring.
It’s the closing of chapters in cities all across America.
As additional departures continue to surface, the scope of the changes has become even more apparent.
NEWLY CONFIRMED DEPARTURES
Akron, Ohio now joins the growing list as longtime programmer and morning personality Tony McGinty exits WKDD. McGinty spent years helping shape Northeast Ohio radio and built a career that also included prominent stops in Cleveland, Akron, Portland, and beyond.
Allentown, Pennsylvania has been hit especially hard.
Longtime B104 morning host Mike Kelly has signed off after spending more than two decades waking up the Lehigh Valley.
Morning co-host Becca Lynn has also departed, ending another familiar chapter in the market.
Rock fans are also saying goodbye to Joel Shimer, whose on-air roles at WZZO and WDSD came to an end. For Shimer, the news arrived shortly after purchasing his first home, an unfortunate reminder that restructurings affect far more than job titles.
Charleston, South Carolina loses another market fixture as Michael Blaze departs after an extraordinary 27 years leading WRFQ. Generations of Classic Rock listeners knew his voice, his programming style, and his commitment to Lowcountry radio.
Columbus, Georgia saw midday personality Kelin Flis exit Sunny 100.1, continuing the growing list of talent reductions throughout the Southeast.
Denver continues to absorb major losses.
Following the departure of Bret Saunders from legendary KBCO, longtime Colorado personality Denise Plante has also exited The Bull after years of connecting with Denver listeners through both radio and television.
Des Moines, Iowa has added another respected broadcaster to the list.
Emery Songer, who most recently hosted mornings on WHO and WMT, has departed after building a career that connected listeners across Iowa and Nebraska.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin has lost longtime programmer Dave DeVille, ending a two-decade run overseeing programming while also anchoring mornings.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania says goodbye to another veteran as Mike Miller exits after nearly three decades with the company. Miller’s programming influence stretched well beyond Central Pennsylvania, including successful leadership roles in Baltimore, Portland, and Harrisburg.
Myrtle Beach/Savannah/Columbia, South Carolina loses Brodie, who was Program Director of WWXM-FM, and afternoon drive on WWXM-FM and WNOK-FM. Brodie previously spent a decade in Kansas City at KCHZ-FM.
Pittsburgh continues to see significant changes.
In addition to previously reported departures, Travis Marzina has also exited after spending more than a decade with the cluster, adding another local voice to an already lengthy list.
Springfield, Massachusetts has also been affected, as longtime morning personality Chris Zito departs after years entertaining listeners across both Springfield and Worcester.
A GROWING PATTERN
As more names emerge, one trend continues to stand out.
These aren’t simply part-time employees or recent hires.
Many of the people leaving are among the longest-serving broadcasters inside their markets.
Twenty years.
Twenty-five years.
Thirty years.
Forty-one years.
Those aren’t jobs.
Those are careers.
Those are relationships built one broadcast at a time.
They’re the voices listeners trusted during morning commutes, severe weather, community fundraisers, elections, championship seasons, and some of life’s biggest moments.
Every additional name reinforces the same reality.
The impact of this restructuring isn’t measured solely by the number of positions eliminated.
It’s measured by the decades of experience walking out the front door.
If you have been impacted by the ongoing iHeartMedia restructuring, or know someone who has, we’d like to hear your story. Contact us confidentially at info@onthedial.net.
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On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.