Uncertainty has spread throughout the radio industry as iHeartMedia, the nation’s largest radio broadcaster, announced a sweeping round of layoffs affecting approximately 5% of its 10,000-person workforce. The cuts, potentially the largest of 2025, have eliminated hundreds of jobs across major markets including Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Houston, Des Moines, and Cleveland, striking at the heart of local radio programming. The company has stated that these layoffs affect very few jobs despite the significant impact across multiple stations.
Local radio crumbles as iHeartMedia slashes 5% of jobs across major markets nationwide.
The financial motivation behind these cuts appears stark, with iHeartMedia reporting a troubling 47% year-over-year revenue decline during Q2 2025. CEO Bob Pittman has outlined plans to trim $250 million in costs during the current fiscal year while citing uncertain market conditions and advertising declines as primary factors driving the restructuring.
The company’s broadcast division reported revenue falling 5.4% year-over-year to $545 million in Q2, highlighting the urgent need for financial stabilization.
Among the notable casualties are several beloved on-air personalities, including sports talk hosts Steve Czaban from WRNW-FM Milwaukee and Sean Salisbury from KBME-AM Houston. In Tampa, both APD Sarah Jacobs and 93.3 FLZ host Katie Sommers lost their positions, while San Francisco’s Hudson Hott was also let go.
Jeremy ‘Otis’ Maher, an APD and host in Atlanta, announced his exit as part of the layoffs.
The cuts reflect a strategic pivot as iHeartMedia emphasizes digital growth, particularly its podcasting business, which grew 13% year-over-year in Q2. This restructuring aligns with the company’s modernization efforts, which have already reduced operating expenses by $23.4 million, with Pittman targeting an additional $150 million in annual savings by year-end through continued technological implementation. Many radio personalities now face the challenge of creating diverse income streams to maintain financial stability in an increasingly precarious industry.
Popular radio personalities Steve LaTart and Joe Riley are among the industry casualties as iHeartMedia continues its workforce reduction strategy across multiple stations.
The layoffs come amid broader industry challenges, as the radio sector contends with severe advertising revenue declines post-COVID-19. As traditional radio struggles, displaced on-air talent might find new opportunities through streaming platforms that offer alternative avenues for audio content creation and distribution. For affected markets, the impact extends beyond personnel changes—Milwaukee’s 97.3 The Game is abandoning its sports format for music programming, signaling a fundamental shift in how iHeartMedia envisions its future in an increasingly digital audio landscape.