iHeartMedia has initiated another round of layoffs across its radio division, impacting employees in markets nationwide as the company restructures its programming strategy.
According to reports, the cuts began June 23 and continued throughout the week, affecting on-air personalities, programmers, and longtime staff members. In a memo to employees, Multiplatform Group CEO Ann Marie Licata and Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman said the company is evolving how it programs stations to better develop talent and improve efficiency.
The executives emphasized that “Guaranteed Human” remains central to iHeartMedia’s approach, while noting that new technology capabilities will allow the company to scale operations more effectively. “Faster is better, and that’s the goal of our changes,” the memo stated.
Several veteran broadcasters were among those affected, including Bret Saunders, who spent 28 years at Denver’s 97.3 KBCO, and members of The Freak Show in Fort Myers after nearly 25 years on air. Programming executives Clint Gerlek and Nathan Nelson also departed following lengthy tenures.
Former Anchorage host Amy Demboski said the company is shifting from local content toward a more national focus.
The layoffs are part of a broader cost-cutting initiative outlined during iHeartMedia’s first-quarter earnings report. The company expects an additional $50 million in annualized savings during the second half of 2026, adding to approximately $100 million in previously announced reductions for a combined total of roughly $150 million in cost savings.
