Entercom Initiates Several Major Layoffs, Staff Realignments

RADIO ONLINE | Friday, September 11, 2020

Entercom

Entercom initiated several major layoffs and staff realignments on Thursday -- mainly across its Alternative and Country formats. In a memo to Entercom employees, CEO David Field said the changes would continue "to transform and improve our organization to best serve our listeners and customers." Field said a team of Entercom programmers applied fresh thinking to the two formats moving stations to more of a hub and spoke operation.

Entercom will reportedly roll out national midday and night shows across all of its stations in the Country format. The midday program will be hosted by WNSH-FM/New York midday personality Katie Neal. The show will also include a "Superstar Power Hour," with a different Country star co-hosting each week, starting with Luke Bryan. WYCD-FM/Detroit afternoon hosts Rob Stone and Holly Hutton will handle the company's evening show. The company will continue to air local morning programs, and afternoons will air local or regional talent.

"I want to make sure that there are no misunderstandings about the actions we are taking. To be clear, Entercom will remain local, first and foremost. We will continue to make the industry's largest investment in local talent," wrote Field.

Most notably on the list of those exiting the company are KKWF/Seattle interim PD/MD Alek Halverson, KYKY-FM/St. Louis OM/PD Cat Thomas, KILT-FM/Houston PD Chris Huff, Dallas VP/Programming and Brand Manager Jim Fox, WCMF/Rochester NY Brand Manager Michael "Mud" Gross, WLKK/Buffalo PD Nik Rivers, KXTE (X107.5)/Las Vegas PD Ross Mahoney and VP/Branding & Phoenix OM Tim Richards.

Entercom is also making changes to its national sales structure. "We have operated with multiple national teams calling on the same accounts, limiting our ability to focus our communications and hindering our ability to execute as seamlessly as possible on behalf of our national agency and client partnerships," said Field. "Effective immediately, we are aligning and unifying our national sales teams to make it easier for clients to do business with us while creating more flexibility for national client integration with our brands -- locally and at scale across our platform."