Hubbard Radio has made a number of COVID-19 related job cuts at ifacilities in several states.
➤In Chicago...media watcher Robert Feder reports 12 staffers are out. Included are evening host Phil Manicki and overnight host Greg Easterling at WDRV 97.1 FM The Drive, plus evening host Brian Middleton and morning show producer and on-air host Robb Rose at WSHE 100.3, 'Eric In The Morning" producer Cynthia DeNicolo and social media manager Melissa “Mel D” Dever were cut Also out are digital media director Jeff Buti, content production manager Todd Ganz, art director/graphic designer Teddy Harris, receptionist Dale King, promotions manager Heather Torey and public affairs manager Susan Wiencek. There were also departures in engineering, promotions and in digital.
➤In Minneapolis/St. Paul...six on-air hosts at sports 1500 KSTP including Matthew Coller, Ramie Makhlouf, Derek Wetmore, Seth Auger, Jon Harrison and Ross Brendel. KSTP will curtail its SKOR North digital-first platform due to the economic hits. Most of the other programming on KSTP will revert to the national ESPN Radio lineup.
Dan Seeman, vice president and market manager for Hubbard Radio in the Twin Cities, wouldn’t share how many employees were affected locally, but did confirm that his company had made cuts.
“It’s all COVID- and economy-related. It’s tough out there right now,” he said. “So much of our business is driven by retail and concerts and festivals and events. It’s hard to convince advertisers to spend money when they’re not open.”
"These last 60 days have been really hard on sports media," said Mackey, content director at SKOR North, in a release. "Especially a new brand like SKOR North, which launched just over a year ago. And a recovery isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It’s unbelievably frustrating. And great people — here and elsewhere — are now in search of work because of it."
➤In St. Louis...The Post-Dispatch reports Bernie Miklasz has been taken off the air. He was one of 20 employees in Hubbard Radio’s St. Louis operation to be dismissed Friday, it was announced on WXOS’ “The Fast Lane” show. That group includes Dan Bettlach, a producer at the station. Miklasz spent 26 years as a sports columnist for the Post-Dispatch while also often moonlighting as a sports-talk radio host for numerous stations, including 101.1 FM. In the process he became the most well-connected member of the St. Louis sports media. In 2015 he decided to stop serving two masters and took a lucrative radio offer that included writing online commentary. He then received a five-year extension a little over two years ago, but now figures to be dealing with a severance package instead of planning for new shows.
➤At Hubbard's Country WIL 92.3 FM PD Danny Montana is out also Bud Ford & Jerry Broadway morning show is gone. Before WIL, they co-hosted mornings and then afternoons at iHeartMedia Country KTGX 106.1 FM Tulsa for three years.
Other St. Louis departures: WARH 106.5 The Arch, Aftenoon host Robert Fithen and Evening Host Bryce Jones.
➤In Washington DC... several staffers at WTOP 103.5 fM and WFED 1500 AM. are gone including Zoe Salwen in digital, WFED's Lisa Wolfe and George Moshos in production.
➤In Seattle..KQMV 92.5 personality Justin Barnes and several other staffers.
➤In Phoenix...KSLX Russ Egan is gone from evenings after 5-years.
No comments:
Post a Comment