Facing a projected $3 million budget deficit, Santa Monica public radio station KCRW-FM (89.9) is preparing to reduce staff amid a difficult media environment.
On Friday, the popular station began offering voluntary buyouts to dozens of employees throughout its organization. Staff members have until Dec. 18 to decide whether to accept a separation package.
KCRW is known for its local programs — including the music show “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” Madeleine Brand’s topical “Press Play,” and the weekly political series “Left, Right & Center” — along with national offerings from NPR.
Like other Los Angeles-area media outlets, KCRW has suffered from a pullback in film studio advertising during the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which stretched from May until early November. KCRW, which has an annual operating budget of about $23 million, relies on member contributions and corporate sponsorships, including studios looking to promote their movies and television shows.
KCRW, which employs about 155 people, hopes to reduce its headcount through the voluntary buyouts, station president Jennifer Ferro told The LA Times.
The station doesn’t have a target number for its headcount reduction. Instead, managers first plan to see how many people volunteer to leave, Ferro said. The KCRW buyouts were offered to a large group, including managers, production engineers, technical directors and content producers.
Earlier this year, KCRW station managers had anticipated a deficit of about $1.8 million, which it planned to cover with funds with its reserves. But as the year progressed, the projected gap swelled to nearly $3 million, in large part because of the length of strikes..
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