iHeartMedia, the largest radio broadcaster in the U.S. with around 10,000 employees across its local stations and national audio divisions, has initiated a significant round of layoffs this week, affecting hundreds of staff members nationwide.
The cuts, estimated at about 5% of the workforce, began on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, and have extended into Wednesday, October 8, as the company prepares for its Q3 earnings report later this week.
These moves are part of broader cost-cutting efforts to meet a full-year goal of $150 million in savings by the end of 2025, amid ongoing industry challenges like declining ad revenue and debt restructuring (including a recent $4.1 billion debt exchange). iHeartMedia described the layoffs as impacting "very few jobs," but reports from affected employees and industry outlets paint a picture of widespread disruption, particularly in smaller and medium-sized markets.
The layoffs target a mix of on-air talent, programmers, producers, sales staff, and executives, with some stations potentially facing format flips as a result.
Below is a market-by-market breakdown of confirmed impacts, based on announcements from affected individuals and media reports as of October 8.
Philadelphia (PA)
- Sean Brace: Co-host and midday personality at Fox Sports The Gambler (97.5/1400) was let go on Tuesday. Brace, a veteran sports talk host, shared on social media: "With that, my time with iHeart has come to an end. Industry can be tough at times. We move forward no matter what."
- Mutha Knows (Danielle "Mutha" McRae): Co-host on Power 99 (92.5 WPGC)'s "Rise & Grind Morning Show" was also cut, impacting the station's urban morning drive lineup.
Milwaukee (WI)
- Steve Czaban and Brian "Butch" Butch: Morning co-hosts at 97.3 The Game (WMIQ) departed on Wednesday. Czaban, who joined in 2019 after the station's flip to sports talk, and Butch shared lighthearted farewells on X, referencing post-layoff plans like Peloton workouts. Rumors suggest the station may flip back to music, contributing to the roster trim.
Tampa (FL)
- Sarah Jacobs: Assistant Program Director and midday host at US 103.5 (WWRM) exited on Tuesday. Jacobs had been with iHeartMedia Tampa since 2017, handling programming and on-air duties for the country outlet.
Salt Lake City (UT)
- Joyce Wirthlin: Market President and Senior VP of Sales departed after nearly 30 years with the cluster. Named to her leadership role in 2021, her exit highlights cuts at the executive level.
- Hooker (from Hooker & DB Morning Show): Co-host on Rock 106.7 (KXRK) was let go, affecting the station's rock morning drive.
- Hudson Hott: Evening host on Star 101.3 (KSFO) in San Francisco and weekend/fill-in host on ALT 98.7 (KYSR) in Los Angeles was impacted. Hott's dual-market role underscores the national scope of the cuts.
Houston (TX)
- Sean Salisbury: Afternoon host on Sports 790 (KBME) announced his departure on Wednesday via X: "Very Grateful for good coworkers…" Salisbury, a former NFL player turned broadcaster, had been a staple on the station.
Other Markets with Confirmed Impacts
- Nashville (TN): Sales and programming staff reductions reported, though specific names remain unconfirmed.
- Seattle (WA): Similar cuts in local sales teams, tied to broader Pacific Northwest operations.
- Denver (CO): On-air and production roles affected, including producers for syndicated shows.
- St. Louis (MO): Programming staff, including imaging producer Roe (who worked on national News/Talk imaging), was let go.
- Cincinnati (OH): Additional sales and support staff cuts.
- National/Other: Tawala Sharp: Producer for KFI's "Later, with Mo’Kelly" in Los Angeles, which ended as a business decision.
- TJ Bosch: Former APD/MD/afternoon host in Charlotte and other markets, part of programming cuts.
- National programming teams lost at least two members, along with sales staff in various clusters.
Industry observers, including former hosts, have called Tuesday "one of the worst days in on-air radio history," with cuts hitting already lean staffs in non-major markets hardest. iHeartMedia has not released an official tally, but sources estimate dozens of high-profile exits so far, with more expected through the week.
As the Q3 earnings approach, these layoffs are seen as a preemptive move to improve financial optics.