iHeartMedia Cuts Devastate KFI 640 Los Angeles as News Team Loses 17 Staff Members
iHeartMedia's massive layoffs hit Los Angeles station KFI 640 particularly hard, with 17 of their 25-person news team being terminated on Monday. News Director Chris Little, who had been with the station since 1991, was among those let go.
Christmas tree at KFI radio studio
Other key departures include anchor Jo Kwon, editor Erin Ben-Moche, and reporters Corbin Carson and Kris Adler. The layoffs were part of iHeartMedia's broader cost-cutting initiative affecting hundreds of employees across major U.S. markets.
iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman explained that the cuts aim to save approximately $150 million by eliminating redundancies. The company currently carries about $5.21 billion in debt. Pittman emphasized that on-air talent would be preserved, noting that technology allows them to broadcast talent across different markets.
The cuts have impacted nearly 500 employees across major markets including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Francisco. These layoffs represent one of the largest restructuring efforts in recent radio industry history.
KFI show host Tim Conway Jr. acknowledged the departures on air, simply stating "A lot of people have left the building at iHeartMedia."
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