Major Radio Station Slashes Staff, Including Popular Hosts

One large radio station has cut several of its staff members after the current presidential administration has cut federal funding of the media.

The California-based non-profit NPR affiliate station KCRW got rid of 10% of its staff last week, just one year after the station cancelled shows and gave out voluntary buyout packages to several prominent employees. Most notably, three of the station’s most prominent DJ’s—Jason Kramer, Jeremy Sole and José Galván—were included in the cuts.

The station’s president, Jennifer Ferro, announced the news in a letter last Friday.

“Like so many other public media organizations, KCRW is restructuring parts of the organization in response to our new budget reality,” Ferro said. “The result of this restructuring is a 10% reduction in our staff. These decisions were made after careful consideration of how best to position us against the twin challenges of needing to adapt to how people consume media today as well as the loss of federal dollars.”

She wrote that the lack of funding is “challenging” but all cuts were “necessary” to ensure the station’s continued health. She noted that listeners will “notice some programming changes too. Look for a new on-air music schedule in the coming weeks with new DJs and a new lineup.” 

All three DJ’s made statements on social media.

“After 27 years, I have unfortunately been let go from KCRW. Along with some other of the best DJs in the world,” Kramer wrote. “The station will always have a place in my heart, and every artist that I play I will still be there in another way.”

Galván wrote a lengthier statement.

“For the past 14 years, I have contributed my musical taste and unique perspective to KCRW. For the first six, I created and curated a feature called ‘Pan Caliente’ on the music blog, and for the past 8.5 years I was lucky enough to be an on-air host. Growing up in LA, it was a dream come true to be a part of the elite DJs of KCRW,” he wrote. “Sadly as of this morning, I am no longer living that dream. I was let go, along with some other staples of the station. Throughout my time at KCRW, it was never lost on me that it was a privilege and a pleasure to be able to share music and artists with the world week after week. Radio is my passion, and there will be other opportunities for me to share my taste at better run institutions. Thank you to those who supported me on this particular journey… Stick a fork in me, I’m done at 89.9 FM.”

Sole also wrote his own post.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I say this, but for the past 18 and a half years I’ve been most honored and grateful to share time and music with you every week on KCRW. Unfortunately that time has come to an end, as of today. It’s been the highest honor of my life (so far!) to serenade you and hopefully to provide some semblance of soulful depth and some appreciation for the music of every culture on the planet,” he wrote. “I’ve had the honor to sit in the same chair as some of the most dedicated and talented radio hosts and DJs, I’ve been able to break new and genius talent like Hiatus Kaiyote, Black Pumas, Michael Kiwanuka and so many others with their first radio plays on national radio. Thank you to Anne Litt for believing in me, bringing me in and training me. Luckily for me I have some other big projects in the works that I can’t wait to share, but in regard to future music programming, contact me if you know where I should go next. Onward and upward, brothers and sisters. It’s been an honor serving you the platters than matter, and the joints that anoint.”