KFMB Staffers Given Two-Weeks Notice

• UPDATED: On Monday of this week RAMP reported that major personnel changes were afoot in San Diego, as Local Media San Diego (LMSD) — owners of Alternative XETRA (91X), Top 40 XHTZ (Z90.3) and Rhythmic AC XHRM (Magic 92.5) — prepares to close on its $5 million acquisition of News-Talk KFMB-760 AM and Variety Hits KFMB-FM (100.7) from Virginia-based Tegna. It was also reported that the sale does include those iconic KFMB call letters. At the time rumors were circulating that many KFMB staffers would be cut loose, and now, the San Diego Reader reports that some 45 staffers of both stations were summoned into a mandatory all-hands meeting last Friday, Jan. 24 and informed by Tegna that they had only two weeks left on the air before their services would no longer be required.

The Reader says only five current KFMB employees — four sales staffers and a commercial producer — would be retained by new owner LMSD, adding that those KFMB employees given their two-weeks notice include 100.7 jocks Chris Cantore, Meryl Klemow, Cha Cha Harlow, Robin Roth and Rick Lawrence, as well as AM 760 talk hosts Brent Winterble, Mike Slater and Mark Larson.

Tegna corporate communications rep Anne Bentley told the Reader that the 40 terminated employees will be receiving severance packages, adding that it’s now in the hands of new owner LMSD if any of these soon-to-be-free agents will be rehired. “They [LMSD] are purchasing the stations and they will decide who will stay with them,” Bentley said.

• We should note that we have not been able to confirm these changes with anyone from LMSD or Tegna — in fact, when we contacted Tegna’s Anne Bentley, she replied, ” We have nothing to share at this time.”