KFI/Los Angeles Retains Some News Staff
• UPDATING — Yesterday we reported that KFI 640/Los Angeles had laid off 22 members of its news team, including 24-year News Director Chris Little, who had initially confirmed that number. However, early Tuesday morning, Little revised that number downward in an X post: “KFI AM640 11/11/24 news layoff update: We had 25 staff members including me. 13 were laid off. Three were asked to stay. I haven’t spoken to 2 others. Three have not been contacted by management. Four weekday anchors are still on the job.”
At press time, the KFI site still lists these news department employees: Editors Karla Marquez and Brian Lowe; Reporter/Anchor Michael Monks; Anchors Andrew Caravella; Debra Mark (The John Kobylt Show), Michael Crozier (The Tim Conway, Jr. Show); Mark Rahner (The Mo Kelly Show); and Amy King (Host of Wake-Up Call and anchor, The Bill Handel Show).
• Veteran New York news personality Lisa G is now a free agent after a ten-year run as an anchor/writer with iHeart’s 24/7 News service on a beat that covered the tri-state area, including 710 WOR/New York. Lisa G’s impressive resume also includes a decade as a member of Howard Stern‘s on-air news team at SiriusXM, and back in the day she worked at Hot 97/New York as a co-host of its morning show with Ed, Lisa & Dre, alongside Ed Lover and Dr. Dre. “My first love has always been radio,” says Lisa G, who can be contacted at lgsnowflake@gmail.com.
• Longtime San Antonio News-Talk talent Joe Pags (Pagliarulo) has been released from 1200 WOAI after two decades of service. Pags broke the news of his iHeart departure via social media. On a brighter note… the syndicated version of The Joe Pags Show is still on the air and distributed by Compass Media Networks to nearly 200 affiliates.
> Len Berman and Michael Riedel have exited mornings on 710 WOR/New York, along with Terry Trahim, who had served as WOR’s Morning News Editor/Producer for 20 years.
Berman, a well known longtime sports anchor at WNBC-TV/New York, joined WOR in Jan. 2015, originally paired with Todd Schnitt. Riedel, the theater columnist for the New York Post since 1998, succeeded Schnitt in Feb. 2018. Riedel also co-hosted the PBS show Theater Talk for 24 years, and he’s the author of The New York Times bestseller Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway.
> RAMP has also confirmed the exit of Scott Sands, SVP of Programming for Ohio & West Virginia Area and PD of News-Talk News-Talk WPSD/Toledo, OH.
Sands arrived in Toledo in early 2013, transitioning from the PD post at Main Line Modern AC WCLI (Click 101.5)/Dayton, but he’s best known for his 11-year run at Entercom Indianapolis, where he rose to Director of Ops & Programming and PD of WZPL (Z99.5).
Sands shared the news of his unscheduled exit in a Facebook post that reads, in part, “I hold no hard feelings and understand business decisions are made; many other talented people have been on the receiving end of similar news. I’m proud of the success of the dozens of radio brands I was privileged to help manage across the state and I’m grateful for the opportunities the company provided over the past 10+ years… I’m taking the day to process the news, do laundry, maybe have a bourbon and cigar, then start working on my next chapter first thing Monday morning.”
And there’s more —
> iHeart News-Talk WFLF-AM & FM (NewsRadio WFLA)/Orlando also shed some staff, including 10-year company veteran Alan Spector, co-host and news anchor on the station’s AM drive show, Good Morning Orlando. Spector can be contacted at 407-920-4323 or alanspector1@gmail.com.
> Jimmy Lakey is out as morning talk host on 600 KCOL/Ft. Collins (Northern Colorado-Denver Region) after over a decade of service, and 20 years in Colorado radio. Earlier stops include 710 KNUS & 1150 KNRC/Denver, and 740 KVOR/Colorado Springs. He can be reached at jimmy@jimmylakey.com.
> Portland Sports-Talk KPOJ-AM (620 Rip City Radio) has cut morning talent Justin Myers, and Dwight Jaynes, co-host of Rip City Drive weekdays from 3-6pm. Jaynes is also a veteran sports writer and columnist for The Oregon Journaland The Oregonian for more than 20 years. Jaynes just launched a Substack blog so his fans can keep in touch.
As always, if you or a colleague have been similarly affected by these cuts and would like your information shared with the industry, please contact Kevin@RAMP247.com.
