A cherished radio station in California, 99.1 KGGI, has just lost its final local voices amid widespread layoffs by iHeartMedia, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times.
The station let go of three well-known on-air personalities—Evelyn Elives, Nick Nack, and Garrison King—marking the end of an era for local radio in the Inland Empire as they were among the last familiar voices left.
This decision is part of a larger restructuring effort at iHeartMedia, aimed at better utilizing technology, as stated in an internal memo. The memo mentioned that these changes would allow the company to operate more efficiently across various markets and not just adapt to changes, but also lead them.
While iHeartMedia has not disclosed the total number of layoffs, it’s reported that dozens of personnel were affected nationwide, including many broadcast figures. This move comes as iHeartMedia, which oversees over 850 radio stations across 160 markets—including popular Los Angeles stations—works to implement extensive cost reductions. Just last May, they announced plans to save an additional $50 million on top of an earlier $100 million target.
With the ongoing decline in traditional radio listenership and evolving advertising dynamics, iHeartMedia is turning its focus toward podcasting. Interestingly, these layoffs follow the company’s earlier commitment to the “Human Guarantee” campaign, which promised not to use AI-generated personalities or music on its platforms.
Now, with KGGI lacking any local hosts, there’s uncertainty about what will come next for the station.
