Several longtime radio announcers have announced that they have been let go from Alpha Media stations in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.
Though it does not appear the company has made any official announcement, many now-former employees have made public comments on social media and other platforms.
Jared Allen wrote that he is “one of several” people let go in Mason City. In Watertown, SD, John Seiber wrote that “ownership is going in a different programming direction and I am not a part of their future.” And KEYC-TV reports that there have been cuts in Mankato.
In South Dakota, a reader of this website was recording an aircheck of KBRK/1430 (Brookings) when morning host Bob Wayne announced that it was his last day:
RadioInsight reports that the cuts come after similar moves in Illinois and Missouri.
Alpha Media’s press release page does not include any announcement about the changes. The most recent press release, from last summer, touts the launch of an artificial intelligence DJ in Portland.
Alpha Media’s Upper Midwest holdings include four radio groups in Iowa, four in Minnesota, two in Nebraska, and three in South Dakota. It is the only local radio operator in many of the markets.
The extent of the cuts and the exact markets affected is not clear since it does not appear Alpha has publicly commented on the changes.