Layoffs hit Cape Cod radio market
Popular WCOD hosts among employees cut as iHeartMedia turns to automated programs.
HYANNIS — iHeartMedia, the largest radio company in the country, began a wave of nationwide layoffs Wednesday that affected hundreds of employees, including two of the most popular radio hosts on Cape Cod.
Dan Mahoney and Stephanie Viva, co-hosts of WCOD’s “Dan and Stephanie” morning show, were among those laid off, as was Marylee Kelly from WCIB’s Classic Rock “Cool 102.”
Viva had been with iHeartMedia for 20 years when she received the news Wednesday morning.
“I don’t know what the hell we’re going to do,” she said. “It’s just crazy right now. I feel so awful right now because Dan is expecting a baby in March, and I’m currently going through cancer treatment.”
She and Mahoney had co-hosted “Dan and Stephanie” since 2003, she said, making it the longest-running morning show on the Cape. It was named one of Cape Cod’s Best at the 2019 Community Choice Awards held by the Cape Cod Times and was named the best radio station and personalities by Cape Cod’s A-list.
Kelly was production director for the three iHeart stations on the Cape and afternoon host for Classic Rock “Cool 102” at WCIB for about 2½ years. She was not expecting the layoffs, she said, but she was not surprised.
“We’ve all been through this before,” Kelly said. “This is what we go through working in the media. ... The industry for years has been changing and shrinking and morphing.”
iHeartMedia operates 858 radio stations, including 18 in Massachusetts. Formerly known as Clear Channel, it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018 in a bid to restructure billions of dollars in debt.
The layoffs are a step toward iHeartMedia’s structural transformation to rely more on technology.
“iHeartMedia today announced a new organizational structure for its Markets Group as it modernizes the company to take advantage of the significant investments it has made in technology and artificial intelligence,” says a statement issued by the company Tuesday.
The following day, hundreds of employees were let go, leading some to refer to it as a “bloodbath.”
The company will use “AI-enabled Centers of Excellence” and other forms of technology “across programming, marketing, digital, podcasts, sales and sales support,” the statement says.
“During a transition like this it’s reasonable to expect that there will be some shifts in jobs – some by location and some by function – but the number is relatively small given our overall employee base of 12,500,” said Angel Aristone, spokeswoman for iHeartMedia. “That said, we recognize that the loss of any job is significant; we take that responsibility seriously and have been thoughtful in the process.”
“They’re going to use the people that are still working there until they no longer need them and fire them, too,” Viva said. “It’s super sad to see the job loss on Cape Cod.”
The idea of being replaced by artificial intelligence does not seem real, Viva said.
“There’s no personality, love or local flavor,” Viva said. “I do feel bad for the community a lot.”
Kelly said radio stations have been going in the technology-based direction for years.
“Almost 99% of all commercial radio stations are now computer programmed, and particularly iHeart,” Kelly said. “That’s just the direction it’s going. There’s less room now for local radio.”
Kelly remembers, for instance, when the tornadoes hit the Cape this past summer. She was driving, and not a single radio station was providing live coverage.
“That’s going to continue, to be less local coverage and less local voices, for all places,” Kelly said.
While the news is still raw for her and Mahoney, Viva said, they will start to look for a new job on Cape Cod, preferably one in which they can work together. In the meantime, a GoFundMe for Mahoney and Viva has been created, and there has been a public outpouring of support for the pair on social media.
“We enjoy each other’s company,” Viva said, “and we’re actually best friends. We’re going to just try to stick together and find something to serve the community.”
Kelly said she remains optimistic. On the commercial side of audio production, she has different options, such as working on podcasts or recording stations, she said. She will go wherever the job takes her, she said.
“I love working,” she said. “I just love my job.”
