iHeart's "new direction"

In the US, iHeartMedia has announced it will undergo a "technology transformation" and utilise a "new organisational structure" this year.

It means local radio presenters face losing their shows and the first wave of layoffs at the company has already begun.

I feel for everyone affected. We've seen it in the UK too. It's important to remember this says nothing about you or your performance. Keep being awesome and see it not as the end but as a new beginning.

Danny "DJ SAB" Scott, who said he was with Kiss 107.1 for 15 years, said there have been rumours of layoffs within iHeartMedia for years. 

Scott said iHeartMedia's new direction intends to cut more local DJs and go for more syndicated, automated programming as a way to compete with music streaming services like Spotify and Pandora.

I'd question whether replacing live and interactive programming with automation is a good way to compete against the likes of Spotify. It depends what that automation is and how the tech is utilised.

If it’s just a jukebox with 10-minute ad breaks, the "new direction" is laughable and they will sleepwalk into oblivion.

Danny Scott continues:

There's just not as many listeners as there used to be. So it's what they have to do to survive and compete and I understand that as a business owner myself.

If there's not as many listeners now, the output clearly isn't good enough and the obvious solution would be to make it better. Cutbacks won't solve the problem on their own. You need to invest in world-class content with the money saved or, frankly, just get out of radio if you can't use the medium to your advantage.