KCRW is the latest to see a financial blow following the Trump administration’s elimination of federal funding for public media.
On Friday, Oct. 17 KCRW president Jennifer Ferro sent a letter to the station’s subscribers and supporters announcing that it would cut an additional 10% of its staff, which included some of the station’s most well-known music DJs, including Jason Kramer, Jeremy Sole and José Galván. The letter also announced that host Elvis Mitchell’s long-running interview series “The Treatment” will now run inside “Weekend Edition.”
“Like so many other public media organizations, KCRW is restructuring parts of the organization in response to our new budget reality,” Ferro wrote in the letter. “The result of this restructuring is a 10% reduction in our staff. These decisions were made after careful consideration of how best to position us against the twin challenges of needing to adapt to how people consume media today as well as the loss of federal dollars.”
While Ferro noted a new lineup of DJs and music schedule, she didn’t name the exact departing DJs, but Kramer, Sole and Galvan took to social media to confirm they were part of the cuts.
“After 27 years, I have unfortunately been let go from KCRW. Along with some other of the best DJs in the world,” Kramer wrote on Instagram. “The station will always have a place in my heart, and every artist that I play I will still be there in another way.”
“For the past 14 years, I have contributed my musical taste and unique perspective to KCRW,” Galván posted on threads. “For the first six, I created and curated a feature called ‘Pan Caliente’ on the music blog, and for the past 8.5 years I was lucky enough to be an on-air host. Growing up in LA, it was a dream come true to be a part of the elite DJs of KCRW. Sadly as of this morning, I am no longer living that dream. I was let go, along with some other staples of the station. Throughout my time at KCRW, it was never lost on me that it was a privilege and a pleasure to be able to share music and artists with the world week after week. Radio is my passion, and there will be other opportunities for me to share my taste at better run institutions. Thank you to those who supported me on this particular journey… Stick a fork in me, I’m done at 89.9 FM.”
“It’s with a heavy heart that I say this, but for the past 18 and a half years I’ve been most honored and grateful to share time and music with you every week on KCRW,” Sole wrote on Instagram. “Unfortunately that time has come to an end, as of today. It’s been the highest honor of my life (so far!) to serenade you and hopefully to provide some semblance of soulful depth and some appreciation for the music of every culture on the planet. I’ve had the honor to sit in the same chair as some of the most dedicated and talented radio hosts and DJs, I’ve been able to break new and genius talent like Hiatus Kaiyote, Black Pumas, Michael Kiwanuka and so many others with their first radio plays on national radio. Thank you to Anne Litt for believing in me, bringing me in and training me. Luckily for me I have some other big projects in the works that I can’t wait to share, but in regard to future music programming, contact me if you know where I should go next. Onward and upward, brothers and sisters. It’s been an honor serving you the platters than matter, and the joints that anoint.”
The Santa Monica College-owned NPR station has undergone several rounds of cuts in recent years. Last year, in the wake of a $3 million budget deficit, KCRW offered voluntary buyout packages, which resulted in the exits of then “Morning Becomes Eclectic,” co-host Anthony Valadez and “All Things Considered” host Janaya Williams. The “Greater LA” prgoram was also canceled.