“Change isn’t always personal. But it almost always feels personal.”
This week, iHeartMedia announced a round of layoffs affecting stations across the country, including several well-known personalities here in Colorado. Among those leaving were Bret Saunders of 97.3 KBCO after 28 years on the air, Denise Plante of 106.7 The Bull, and Ryan Schuiling of Talk 630 KHOW. According to the company, the restructuring is part of an effort to streamline operations and continue adapting to an evolving media landscape.
On paper, that’s the story.
A company restructures, positions are eliminated, a press release is issued and business moves forward. But sometimes the real story isn’t found in the announcement. It’s found in how people react to the news.
I’ve lived in Colorado for 23 years. Years ago, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Denise Plante on Colorado & Company, and over the years I’ve seen her at a handful of community events. She was always exactly as she came across on the air, warm, genuine, and kind. I never met Bret Saunders or Ryan Schuiling, but after listening to Bret’s voice for more than two decades, I realized something, sometimes we feel connected to people we’ve never actually met.
One of the things I’ve been thinking about since I heard this news is how quietly radio becomes part of our lives. We invite these voices into our cars on the way to work, into our kitchens while we are making breakfast, into our offices through computer speakers, and into our earbuds while walking the dog, and help pass the time on long road trips. Before we know it, they’ve become part of our routines without us ever giving it much thought.
During the uncertainty of COVID, many of us were no longer making the daily commute, but that didn’t necessarily mean we stopped listening to the radio. Instead, we traded our dashboard radios for laptops, smartphones, smart speakers, and streaming apps. The place where we listened changed, but the voices stayed the same. They continued showing up during uncertain days, providing a sense of normalcy when so much of life felt anything but normal.
That’s the unique thing about radio. Without ever meeting the people behind the microphone, their voices quietly become woven into the fabric of our lives. They become part of our routines, part of our memories, and for many of us here in Colorado, part of the soundtrack of our lives.
That’s why this week’s news resonated with so many listeners. It wasn’t simply because people lost their jobs. It was because familiar voices that had quietly become part of our everyday lives suddenly weren’t there anymore.
The truth is, change rarely feels personal to the people making business decisions. Companies evolve, industries adapt and consumer habits shift. But for the people whose routines have included those familiar voices for years, it feels incredibly personal.
The reality is that radio, like nearly every industry, has been changing. Listeners have more choices than ever before. Spotify, Apple Music, podcasts, SiriusXM, YouTube, and countless streaming platforms have transformed how we consume audio.
Every industry eventually reaches this point. Newspapers have evolved as more people read their news online instead of unfolding a paper over breakfast. Television has evolved from planning your evening around a broadcast schedule to watching whatever you want, whenever you want, with the click of a button. Retail has evolved too—we can have groceries, toilet paper, light bulbs, and just about anything else delivered to our doorstep, often the very same day.
Businesses have to adapt, and those decisions are often made with the future in mind.That doesn’t mean they’re easy.
Because behind every restructuring announcement is a person who has spent years, sometimes decades, building a career. Someone who has become part of a community. Someone who suddenly finds themselves wondering what comes next.
The listeners feel it too.
We don’t usually think about the people behind the microphone until one day they aren’t there anymore. Then we realize how much they had become part of our routine. They were there during promotions, breakups, snowstorms, vacations, difficult mornings, and ordinary Tuesdays that eventually turned into years. They were simply … there. And sometimes we don’t realize how much we appreciate that consistency until it’s gone.
I don’t know the circumstances behind these decisions, and I won’t pretend to. Every organization has to make decisions based on its business, and none of us are sitting in those boardrooms. What I do know is that Bret, Denise, and Ryan have each spent years connecting with listeners across Colorado, and that’s something worth recognizing.
The next time you get in your car, it will probably feel a little different. There won’t be Bret greeting Colorado listeners in the morning. Denise won’t be there to brighten the middle of the day. Ryan’s familiar voice won’t be waiting for those who tuned in to hear his perspective. But the good news is that this isn’t the end of their stories.
Denise has already shared that she’ll continue connecting with audiences on television. Maybe Bret launches a podcast and gives us another chance to “Stump the Sage. And maybe Ryan finds another microphone where he can continue asking thoughtful questions and tackling the issues of the day and connecting with listeners. Whatever comes next, I have a feeling we’ll be hearing from all of them again. Because voices like theirs don’t just disappear. They simply find a new frequency.
P.S. And if you’re looking for a familiar Colorado voice to keep you company in the mornings, my good friend Melissa Moore on KOOL 105.1 is amazing!
Remember, YOU GOT THIS!
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