Pasadena-Based Southern California Public Radio to Eliminate 21 Staff Positions

Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) will eliminate 21 staff positions, or more than 10% of its workforce, according to a memo from CEO Herb Scannell.

The media company operates from its headquarters on South Raymond Avenue. Its radio station was previously known as KPPC.

The news was also delivered to the staff in a brief Zoom meeting, according to a report in LAist on Tuesday.

The cuts are in response to a revenue shortfall that Scannell attributed primarily to a decline in Hollywood studio advertising, according to the story.

SCPR operates the LAist 89.3 radio station, the LAist website, and LAist Studios, which produces podcasts. The organization’s approximately 175 employees will be affected by the layoffs, which will take effect on July 1, the article said.

In a memo to staff, Scannell said the cuts were necessary to “ensure the long-term sustainability of SCPR.” He also said that the organization would be creating seven new reporting and data analyst positions for the LAist website.

“We need to figure out a way to develop [more online] loyalty,” Scannell is quoted as saying. “More and more folks are getting news online.”

The layoffs come at a time when many media organizations are facing financial challenges. In recent years, SCPR has seen rollercoaster revenues ranging from a low of $30 million in fiscal year 2018-19 to a high of $42 million in fiscal year 2021-22, according to publicly-reported figures cited in the story.

SCPR is not the only media organization that has announced layoffs in recent months. NPR, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times are among the other major news organizations that have cut jobs in recent months.

The layoffs at SCPR are a sign of the challenges facing the media industry in the digital age. As more and more people get their news online, traditional media organizations are struggling to adapt to the changing landscape.