iHeartMedia reviews

I was a General Sales Manager in multiple markets for the company for nearly 8 years. I watched the company self-sabotage itself with over-paying for assets and then trying to bury debt by nearly cooking the books. The worst part of my tenure was the culture created by executive management and leadership within the company. As consolidation continued to erode away staff at all levels, managers became more territorial and interested in keeping their positions AT THE EXPENSE of their own staff. It's a volatile company with serious financial issues. Layoffs are quarterly and there will never be room for advancement. As one market manager told the management team in a weekly meeting" YOU'LL GO BEFORE I DO...I'LL SEE TO IT". Worst benefit plan and costly health insurance that I've ever experienced as a 25 year broadcast veteran.

First things first, the company is $20.5 BILLION, yes with a "B", in debt. This means they are firing 33% of their staff this year. 90% of the workforce is part-time, even after 20 years with the company or more people remain part time. Unless you work in one of the top 10 markets, you have four types of fellow employees: "Trust-fund babies", "Always blame someone else" or "Never makes a mistake," "I'll do ANYTHING to keep my job," and finally the "I just won't show anyone how to do my job, that way they can't replace me." In this business that is the only way to have longevity, to become one of those four types of radio employees. If you are an honest, hardworking person you will be USED and spit out like a bum. No matter what you do to keep your job, expect to top out at around $40,000 no matter what area you work in. So, prepare to always need a second job to make ends meet. If you DO get a promotion, you might as well just draw a big "fire me next" target on your back. Seriously, I've seen dozens of people get moved from part-time to full-time and lose their jobs within a year for "business decisions." They try to offer "laid-off" employees a demotion to Part Time right away to avoid having to pay severance and unemployment. They turn their backs on you after they fire you no matter how long you've worked for them. Most of the skills you learn aren't usable in other job fields, so when you stop enjoying your job, GET OUT! The job becomes an addiction because, regardless of the reputation, everyone under the sun thinks it's "cool" to work in radio. It literally becomes a disease as you can't see yourself getting a "normal" job. 99% of the people that work there have never and will NEVER talk on the air or meet anyone famous. They will hire ANYONE off the street and make you try to work with them. Nepotism is rampant, I was forced to work with somebody's worthless nephew and even though the guy was a moron I got blamed for all of his mistakes. Most of the people you work with are trust fund babies with no conception of supporting themselves, I'm talking even people in their late 30's to 50's living off their parents. It can take decades to get your "shot" on the air and even then expect to be told you suck and that you will get demoted to a news reader or fired within the year. None of the managers are college educated and if you have or get a college degree they will mock you for it and belittle you for "wasting your time". Because none of the management is college educated they have no clue how to manage and take to mocking employees for sport. If you complain you will be looked at as a whistle-blower and blacklisted. Also expect the GM to fired every couple of years and the new guy or gal to fire everyone around them and hire their our of work friends who have no management skills but only butt-kiss skills. This means don't bother kissing the big wigs' butts because they won't be there long. The management in place are all sales or teeny-bop music focused and think all other forms of radio are worthless money wasters.