Labor Day Weekend 2025 And The U.S. Radio Broadcasting Industry

Here we are, on the cusp of another 3-day weekend in America. This time around, it’s all about Labor Day, where we salute the working stiffs here in the U.S.

Labor Day Weekend also marks the beginning of school for the rest of the year, and the symbolic end of summer. As for the latter, there will still be many warm days aplenty across most of the States. But this weekend is the reminder of the change of seasons. In Michigan where I live, there’s been a nip in the air this week, the telltale sign that summer’s days are numbered, and fall is waiting in the wings.

So on this last official long weekend before Thanksgiving late in November, many Americans will be deeply recreating—playing golf, gathering at picnics and barbeques, visiting a cider mill, and of course, hanging out at the beach.

But if you think sand, surf, and sunshine this weekend are what motivated me to include the calm, hypnotic image depicting an attractive beach scene, think again. Since I’ve been in radio, the phrase “on the beach” has been something many of us fear. It is synonymous with getting turfed, pink-slipped, RIFed, terminated, and my favorite, fired.

Maybe there are so many terms that describe the pain and humiliation of losing one’s job because it seems to happen with both force and frequency. Sometimes it’s pre-emptive, sometimes it’s strategic, sometimes its about right-sizing, and sometimes its due to poor financial performance. Whatever the stated reason—job cuts, poor performance, or the elimination of a position—it hurts.

In case you’re interested, the phrase has naval origins. It was said you were literally on the beach if you were in between assignments or you were simply retired. And in that context, its meaning resonates for many in radio, wondering whether they’ll be called on again to work at a station or a related industry job or whether their most recent job loss will go on to become their first step toward retiring.

In our AQ surveys of commercial radio personalities, we haven’t included gainfully employed talent. Early on, we opened the door to those “on the beach.” We asked these radio unemployed professionals many of the same questions those still earning radio paychecks were being asked. But we also designated some special queries for those no longer working in radio.

Specifically, we asked those “on the beach” about their future plans, and whether they saw themselves getting back into broadcast radio:

While about three in ten were attempting to re-enter the radio business, a larger percentage—more than four in ten (43%) told us they were either done with radio and were working in a new career or that they simply had retired.

This survey was conducted back in the summer of 2023. My gut instincts tell me that if we asked the same question now of those currently out of a radio job, we’d see an even larger group throwing in the radio towel.

And now that the layoffs have spread from commercial radio to public stations, organizations, and networks, it’s like a contagion impacting the entire industry. Earlier this week, Vermont Public (they dropped the “radio”) announced a 14% staff reduction in the face of rising red ink. They joined scores of other public groups making similar cutbacks over the last couple years. It is very likely there will be even more to come.

Seemingly, everybody’s vulnerable, leading to a scary environment in public radio heading into this last four months of the year. In commercial radio, this year promises to be no different than what we’ve been treated to these past few years, often precarious as we get closer to the holidays at year’s end.

It is sad that as the radio business evolves (or “devolves), more and more stations are drifting away from the personality approach. Talent and hosts are also some of the best “pitch men” (and women), and cutting them loose ends their ability to make a contribution to the sales and revenue efforts of a station.

As we head into the Labor Day holiday, let’s salute the folks behind the mic, laboring to sound exciting and entertaining—even though some know they could be dumped, too.

P.S.: If you’re thinking about doing a positive for your local talent, consider making a contribution to the Broadcasters Foundation of America, a support group designed to help talent in need. You can get more info on BFOA and make a donation here.