A longtime familiar voice on WBZ NewsRadio 1030 won’t be heard by loyal listeners moving forward.
Kim Tunnicliffe, who has been with the Boston radio station for more than a quarter century, announced that she has gotten the boot from the iHeartRadio station.
“Some personal news to share. After 26 yrs at WBZ Radio, I’ve been let go due to corporate budget cuts,” Tunnicliffe posted on Monday. “Quite the shock, but I’m taking some time for me, & spending lots of qt w/my pets. They love having me home & honestly, I don’t miss the hellish Boston commute….
“I’m taking time to decide what I want to do next, but in meantime, I want to thank all the ppl I’ve interviewed over the years, esp the everyday folks who welcomed me into their homes as if I were family,” the reporter added. “Thank you for trusting me w/your stories. It’s been an absolute honor!”
Tunnicliffe has been with WBZ NewsRadio since 1998. She has covered a wide range of stories, including politics, crime, and human interest features.
“I love my job and enjoy traveling all over New England…meeting not only the newsmakers but the every day people who have their own stories to tell!” her LinkedIn page reads.
The Herald reached out to leaders at WBZ NewsRadio about the extent of the budget cuts and how many employees are being impacted, but they did not immediately respond to comment on Monday.
About 4 years ago, there was an onslaught of iHeartMedia layoffs across the country.
Last week, the radio conglomerate Audacy announced “difficult but necessary” cuts. That included WEEI Patriots reporter Mike Kadlick being laid off by the company right before the NFL Draft.
Audacy recently emerged from bankruptcy following a drop of several billion dollars in radio ad spending.
The Herald reached out to an Audacy spokesperson, who declined to say how many employees were being impacted at WEEI. The spokesperson said less than 2% of the Audacy workforce will be affected by these cuts.
Also last week, WBUR announced that Boston’s NPR station is laying off seven employees and 24 others are taking buyouts. The layoffs and buyouts come weeks after the station on Commonwealth Avenue warned of possible job cuts.
WBUR’s on-air sponsorship income plummeted by about $7 million in recent years, and the station is looking to begin the next fiscal year with a budget that’s at least $4 million lower than this year.
