Alpha Media is a company that runs radio stations in small to small-medium markets, typically these towns have populations spanning from 10,000 to 150,000. Like other stations in small markets, they're an important source of information to the community they serve. However, it seems as if Alpha Media is trying to become another iHeartRadio, as they recently laid off a good chunk of their on-air staff in the midwest.

My message to any radio operator looking to go all-automated and syndicated:

STOP.

By removing on-air staff, you're removing the connection your stations have to the community. I'll put it this way: I never say "oh, there's an important event happening, let me tune to an iHeartRadio station to hear more about it." Your on-air staff are able to connect with your community in a way that no syndicated show host or AI voice will *ever* be able to.

Frankly, you have no excuse for this. KDSN-FM is a radio station serving a town with a population of around 8,000. During the week, whenever I tune in, there's always a voice telling me about something in the area. I've heard other stations in smaller towns with similar situations.

By removing local voices from the radio, you're removing an important source of local news. You're cutting your station off from the community it's supposed to be serving. Radio stations serve an important role in the communities they serve, and I hate seeing stations treated as money-generating machines where no humans are needed.

Again, if you're a radio station operator that's looking to fire on-air staff to go syndicated or automated, STOP. You're cutting off the link between your station and its community.

Side note: in 2014, Alpha Media became the result of a few companies merging, among those was a company called L&L Broadcasting. The L&L was commonly referred to as meaning "Live & Local". Maybe take a hint from this.