{"id":2278740,"date":"2026-02-12T11:05:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T11:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2278740"},"modified":"2026-02-12T11:05:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T11:05:22","slug":"funding-cuts-layoffs-new-djs-whats-kcrws-future-in-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/funding-cuts-layoffs-new-djs-whats-kcrws-future-in-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Funding cuts. Layoffs. New DJs. What’s KCRW’s future in music?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In October, the DJ and former KCRW host Jeremy Sole climbed atop a booth to address the crowd in the front bar of the Moroccan Lounge in downtown L.A. He was in mourning.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a hell of a week,\u201d Sole said to a hundred or so clubgoers. Sole, known for his cosmically peaceful voice and deep knowledge of electronic, dub and global music, had just been laid off after 18 years at the Santa Monica public radio fixture. Speaking to the crowd at his event, Le Frique Sonique, he reminisced on the mixing desk that changed his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized for the first time that this is a different medium,\u201d he said. Tens of thousands of fans may be listening to you, he said, but \u201cyou\u2019re talking to one friend, sitting right there at the table with you. It felt like we were just in the room together for 18 and a half years, listening to music together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s staff cuts, following similar waves in 2020 and 2024, have reshaped the station, losing stalwart voices like Sole, Travis Holcombe, Jason Kramer, Jos\u00e9 Galv\u00e1n and Valida. KCRW\u2019s leadership said that the loss of federal funding for public media necessitated a \u201cnew budget reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet several prominent new DJ hires, just days after the layoff announcement, raised eyebrows among the station\u2019s core fans.<\/p>\n

As AI and algorithms reshape how music is discovered, KCRW is one of the few outlets still highlighting diverse, experimental music scenes to Southern California\u2019s influential audiences. The station\u2019s ambitions are a referendum on the cultural and economic value of good taste.<\/p>\n

\u201cRadio is a truly unique connection between the person transmitting and the one receiving,\u201d Sole said in an interview. \u201cI was really crushed when they let me go, and it still stings for sure. It felt like being excommunicated from my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

KCRW\u2019s music director, Alejandro Cohen, said, \u201cSometimes renewal is part of the process. To be creative, you have to be able to take a fresh approach to things. So to me, bringing new voices, refreshing things, not keeping things static, that is the key.\u201d<\/p>\n

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<\/picture>\n
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Former KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe (top far left), Jos\u00e9 Galv\u00e1n (top second to left), Jason Kramer (bottom left), Jeremy Sole (top right), and Valida Carroll (bottom right), at the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory.<\/p>\n

(Ariana Drehsler \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

Like all public media in the U.S, KCRW is at a difficult juncture. Famed for its cutting-edge music programming, its DJs shape the entertainment industry through music supervision, live performances and hosting gigs at the Hollywood Bowl. Reaching around 3 million listeners across its terrestrial and online broadcasts, it\u2019s one of the few outlets that can turn a DJ into a global star.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike commercial stations or AI-driven models, our DJs are curators who are encouraged to take chances on new artists and play music our listeners might not have heard before,\u201d the station said in a recent report to the Corp. for Pubic Broadcasting.<\/p>\n

KCRW retains that prestige, even as its financial situation is shaky. The station reported losses of $2.7 million in 2024 and $1.3 million in 2023. 2024\u2019s total membership funds and donations of $20.895 million were its lowest income since the pandemic year of 2020. In 2024, 16 staffers including \u201cMorning Becomes Eclectic\u201d co-host Anthony Valadez took buyouts to address a $3-million budget deficit.<\/p>\n

Those worries were compounded by President Trump\u2019s executive order in May rescinding funding for CPB, saying, \u201cGovernment funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, KCRW reported around a half million in government grants, and received a reported $1.3 million from the CPB.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike so many other public media organizations, KCRW is restructuring parts of the organization in response to our new budget reality,\u201d KCRW\u2019s president, Jennifer Ferro, wrote in a memo announcing the cuts last year. \u201cThe result of this restructuring is a 10% reduction in our staff. These decisions were made after careful consideration of how best to position us against the twin challenges of needing to adapt to how people consume media today as well as the loss of federal dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the DJs who lost their decades-long jobs, the last few months have been disorienting and painful. Many felt like they never got a clear explanation of why they were selected.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt like it would be a lifelong thing, almost like the Supreme Court, that until I died I\u2019d be a KCRW DJ,\u201d said Jos\u00e9 Galv\u00e1n, a Latin and indie savant laid off after 14 years at the station. \u201cIt was a shock, and it felt unmerited.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWas it a kick to the stomach? Yeah, absolutely,\u201d said Jason Kramer, who lost his job after 27 years at KCRW. <\/p>\n

KCRW DJs who grew up on hallmark shows like \u201cMetropolis\u201d and \u201cChocolate City\u201d saw the job as a peak of what radio could achieve. For Travis Holcombe, who hosted the popular subculture show \u201cFreaks Only,\u201d \u201cThe job itself was the reward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He left KCRW rather than accept a demotion and pay cut. \u201cTo no longer be a KCRW DJ feels weird, but I\u2019m also kind of at peace with it,\u201d he said. \u201cBecause I don\u2019t feel like it\u2019s the organization that I fell in love with 14 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Former <\/picture>\n
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Former KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe (top left), Jason Kramer (bottom left), Valida Carroll (center), Jeremy Sole (second to right) with his American Pit Bull Mija, and Jos\u00e9 Galv\u00e1n (right) at the Paramount in Boyle Heights. <\/p>\n

(Ariana Drehsler \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

This round of cuts came soon after a changing of the guard at KCRW\u2019s music programming. <\/p>\n

Cohen, the new music director, is a respected figure in L.A. who helped turn the community radio nonprofit Dublab into a tastemaking force, with global reach and popular live events stretching from all-night sets at Descanso Gardens to an ambient-music terminal at LAX.<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the new music director\u2019s background in independent radio, I assumed there was enough experience in-house to lead the transition,\u201d said Valida, a KCRW veteran laid off last year.<\/p>\n

Yet several DJs said they were surprised that advice from consultants seemed to push toward playing more songs off a pre-vetted playlist. Several said Izzi Smith, a veteran NPR executive and consultant, suggested more political news worked into music programs. <\/p>\n

Cohen said that Smith advised on programming and promotion strategies and hosts\u2019 on-air delivery, but did not consult on music. Regarding playlists, Cohen said, \u201cWe have set up a system where the DJs are sharing songs with each other on a weekly basis.\u201d Those tracks are \u201cnot mandated by management,\u201d he said, and \u201ca fraction of their airtime in any hour to add some more consistency across our programming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, some DJs felt that went against KCRW\u2019s spirit. \u201cIt became clear that outside consultants were heavily involved, and their advice was pushing KCRW toward something much closer to commercial radio,\u201d Valida said. \u201cThat was both surprising and disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holcombe recalled being told that \u201c\u2018Change is hard, but this is Radio 101, it\u2019s about predictability and repetition. People want to hear what they know, we\u2019ve spoken to many consultants.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s why people listen to KCRW,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Cohen disagreed with that characterization. \u201cBeing resourceful on how you expand your voice, within what\u2019s available to you, has always been part of the creative process. There\u2019s an art form to that,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cEveryone knows what public radio and traditional media are going through. The way people consume media is in itself a challenge. But part of the creativity is how you make the most out of the resources you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Days after the cuts, the station announced three new DJ hires. They included the veteran electronic artist John Tejada, Stones Throw label founder and Dublab board member Peanut Butter Wolf, and the producer Luxxury, who hosts the popular podcast \u201cOne Song\u201d with Diallo Riddle. <\/p>\n

Awkward timing aside, the new hires have formidable reputations. \u201cThe new DJs are deeply rooted in Los Angeles\u2019 music ecosystem and bring active creative practices alongside their radio work,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cTheir presence reinforces KCRW as a living, participatory music institution, not just a broadcast outlet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet the mixed messages around the reasons for cuts and new hires left a bad taste for the departing DJs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you using the excuse of Donald Trump\u2019s cuts to all public media funding, or are you hiring new people?\u201d Kramer asked. \u201cYou can\u2019t have both.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would\u2019ve loved to see KCRW double down on being a beacon of authenticity, discovery and community,\u201d Valida said. \u201cBut there are a lot of disillusioned KCRW fans trying to figure out where to redirect their energy and their money. I think the impact on fundraising from core music fans could be significant. Time will tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"KCRW's <\/picture>\n
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KCRW\u2019s music director, Ale Cohen, poses for a portrait at KCRW\u2019s School Night show at the Airliner on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

(Brian Feinzimer \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n

Others wondered if an outspoken social media presence played a role in who was selected for layoffs. Both Sole and Valida said they were reprimanded or put on leave for social media posts decrying the Israel-Hamas war. Cohen, asked if such posts played a role in layoffs, said, \u201cNot at all,\u201d adding, \u201cWe made programming changes in our music lineup that just happened to occur at the same time as our cost-saving measures.\u201d<\/p>\n

KCRW has an obligation to shift with changing tastes, and no one has a lifetime sinecure there. Still, Galv\u00e1n said, \u201cI have no idea what their vision is. For a decade, the worry around KCRW was \u2018Our audience is getting older, it\u2019s not replenishing,\u2019 so we needed to tackle online and social media. If they hired some 25-year-old with a crazy following, OK, fine, that\u2019s not me. But they just brought in new 50-year-old DJs.\u201d<\/p>\n

For 2026, the station brought back its concert series School Night, famed for breaking indie bands in the 2010s, to the Airliner in Lincoln Heights. Cohen\u2019s proud of new 24-hour streaming channels \u2014 one with electronic dance music, one of vintage Gen X and millennial sounds \u2014 on KCRW\u2019s flagship app. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf we were like a body, music is still the heart of the station,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cProgressive music programming is the foundation of our relationship with Los Angeles and the global music community. Our goal is not to retreat from discovery, but to protect it by adapting how it\u2019s delivered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some KCRW fixtures like Jason Bentley and Henry Rollins are well ensconced; \u201cMorning Becomes Eclectic\u201d host Novena Carmel has found her voice on its flagship broadcast, as have progressive DJs like Tyler \u201cBoogie\u201d Boudreaux and Francesca Harding. Cohen said more DJ hires \u2014 including younger, diverse talent \u2014 are coming soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cExisting audiences are passionate,\u201d he said. \u201cI want them to be open to new voices. Yes, you love a show that was on the air for years. But this new person? We\u2019re bringing them in for a reason, because we love them. Let\u2019s give them a shot, because at some point, those that were there before were the new ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Public media is bracing for a turbulent period under a president that loathes its existence. Donors are wary of economic turmoil, while AI slop clogs opaque streaming algorithms. None of the laid-off DJs are quite sure what\u2019s next in their careers. <\/p>\n

Sole frequently performs live across the city<\/a>, and Valida is involved with social justice efforts like DJs Against Apartheid. Galv\u00e1n books the Paramount in Boyle Heights. \u201cI do feel like I\u2019ll be OK. Maybe I have a halo of confidence, but I have a lot of people who will ride for me,\u201d Holcombe said. <\/p>\n

At the Moroccan, Sole still sounded grateful for the opportunity to build his career through KCRW, even if the station, in this new era, has moved on without him. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a blessing that I will never, ever forget in my life,\u201d he told the teary crowd. \u201cI do still believe in supporting public radio, especially at a time when everything else feels not only owned but influenced by up on high. To have something be people powered nowadays is more rare and more special than ever. Support public radio, just support any local thing around you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.latimes.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In October, the DJ and former KCRW host Jeremy Sole climbed atop a booth to address the crowd in the front bar of the Moroccan Lounge in downtown L.A. He was in mourning. \u201cIt\u2019s been a hell of a week,\u201d Sole said to a hundred or so clubgoers. Sole, known for his cosmically peaceful voice […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2278741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2278740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Funding-cuts-Layoffs-New-DJs-Whats-KCRWs-future-in-music.com2F5f2Fac2F6893dac34f549d4dc608ef5d.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2278740"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2278742,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2278740\/revisions\/2278742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2278741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2278740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2278740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2278740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}