Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Kiss 108 morning hosts address ‘shock’ layoff of Winnie Akoury
Akoury, a producer and cohost of "Billy & Lisa in the Morning," was one of numerous media personalities affected by nationwide layoffs at iHeartMedia.
The hosts of Kiss 108’s “Billy & Lisa in the Morning” addressed the departure of a well-known producer and co-host Tuesday, who they said left the station as a result of nationwide layoffs at iHeartMedia.
Since Winnie Akoury disappeared from the Kiss 108 airwaves unexpectedly, listeners have been peppering social media sites with questions about what happened to her.
Akoury had been co-hosting alongside Billy Costa, Lisa Donovan, and Justin Aguirre since 2022, when longtime host Matt Siegel retired and ended the “Matty in the Morning” program. Costa, Donovan, and Aguirre provided some information about Akoury’s departure during a short segment on Tuesday’s show.
Advertisement:
Costa said that he learned about “big changes nationally” at iHeartMedia while he was on vacation in Africa recently. DJ 4eign from hip-hop station JAM’N 94.5 was also let go, Costa said.
Akoury’s co-hosts were apparently caught off guard by the layoffs. Costa called the news a “shock.”
“It happened overnight, we didn’t see anything coming. That’s what’s happening a lot across the country and the world with large companies, large corporations,” Costa said. “It was news to me.”
The iHeartMedia layoffs have been reported by multiple industry publications. They are impacting prominent radio personalities across the country, as well as behind the scenes staff. iHeartMedia is the biggest radio station owner in America, with more than 870 stations in 160 markets. Spokespeople for the company did not return requests for comment Wednesday.
Advertisement:
“We know things have been a little bit weird for our listeners and we do apologize for that. It’s been a little all over the place,” Aguirre said.
Akoury is a 2015 graduate of Framingham State University who got her start at iHeartMedia during an internship her senior year. She ran social media operations for three iHeartMedia stations before moving on to work with the Patriots, according to a 2021 feature in the FSU Alumni magazine.
“Sometimes it feels surreal,” she told the magazine at the time. “I grew up in Quincy listening to everyone on that show. Now they are my colleagues and friends.”
Those colleagues and friends offered their praise during the Tuesday show.
“If you’re listening, Winnie, we already miss you and you are extremely talented and I’m sure you’re going to land on your feet in a very big way,” Costa said.
Fans shared their disappointment on Reddit, Facebook, and other social media sites.
“National company ruining a great regional product,” one user wrote.
“I’ve listened from across the country for years, and recently Winnie was the on air presence I most looked forward to,” another commented.
Advertisement:
When interviewed by the FSU magazine, Akoury spoke about how the radio industry can be volatile and difficult to navigate.
“Radio is so unpredictable, but I feel like I’ve set myself up to be able to transition to a number of different career tracks,” she told the magazine.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com