Two well-known Tucson personalities lost their jobs this week in a nationwide round of layoffs at Clear Channel Communications.
Dave Sitton, the vice president and general manager of Clear Channel's outdoor-advertising business, was laid off Tuesday.
So was Alan Michaels, who has had a 28-year career as an on-air personality in local radio.
Both men are also known for being active supporters of local charities, including The Centurions, which raises money for Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital.
The only other on-air personality to be laid off was Joan Lee, Michaels and Lee said. Michaels hosted the morning show and Lee hosted the afternoon show at oldies station KWFM, 1450-AM, which is known as Cool 1450.
Michaels said about 14 people were laid off in Clear Channel's local operation, most of them salespeople. They were among about 1,850 Clear Channel employees — 9 percent of the work force — whose jobs were eliminated nationwide.
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Tom Zlaket, the new head of Clear Channel's radio stations in Tucson, did not return a call seeking comment.
In a companywide e-mail, Chief Executive Mark Mays told employees that the company is facing an "unprecedented time of distress." He also said, though, that, "Everyone in our investor group, on the board, and in the executive leadership team remains bullish about the long-term growth prospects for Clear Channel."
The advertising market has been soft, especially for radio stations.
In the third quarter, the company lost $86.1 million before discontinued operations, compared to a profit of $253.4 million. The just-concluded quarter included $148.8 million in merger-related expenses and other one-time items. Revenue fell by 4 percent to $1.7 billion.
The steepest drop was in radio advertising, down 7 percent to $844 million.
Sitton has been a commentator at University of Arizona basketball and football games. He also coaches the UA's club rugby team.
He said he found out about his job being cut at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"It's one of those deals," Sitton said, declining to elaborate.
Lee said those who were laid off were called one-by-one into a human-resources office. A Tucson police officer was in the office at the time.
"It's not a very good time to be without a job," she said. "It's not a very good business to be without a job in."
The layoffs came less than a month after Clear Channel Radio's longtime local manager, Debbie Wagner, took a new job in San Diego for Clear Channel.
Television and radio are going to face the same difficulties that newspapers have experienced, said Tim McGuire, professor and Frank Russell Chair of Journalism in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
"This is not about audience and readership," he said. "It's about the advertising model (that) has gone bust. Selling mass advertising in a very down economic time is an almost impossible task, and the question that it raises is, are we going to get out of this with quality local content intact. That's starting to seem somewhat doubtful and it's tragic."
Lee and Michaels said Clear Channel offered generous severance packages.
Asked what he will do next, Michaels said, "I don't know. Look for work."
After being laid off, he said, "You get up, dust yourself off and move forward."
Clear Channel's Tucson stations
KWMT 92.9-FM, "The Mountain"
KRQQ 93.7-FM, "93.7 KRQ"
KTZR 97.1-FM, "La Preciosa"
KOHT 98.3 FM, "Hot 98.3"
KNST 790-AM, "NewsTalk 790"
KWFM 1450-AM, "Cool 1450"
KXEW 1600-AM, "Radio Tejano"