{"id":1958,"date":"2026-06-24T21:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T21:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1958"},"modified":"2026-06-24T21:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T21:05:10","slug":"denver-radio-legend-bret-saunders-laid-off-from-97-3-kbco-after-three-decades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1958","title":{"rendered":"Denver radio legend Bret Saunders laid off from 97.3 KBCO after three decades"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Bret Saunders and other on-air personalities got a nasty surprise this week when iHeart Media, owner of their employer KBCO 97.3 FM, informed them they were being laid off as part of nationwide cost-cutting at the media corporation.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTo My Friends: Thank you for 28+ years,\u201d Saunders wrote on social media Wednesday. \u201cI\u2019ve loved every day with you, and being a small part of your lives has been my greatest honor and pleasure. My time at KBCO has come to an end. I\u2019ll miss the laughs, the countless people I\u2019ve met, and being a part of the community. Thanks!\u201d<\/p>\n

Saunders declined to comment when reached by The Denver Post. KBCO\u2019s website made no mention of the layoffs. (Saunders has long written The Denver Post\u2019s Sunday jazz column.)<\/p>\n

KBCO parent company iHeart Media is in the process of trying to save up to $50 million by restructuring, including the latest round of layoffs, according to The Hollywood Reporter.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we will be creating new roles to support our future needs, we also recognize that some colleagues and existing positions will be impacted as part of these changes,\u201d according to an employee memo obtained by the trade publication. \u201cWe have given this a great deal of thought and do not take this step lightly; we are deeply grateful for the contributions of those affected, and we\u2019re committed to supporting them through this transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saunders first began his employment at KBCO in 1997 and worked the morning shift throughout his career (and, until this week, had been helming the 6 to 10 a.m. slot). He was known for working with KBCO\u2019s celebrated Studio C series, which included live performances, interviews and annual music compilations from local and nationally touring musicians.<\/p>\n

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\u201cBret was in high school when he got his first radio job,\u201d according to his KBCO biography. \u201cHe worked for a little 10-watt station in Michigan and had his FCC broadcast license 2 years before he had a driver\u2019s license!\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite Saunders\u2019 post at roughly 11 a.m., as of noon Monday, he was still listed as a host on KBCO\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

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Jeb \u201cNerf\u201d Freedman, program director and vice president of events and strategic partnerships for KBCO, declined to comment when reached by The Denver Post. It was not immediately clear how many other layoffs were taking place at KBCO this week.<\/p>\n

This story will be updated.<\/em><\/p>\n

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