Lamont Hollywood, a prominent voice on the Bay Area airwaves for decades, announced his departure from 107.7 The Bone this week. His exit marks the conclusion of a 24-year tenure at the San Mateo-based station. Hollywood, who spent 37 years total in the radio industry, addressed his departure with a blunt assessment of the current state of local broadcasting.
In a public message, Hollywood pointed to corporate restructuring at Cumulus as the primary driver for the loss of his show. He described the current climate as a tragic consequence of debt-fueled media consolidation. According to Hollywood, large conglomerates have systematically acquired stations and slashed human talent to pay down debt, often replacing live, local hosts with automated feeds.
Beyond the critique of corporate strategy, Hollywood expressed frustration with executive leadership and the prioritization of balance sheets over the connection between hosts and listeners. He noted that algorithmic automation fails to replicate the trust built between a broadcaster and their audience over many years.
Despite the abrupt end of his time at 107.7 The Bone, Hollywood stated that he is not walking away from the microphone entirely. He confirmed plans to continue his program through an independent platform that operates without corporate interference. He thanked his listeners for their support throughout his career and promised that more work is coming in the near future.