Cumulus Media employees can return in force on Oct. 11, with a catch.
CEO Mary Berner stated in a video message that all employees “must be fully vaccinated” by the official return-to-office date. Employees designated “permanent remote” do not have to get the vaccine. All Access reached out to Cumulus for a comment and told the site they are not giving one at this time.
Berner cited growing concerns over the Delta variant of COVID-19 as a contributing factor to the decision.
In the video, Berner said, “All employees, except for those few who are already designated permanent remote like our traffic organization, must be fully vaccinated by our grand reopening date.”
Cumulus Media is the first known radio broadcasting company to institute a vaccine mandate. The entire salesforce at Cumulus and corporate employees in their New York and Atlanta corporate offices fall under this umbrella.
Berner noted that a large majority of Cumulus employees have already received the vaccine. “There will be no exceptions unless it’s mandated by law,” Berner continued in the video. “If you are someone who has not made that choice, it is for your own protection.”
Cumulus Media is involved with 413 stations across 86 markets, on top of their oversight of Westwood One. As of December 2019, Cumulus employed 4,732 people, 3,139 of which are full-time staffers.
Cumulus is stepping into uncharted waters in the audio industry with this move. Other entities like Audacy mandated the vaccine for new employees, but have not done so for employees hired before the vaccines became widely available.
CNN has already fired three unvaccinated employees who did not comply with their vaccine advisory — which CNN requires for employees who want to work from the office. NBCUniversal has the same advisory in place for their in-office workers as well.
A Townsquare Media executive confirmed to Streamline Publishing that the company has “encouraged our team to get vaccinated given the benefits and protection it provides from COVID-19. We have provided [Paid Time Off] to allow the time to get vaccinated. But, we have not mandated it as a condition of employment.”
It’s been all quiet on this front for iHeartMedia. The company hasn’t issued any advisories, mandates, or statements regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and its employees.