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November 22, 2022 10:22 am  #1


Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

Loved Jerry Agar's definition of the SOWNY Board on CFRB and the iHeart Radio Ontario Talk Network Tuesday morning. In discussing the mayor's newly extended powers in his opening commentary, the subject of this board somehow came up. He admitted he never reads it, but adds that people sometimes tell him about it. 

He claims the board is filled only with "bitter former radio people" who just want to tell others still in the business how to do their jobs. That's an interesting interpretation! And I won't deny there is some of that.

But the facts are while there are many former radio people that post here, many others still work in the industry. A good number of them are not "bitter." And some posters aren't even in radio and never were. So other than that, he's right!

But thanks for the on-air mention, Jerry!

Maybe when he retires, he'll decide to join in some of the discussions. But by then, he may be too bitter,,,

 

November 22, 2022 10:49 am  #2


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

Who is Jerry Agar?

 

November 22, 2022 10:55 am  #3


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

A bitter current radio person!

     Thread Starter
 

November 22, 2022 10:57 am  #4


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

Former radio person but not bitter at all . Had a great career with few regrets.

 

November 22, 2022 11:03 am  #5


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

Tedious teabagger talks tough.

 

November 22, 2022 11:14 am  #6


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

fyshtalk wrote:

Former radio person but not bitter at all . Had a great career with few regrets.

Same here, I loved my career in broadcasting.  I always thought it was an honour to be on the air.  When I eventually moved into radio sales, I enjoyed it as much as the on air and programming/music director aspects. 

 

November 22, 2022 11:32 am  #7


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

This is an outrage...  I'm not bitter, nor have I ever worked in Radio... Mr. Agar (if that is his real name) doesn't even know me.

I'm registering a formal complaint with the CBSC...

 

November 22, 2022 11:59 am  #8


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

It's no secret that few, if any, on this board have as high an opinion of Mr. Agar as he has of himself.  He's probably aware of that, whether he ever looks here or not.

 

November 22, 2022 12:41 pm  #9


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

From Mr. Agar's Wiki page, such as it is...

"He was a substitute host on G. Gordon Liddy's satellite radio show and Mark Levin's show."

That's all I need to know about Jerry Agar.
 

 

November 22, 2022 2:06 pm  #10


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

I'm a former radio guy myself. I left that medium to go to a more (at the time) stable job in TV news. But I often reflect on my radio days and am so proud of the work we did, especially at CFTR in its Top 40 era. I'm not bitter, just often reflecting about how great those days were and the quality of stuff we turned out.

I was on the tail end of the era when AM radio still ruled, although you could see its demise approaching, and there was nothing more exhilarating than a feature or show you worked on for weeks coming out just as you planned it, and sometimes being acknowledged with an award. 

If I am upset about anything, it's not about guys like Agar, who, unlike some here, I respect for his accomplishments. (You don't work on WGN and WABC without some talent!) It's more about the companies who own the kinds of stations he's on, which have cut staffing - and by extension quality - to the bone. That hire news people who don't know how to properly pronounce the name of politicians, local streets, get facts wrong or who are on air in the largest market in the country simply because they work cheap. Or worse, don't hire any news people at all. (Has the old CFRB newsroom been turned into a lounge or a storage room?)

Or which air nothing but rerolls and endless paid programming, especially on weekends, which may partially pay the bills, but too often drives away the audience.  

That's a far cry from the achievements the people I knew always tried to set. So wanting to hold radio to a higher standard doesn't make me resentful, just perhaps wistful, if not a tad sad.

In my mind, it's not about bitter - it's about better, because I know it can be done that way. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 22, 2022 2:31 pm  #11


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

The infamous comment is now online, and you can hear it in Part 1 of the podcast of the show around the 2:40 mark.

     Thread Starter
 

November 22, 2022 2:58 pm  #12


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

Former radio person here, who would be willing to bet Jerry Agar has an anonymous handle here on the big yellow board and we read his views on a regular basis.

p.s. not bitter, I loved my time on-air, the talented people I got to work with and the loyal listeners I met, only thing I didn't like was the pay and the shifts were murder on my health.

 

November 22, 2022 4:59 pm  #13


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

There are lots of us SOWNY members who are currently active in radio.

I appreciate the views and information on this board. Too bad not everyone feels the same about open and free flowing opinions and facts.

 

November 22, 2022 10:11 pm  #14


Re: Jerry Agar On SOWNY: "Filled With Bitter Former Radio People"

I have been a part of this group since back when Craig Smith was moderator. I have never been in radio or any form of broadcasting but I have had an almost lifelong interest in radio and in particular the CHR/Top 40 format staring in my teens. I have known people who were in radio. One of my closest friends back in the 60s was in radio. I am not bitter. I am disillusioned by the current state of radio and in particular the fact that ownership of most stations is held by only three large companies and the results of that, but it remains an important part of my life.