The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Jerry Agar Tells Story That Could Only Happen In Radio

**Posted by RadioActive** November 8, 2024 12:41 pm

I know a lot of people here hate Jerry Agar's politics, but this has nothing to do with any left or right stance.

Instead he told a wonderful story that could only happen in radio. It took place when he was working in the U.S. for WPTF, a talk station in Raleigh, North Carolina, a place he frequently references on air.

He convinced management there to send him to a talk radio convention in New York City, supposedly to touch base on the latest trends in the industry. On one of his first days there, he met a lady standing in a lunch line and they started to talk. They hit it off, so she invited him back to her table, where they talked about the radio industry.

He left soon after and didn't give it much more thought. But what he didn't know was she was a consultant and went back to her room, phoning one of her clients. "I think I just found you your new afternoon talk show host," she told the guy on the other end of the line.

And that's how Agar wound up at KMBZ in Kansas City, a much larger market with a bigger salary. He's since worked for some of the biggest stations in the U.S. while he was there, including WGN and WLS in Chicago and WABC in New York.

None of which might have happened except for a chance encounter at an industry convention.

Only in radio.

**Posted by Binson Echorec** November 8, 2024 1:51 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Only in radio.

Having spent over 20 years in radio, this is one phrase I never need to hear again.

**Posted by newsguy1** November 8, 2024 1:58 pm

Not a bad story, but this sort of thing is quite common in other lines of work besides radio.
Take for example how young Hollywood starlets got a break because they were spotting having lunch at the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles.
There's many a story about a producer or Hollywood mogul seeing the young babe, and offering her a tryout on the spot based on looks alone.
Then there are people who had a humble job in show biz and got a break as a fluke.
That happened to Harrison Ford who was a carpenter on movie sets
And I have my own story about how I got a big break in radio when I was a rookie newsguy in Trail, BC who could not even type properly, but I was given a gig at the major station CJOR in Vancouver
I got it because just by chance I happened to be on CJAT in Trail when a major labour dispute took place and I was the o
only guy to be reporting on it, and was interviewed every day by the big radio station, CKNW.
CJOR also heard me and was NW's major rival, so they hired me just to thumb their nose at NW.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 8, 2024 2:00 pm

All those stories have one thing in common - they're show biz or media related. It's very unlikely that say, a steel worker would be sent to a convention and end up at a new company because of it. But I suppose anything's possible.

**Posted by paterson1** November 8, 2024 2:10 pm

It's called networking. Stories like this happen all the time in many businesses. You meet someone at a convention or a trade show, and you strike up a conversation. They ask you a bit about your background, how long you have been with your current employer etc. You exchange business cards, they mention that they currently have an opening or one coming up and would you like to talk about it in more detail....and so it goes..Jerry's story is pretty ordinary.

**Posted by BowmanvilleBob** November 8, 2024 2:24 pm

paterson1 wrote:
It's called networking. Stories like this happen all the time in many businesses. You meet someone at a convention or a trade show, and you strike up a conversation. They ask you a bit about your background, how long you have been with your current employer etc. You exchange business cards, they mention that they currently have an opening or one coming up and would you like to talk about it in more detail....and so it goes..Jerry's story is pretty ordinary.

Agreed, My brother-in-law now works as a lumber broker for a major company. He's obtained his last two jobs through contacts he's met at conventions. Networking is quite common, even in blue-collar jobs.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 8, 2024 3:02 pm

Well to me, the difference here is that Agar did not actually indicate he was looking for another job nor did he know what she did for a living. It was a chance encounter with someone he knew nothing about over lunch that led to the promotion. In the kind of instance cited above, the person usually makes their desire to move on at least partually known.

**Posted by paterson1** November 8, 2024 3:38 pm

Jerry's story happens everyday. Most people don't go to a convention to look for a new job. However with the people you will meet and talk to it can and does happen regularly. Good companies are always on the look out for new people.

**Posted by Just a Radio Fan** November 8, 2024 4:32 pm

I got my first job simply because of networking. In college in late 70's, there was an opening for a jock at a TV-Radio station about 3 hours away. 2 friends got an interview and because I had a car I offered to drive them. We drove through terrible winter storms but made it. While they were being interviewed I met the News Director. I think he was impressed that I got us there despite weather and roads. My interest was in News so we chatted for a while. About a week later I called him to thank him for his time and advice and he said "send me a resume and tape." I did, got the job and that was the start of a 38 year career in Television in small, medium and large market stations.

**Posted by Walter** November 8, 2024 4:40 pm

If he was such a success in the U.S., how did Agar end up back in Canada? Did we trade him straight up for Bill Carroll?

**Posted by newsguy1** November 8, 2024 6:23 pm

Well he was born in a small town in Manitoba.
From what I understand he and his wife have about 4 or five kids... so Canadian health care.
Not to mention health care for the parents.
I bet his radio salary in the US would not pay for such stuff in the US for life.
Plus I guess he got the gig at CFRB, so he took it.
He's done well there, and I assume his bosses are pleased with his ratings.
Plus his kids are grown and all supporting themselves.
So not a bad life for him in Canada overall.

**Posted by Walter** November 8, 2024 8:08 pm

newsguy1 wrote:
Well he was born in a small town in Manitoba.
From what I understand he and his wife have about 4 or five kids... so Canadian health care.
Not to mention health care for the parents.
I bet his radio salary in the US would not pay for such stuff in the US for life.
Plus I guess he got the gig at CFRB, so he took it.
He's done well there, and I assume his bosses are pleased with his ratings.
Plus his kids are grown and all supporting themselves.
So not a bad life for him in Canada overall.

But we still got Carroll back.