The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / A Very Odd Sounding Commercial On CFRB

**Posted by RadioActive** July 29, 2025 11:35 am

Whatever you think of Jerry Agar, he's been hired to do a personal recommendation spot by a renovation company called 310Reno.

Fair enough.

The commercial plays frequently on NewsTalk 1010 and I heard it at least twice on Tuesday alone.

The problem? The 30 sec. sales pitch sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom or an empty hallway. It's echo-y, flat and distant and comes off like they put absolutely no effort into finding an actual studio or decent mic to put it together. Did Agar record this in his garage?

Has anyone else heard this thing? Why would they not just redo it in a proper studio?

The quality is awful and I can't believe they let it go on the air that way or that the sponsor is happy with the sound. And yet it plays frequently.

**Posted by newsguy1** July 29, 2025 12:12 pm

I certainly have heard it and it amazes me how it could be allowed on air.
At first I thought it was because Agar could not make it to a proper studio but that a contact required the ad to run immediately.
But, that said, you would think it would be re recorded properly as soon as possible.
But no, the horrible amateurish piece of crap keeps running.
Where's the management in all this?
What self-respecting PD would allow this to keep playing?

**Posted by 67GreenRambler** July 29, 2025 4:10 pm

I have heard it. The poor sound quality is very much like how Alex Pierson sounded when she broadcast from the 'closet' sized studio in Corus Quay during covid.

**Posted by Ian** July 29, 2025 4:27 pm

Perhaps Jerry did a quick demo with the client's script and they did not pony up the cash for a studio version! Whose reputation is on the line here? If this was for just bathroom renos, then it might reverberate well for the client.

Last edited by Ian (July 29, 2025 4:28 pm)

**Posted by Evuguy** July 29, 2025 8:41 pm

I was wondering when someone would bring this up and yes, I thought the same, about it being recorded in the bathroom. The ad has been running a few weeks now and catches my ear every time. Maybe that was the intent. Certainly, would of never had to endure such a thing on your grandma's CFRB!

Last edited by Evuguy (July 29, 2025 8:41 pm)

**Posted by RadioAaron** July 29, 2025 8:48 pm

Ian wrote:
Perhaps Jerry did a quick demo with the client's script and they did not pony up the cash for a studio version! Whose reputation is on the line here? If this was for just bathroom renos, then it might reverberate well for the client.

Stations don’t charge for studio time for spots they’ll be airing.

**Posted by Chrisphen** July 29, 2025 9:01 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
Ian wrote:
Perhaps Jerry did a quick demo with the client's script and they did not pony up the cash for a studio version! Whose reputation is on the line here? If this was for just bathroom renos, then it might reverberate well for the client.
Stations don’t charge for studio time for spots they’ll be airing.

Unless it's from one Cost Centre to another. You must think Corporate.

**Posted by RadioActive** July 29, 2025 9:04 pm

Honestly, I can't think of a single reason something of such poor quality would air on any radio station, let alone in the #1 market in the country.

**Posted by Easily Amused** July 29, 2025 9:11 pm

Could have been worse...it might have had good sound, but the business owner might have had a 'Tom Carvel' voice, and insisted on being the voice of the company. 😁

Last edited by Easily Amused (July 29, 2025 9:12 pm)

**Posted by RadioActive** July 29, 2025 9:13 pm

Easily Amused wrote:
Could have been worse...it might have had good sound, but the business owner might have had a 'Tom Carvel' voice, and insisted on being the voice of the company. 😁

In case you've never heard him.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** July 30, 2025 7:33 am

RadioActive wrote:
Honestly, I can't think of a single reason something of such poor quality would air on any radio station, let alone in the #1 market in the country.

Plus it has been running for a while now, go figure. This wouldn’t fly 20 years ago! Going to go shout at some clouds now.

**Posted by Ian** July 30, 2025 8:44 am

Evuguy wrote:
I was wondering when someone would bring this up and yes, I thought the same, about it being recorded in the bathroom. The ad has been running a few weeks now and catches my ear every time. Maybe that was the intent. Certainly, would of never had to endure such a thing on your grandma's CFRB!

So now I am beginning to wonder. Was this intentional? If so, then why not go all the way and have "Jerry" transition from the bathroom, through the kitchen to the great outdoors, with appropriate soundscaping. (is that a word?)

**Posted by Easily Amused** July 30, 2025 9:25 am

John Moore: "Good! If they're picking on Agar, they're not picking on me!"

**Posted by betaylored** July 30, 2025 10:57 am

This ad came out around the time Jerry was away for his second knee replacement surgery and I suspect he voiced it on the fly in his bathroom or other convenient environment without taking a moment to gather and position the usual pillows and blankets voice actors use to improve the warmth of the sound quality for impromptu voice work.

I hope Newstalk gave the company a discount on the cost of this kneedlessly spotty spot.

**Posted by newsguy1** July 30, 2025 11:43 am

Could it be that somebody thinks this is clever, and that Agar is supposed to be presenting this in a bathroom that's been gutted for renovation?
If so they really blew it.

**Posted by RadioActive** August 5, 2025 11:23 am

I heard an Agar spot for this same renovation company on Monday and guess what? It contained the same copy, but sounded like it was done in a proper studio with a decent mic. Somebody finally got the message about the old one and I don't expect to hear that muffled commercial again.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** August 6, 2025 7:06 am

RadioActive wrote:
I heard an Agar spot for this same renovation company on Monday and guess what? It contained the same copy, but sounded like it was done in a proper studio with a decent mic. Somebody finally got the message about the old one and I don't expect to hear that muffled commercial again.

I noticed this as well yesterday and I wouldn’t be surprised if the SOWNY board didn’t have something to do with Agar re-recording the spot, as it happened fairly soon after it was mentioned here. Still, it speaks volumes that the poorly recorded spot saw the light of day in the first place.