After 24 years in sales and management positions at CBS Radio Chicago, Paul Agase is jumping to rival Cumulus Media Chicago. As VP/sales under Cumulus market manager Donna Baker, Agase will oversee advertising for WLS-AM and classic rock WLUP-FM. He began his career as an account exec and sales manager at WLS in 1981, noted Chicago media expert Robert Feder.
Agase was most recently GSM at all-news WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM in the Windy City. His tenure included numerous positions including 12 years as GSM of CHR WBBM-FM, DOS for the Chicago group, and a stint as GM of sports/talk WSCR-670 and AAA WXRT-FM.
Sources told Feder Agase had been under pressure because of declining sales at the Newsradio combo. Although still leading the market at $41.9 million, WBBM/WCFS ad revenue fell more than 8% in 2013, according to Miller, Kaplan. Overall Chicago radio revenue declined 2.5% last year.
Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago, thanked Agase in a memo to staff Friday, adding: “I’m sure you join me in wishing Paul success (but not too much) and happiness in his new position. Seriously, growing radio’s share of the advertising pie is everyone’s first goal, and knowing Paul will still be in Chicago supporting that effort, is a good thing.”
Zimmerman said Mark Day, director of sales for CBS Radio Chicago, would also serve as GSM of WBBM-AM effective 3/14.
See the Robert Feder story here
