Chris Jagger to Retire From Radio After Losing 102.1 The Edge Morning Show Gig

Late last week, some pretty big news dropped about 102.1 The Edge's morning show: Chris Jagger, who was on his second stint with the station, had been let go. Replacing Jagger will be The Atom Smasher Show from the Houston radio market, which takes to the airwaves on May 2. Then, in a lengthy post on his Facebook page over the weekend, Jagger took things one step further by announcing that he has "retired [his] headphones." (Read the interview with Jagger, here.)

"[I]t seems like taking off my headphones one last time makes the most sense," Jagger wrote in the post. He thanked many of the people he worked with in the DFW area, including Julie Fisk, Jasmie Sadry and Richie Whitt. "That doesn't mean I may never need them again, but I'm OK if I don't."

Jagger was one of the staples in this market. He ranked up there with other hosts like Russ Martin, Mike Rhyner and Hal Jay in terms of longevity and impact on the listening audience. Whether he was on The Edge, The Fan or Now, people at the very least knew Jagger by name.

People talk about how great Jagger was when he was paired up with Fisk on the Jagger and Julie Show. Be it talking about dating, concerts or everyday life, people connected to what they had to say. Finding the right chemistry and building a loyal audience is hard, and it takes time and money. For every Ron Chapman, Hal Jay and Terry Dorsey in the history of DFW radio, there have been dozens that have come and gone with names and shows that are hard to remember.

"It's been great being on just about every morning since 1998 when I got here but much has changed, personally and professionally, and this seems like a good place to stop," Jagger said.

Thus is a sentiment of many who have worked in radio for the past 30 years. Getting replaced or canned is extremely common, but it can get to a point where enough is enough. Terrestrial radio still has a strong reach for advertisers, but with streaming music, podcasts and satellite radio, the competition for loyal listeners is even more fierce.

Radio has never been the easiest waters to tread, and it's rare to find anyone who has held an on-air position on the same station for more than a handful of years. Many radio vets either move to another market or leave the business completely. And for now, it looks like Jagger has joined the latter.

In the meantime, Jagger seems ready to spend more time with his family. "Being out and open in 2000 was considered bold by many at the time, but I was confidant my audience would be fine with it, and they were," he recalled. He added that the outpouring of support that he and his partner, Patrick Conner, received when they adopted their daughters was "another monumental moment."

"Monday morning I get to sleep in and be here with my girls when they get up," Jagger wrote.