Year Born: 1923
Year Died: 1981
Year of Induction: 2005
Pioneer – Member of CAB Hall of Fame
Forbes, Jerry (1923-1981)
Murray McIntyre Forbes was born in Edmonton in 1923. He started his radio career in 1947 at CFRN, where he adopted the on-air name Jerry Forbes. 1954 saw him hired for the Production Manager’s chair at the new 1080 CHED, which later moved to 630. Jerry moved through the ranks to become General Manager in 1964, a position he was to hold for 28 years.
It was Jerry’s belief that radio should use the power it had to serve the community. He launched Santas Anonymous from a humble beginning in the basement of the radio station, by delivering 300 toys to the needy children of Edmonton in the first year.
The Santas Anonymous program was still running more than 40 years later, and hundreds of volunteers were needed to deliver more than 25,000 toys each year. Jerry wrote and voiced a tribute to those who distributed the toys called “A Creature Was Stirring” and the campaign was kicked off each September with a 2,500-motorcycle rally that circled the city.
At CHED, Jerry was also known for his Good Guy program, his daily humanity editorials, and for his strong singing voice.
The city of Edmonton honoured Jerry by naming four city streets after him, Forbes Street, Forbes Close, etc. All three of Jerry’s children followed his footsteps into the broadcasting business. By 2005, the CAB Quarter Century Club included four members of the Forbes family.
Jerry Forbes was named an Honorary Lifetime Member of The Western Association of Broadcasters in 1993.
He retired from CHED in June of 1981, and passed away in September of the same year.
In 2005, he was posthumously inducted into the CAB Hall of Fame.
Written by Ross McCreath – October, 2005