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After Midnite with Blair Garner
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We've all heard the phrase, "Necessity is the mother of invention." It's certainly true in the history of After MidNite. However , there were two necessities that needed to be met in this instance. First, was radio's need for an answer to the problem of staffing the overnight shift. Second, was Blair Garner's desire to work for himself.
When Blair first moved to Los Angeles, he had just left a lucrative, high profile job at ABC in New York City. There was one thing he knew for sure: he didn't like working under someone else's direction. Like his schoolteacher might have said, "he's a good kid, but doesn't play well with others." Sure enough, Blair wanted to strike out on his own. Over dinner, a close friend suggested that Blair try syndication.
On November 13, 1993, After MidNite aired for the first time to its initial affiliate base of 12 stations. Soon, word spread about the show from station to station. For its first year, After MidNite was adding up to ten new stations a week. Within four months, there were over 100 affiliates. One month later, there were 133. It tracked to be the fastest-growing show in radio history. After owning the company privately for three years, Blair, Rod and their other two business partners accepted a proposed merger agreement from Premiere Radio Networks. Their hard work was truly paying off. After risking it all, they were each well-rewarded for their efforts.
Today, the show boasts just under 250 affiliate radio stations, with Blair being the only remaining member of that original team. And his dedication to the show and its development is stronger than ever. Fortunately for Blair, Premiere has allowed him to continue operating as if he were his own boss. After all, "he's a nice kid that just doesn't play well with others."
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