Jerry and the other announcers often had to fill-in
during technical difficulties

In the early days of television, there were far more technical problems than there are now.  Krumbholz and others in the pool of announcers were always on standby to get the station through a breakdown.

“When we lost the network, which happened once or twice a month, you had to think on your feet and fill time so there wasn’t just dead air,” says Krumbholz.  “Sometimes we picked up the schedule sheet and talked about upcoming programming…sometimes we read news headlines…if it went too long we’d lighten up and try some humor.  Of course, by that time most people had turned the channel.”

Six months after he came aboard at WTVT, Jerry was put on full time and his starting pay of $2 per hour was bumped up to $125 each week. With a wife and children (eventually numbering six) to support, Krumbholz found himself in need of working full time and going to school part time.   He remained at U.T. in that status for almost seven years.