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Bill Gardner OUT @ KOOL !

radioears said:
Will there ever be a time again when we see management care as much about the music and the medium as they do about the money?
Click to expand...

Again?

I'm sorry, but there has NEVER been a time when "management" cared about the music or medium MORE than they cared about money.

Management's job is and has always been to MAKE the money, and it some circumstances, save money by cutting costs. The first PD that ever fired me (back when car radios ran on steam power) was kind enough to explain "hey, this is a business, and we're in it to make money. If we don't think you're helping us make money, you've got to go. It ain't personal. It's just business."

Sure, its a bummer that a great morning jock is on the beach due to some decision made by a suit (and Mason's a programming guy at heart, so I'm sure he didn't do it lightly), but sweet Jesus this is RADIO. People get fired. Sometimes entire air staffs get let go. It's the nature of the beast, and I'm sure nobody knows that better than Bill Gardner. He'll be okay.

KOOL will go on, and Peake is a great jock who will do just fine. Some people will be upset, some people will swear they'll never listen again, and some might even write to the head of the company and complain, but while an angry letter can sometimes get a jock fired, I've never heard of one that worked the other way.

KOOL will go on, and the ratings will go up, or they'll go down, and management will try something else. This is the way it works. This is the way it has always worked.

Get over it, already.
 
Nope, not going to get over it. Like you say, "ratings will go up, ratings will go down, and management will try something else." Well, we listeners have the same right to try something else. Before, we've sat back and let it happen. This time we don't have to. I wrote my letter, I've made other posts...I going to contact advertisers. The firing of Bill was a cheap thing to do. The people involved in it aren't Phoenicians, don't know what Phoenicians want. Let them go someplace else and do their thing.
 
Morning zoo, day two:

Tuesday I listened for about fifteen minutes during the 6:00 hour,
and no, I wouldn't give KOOL a quarter-hour credit even if I was
keeping a diary, which I'm not, after all that's gone down.

It was just like Monday--too many voices all trying to be heard at
the same time.


Meanwhile, here's a request and dedication call I'd love to hear...

DJ: KOOL-FM.

Caller: Can you play the Marvelettes' Don't Mess With Bill?
And send it out to Kris, Mark, also Dan and the rest of the suits?

DJ: Uh, I don't think so...could get me in trouble.

Caller: I thought it might, but I wanted to give it a shot.

DJ: Say, wouldn't you like to hear Brown Eyed Girl instead?

Caller: Yeah, right! ;D
 
k9doghandler said:
Nope, not going to get over it. Like you say, "ratings will go up, ratings will go down, and management will try something else." Well, we listeners have the same right to try something else. Before, we've sat back and let it happen. This time we don't have to. I wrote my letter, I've made other posts...I going to contact advertisers. The firing of Bill was a cheap thing to do. The people involved in it aren't Phoenicians, don't know what Phoenicians want. Let them go someplace else and do their thing.
Click to expand...

I agree.

Nine years in the valley! Not something you can just shrug off like it's nothing. Many people here don't appear to regularly listen to just one station; I can't speak for mornings, but just reading this board shows many people have something to say about many different stations. Perhaps ya just don't "get it"; spend your mornings for years listening to one morning show, and maybe you will... From a long-time listener point of view, Bill Gardner has set the mold for morning show host, and he is and always will be the best. Don't even try to say he's not the kind of on-air personality that companies want. We, the listeners, know he is, which is why so many of us are angry and know it ain't right.

You're tellin' me there's no other way to cut a budget, but to fire people from a station doing so well? Uh, I think they've got people working 6 days a week now.

As far as letters go, we can only hope for the best and do what we can! If there's nothing else that the bigwigs will ever need way over there in NYC, they definitely need to hear from the listeners. Lots of 'em! Now more than ever...

And, oldiesfan, "Don't Mess With Bill" for Drive-Thru Cafe... Do you want to know how close I was to doing that Monday or Tuesday?? But I wouldn't want anyone to get in trouble. I did, however, hear it when you listen online and it plays the extra song during commercial breaks, as well as Fifth Dimension, "Wedding Bell Blues" on Friday. :D
 
Get over it, people! Cry

Life goes on! Smiley

Bill gave 9 years of bloods, sweat and tears <pardon the oldies pun> to Valley listeners. Whenever I was in town he got more than his fair share of my listening time. Get over it life goes on doesn't cut it. People do have a right to make noise even with advertisers if they don't like the product that CBS is putting out over at KOOL. I remember when K-LITE bagged Barry Chase after a couple down books and they never recovered their numbers after that.

KOOL has made a "cost saving" error. Seems corporations forget that sometimes you have to spend money to make money.
 
KOOL Listener Lauren said:
Perhaps ya just don't "get it"; spend your mornings for years listening to one morning show, and maybe you will... From a long-time listener point of view, Bill Gardner has set the mold for morning show host, and he is and always will be the best. Don't even try to say he's not the kind of on-air personality that companies want.
Click to expand...

A few points...

First off, I "get it" more than you know. I've done more than spend my mornings listening to shows...I've actually done morning shows for years.

Second, from a long-time radio pro's point of view, Bill Gardner is a terrific jock, and like I said before, he'll be just fine. The guy is probably already talking to other stations, and he'll turn up somewhere soon. My post was never meant to be a slam on Bill, but rather a statement about the reality of this business. This point appears to have gone over the heads of quite a few people.

Finally, yes, life really does go on. Nine years is a great run in morning drive here in Phoenix, but other stations have survived the loss of longer-running shows just fine. Nine years ago, when Bill started, I'd have laughed out loud if you'd told me that at the end of Gardner's run, Dave Pratt would be doing country and Tim & Willy would be out of work.

Things change. Nine years from now, who knows what the morning landscape of Phoenix radio will look like?
 
No argument from me on your points made. I'm just an old dog handler from Nam, and I'm used to chasing windmills. This is one more that I have to do. 8) The suits need to know they screwed up a nice thing for us, the people, for the sake of their own vanity as much as anything. Both the General Manager of KOOL, and the Program Manager of KOOL will also move on, and this will be a feather in their caps, a highlight of their resume, and I'm sure CBS will treat them right - they will laugh all the way to the bank. Again, at our expense more than anyone else's. My letter will certainly end up in File 13 and get nothing more than a shrug of the shoulders. But thats okay - it gives me the feeling that I still mean something as a member of the public listening audience.
 
Thank you, Ford! I respect your posts and I do agree with you. My statement wasn't directed towards you; I didn't feel like it was your post that was slamming Bill. I'm sorry if it seemed that way. I have no doubt that Bill will find another station soon... and whatever station gets him will not regret it one bit.

K9doghandler, I know what you mean, and I do believe that there's a slim chance any letters would be given just a little bit of thought in NY. But it's all we, the fans, really can do.. Thanks!
 
This is the ultimate bummer. Bill wasn't just a jock... he was a friend. And he really cared about people. Several years ago when I was running the Phoenix Rescue Missions Kool to the Rescue Program, he made a large donation... just because he cared. I will miss him dearly. I guess it's back to KTAR.
 
For those who say "Who Cares"....KOOL will "rock on.".....Others will point out the corporate weaknesses. Some will suggest that Biff and Barf in the Morning are just as good.

What you are saying by your posts is that listeners don't care.

Today and NOW........listeners do care. You would think that people in our business would know that.

Radio is being killed within..... with lawyers, investors, regional muckity-mucks that travel to markets. Bill wasn't one of those guys.......so he is "OUT!"

Does anyone know if a "muckity-muk" asked Bill if he would stay for less money?

That's kinda how radio nationally is settlin." Will you work 80 hours for this much and not report us to the labor board?
 
the thing that rankles me is they think we listners will just accept it. So no oppty to say goodbye etc. Even T&W had an opportunity to say goodbye to their listners. With ipods and mp3 players if all I wanted in the morning was songs I could have it. I like bill and company in the AM. I used to listne for the time-line and other bits. Also he did make major contributions to the Phoenix community. I guess this is Radio's version of an HMO..here's your morning crew..oh yeah the one you really like is no longer part of your plan.

Profit is not a dirty workd..but how about cutting a suit and not a morning friend. I hope Bill lands somewhere else in the Valley or listening area!!

I gave the new crew a try for a couple of days.. 4 voices is to much...it's off to Dave Pratt at 107...CYA 94.5.
 
I've listened to KOOL for the majority of the morning over the last four days and I hear mostly Tom, Maria and John unless Joe's doing traffic. Oh you better be careful going over to KMLE they have Dave, Stacy, Shappy AND sometimes Duelly talks too. Oh no a fourth voice look out!!! Puh-leez. ::)
 
Yeah... Darknight is right. It was only all four talking to each other on the first day, Monday. Since then, it's been Tom, Maria, and John. Joe has just done traffic now. You might be thinking about the very, very occasional comment that Joe might add into the conversation, as Lee Bortell did sometimes during the show as well. But, I really do mean "occasional". Other than that, totally agree with you, alistner!! Tom Peake... as much as I LOVE him, he can never be Bill Gardner. I still find it hard to believe... and no, I ain't over it ... :mad:
 
Not to take away from Gardener, who did a fine job, but, I think the morning show sounds a bit looser, fresher, and younger, now.

The massacre of three major dayparts would spell the end of most station's consistency. After listening all week, KOOL has managed the impossible. Three major dayparts were disrupted, yet the station hasn't missed a beat. It's still got the KOOL sound, only fresher, better.

Working within the contstraints of budgetary cuts, Kris "brought back the fun" Abrams has found the missing chapter from the Todd W. playbook entitled "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Sure will miss the sexy Alley and the disco show, tho.... ::)
Adiós mi adorable sábado noche de baile

JD Clover
 
I have lived in Phoenix for 8 years and almost from day one I have listened to Bill. I will truly, truly miss him. The chemistry between Bill, John & Maria cannot be replaced. Tom is good but Bill was brilliant. Humor with a big heart. Bill, if you ever read any of these messages, know how much you are already missed by your morning fans. My morning will never be the same. My drive to work was always a happy one because of you. Good luck to you Bill, wherever you land.... missing you a bunch!!! :'(
 
One other thing I have noticed about the new morning crew show..... Mike Evans, "the show biz insider" who would always joke and banter with Bill, is just in and out with his show biz news.... his report seems shorter, flatter... the fun is gone from him, you can hear it in his voice. I think he too misses his friend.
 
You know that is one thing that will never change for radio. You make a connection with a radio host and it sticks forever. Many people dogged on Free FM when it was on the air but Big O and Dukes were part of my ritual in the evening. I loved checking in with the boys to see what was up. Yeah the ratings were the greatest, yeah the big wigs got the whole fm talk format wrong but Big O and Dukes were more than two djs on 101.5 in the evening, they were my buds and it hurt to see them go. Thanks to the internet, I can check them out everyday live from 8-Noon but it isn't the same. Bill will turn up soon but until then, you will as I was forced to do, find something else to listen to in his place. Sucks but that is reality
 
A couple of good steps and bad steps since PD Kris came on board...


Good:
Seventies Sunday. At least one day where you won't hear
Brown Eyed Girl ;). But there are now a few '70s songs
approaching that "overplayed" status. Just joining the list
this week: Smiling Faces Sometimes--Undisputed Truth.
(OK, so maybe I've managed to turn "good" into "good, but...")

Bad:
Last spring Kris had some sort of "oops, I forgot about daylight
saving time a month ago" revelation and moved the shifts an hour
earlier. Not needed from a DST standpoint at KOOL...of course at
55/FYI it's a different story. ::)

The downside was to end Jack's PM drive show at 6:00. There's
a lot of folks still on the way home after six. If I can borrow and
alter a phrase from our KT'R whipping boy Gaydos--"PM drive,
3-7, 3-7, 3-7." Matches the ArbyTron daypart exactly, too.


Then, on Feb. 7--Black Thursday. We've gone over that in
multitudes here. Bill, Dave, (apparently) Allie, the KMLE PD,
perhaps up to four others (whom?) based on some reports.
I mentioned previously it was likely higher in the (C)BS chain
of suits than Kris so I won't blame him. But nonetheless,
it's a cryin' shame. (Who got the oldies--er, classic hits--
reference there? ;D)


Lee Bortell--the master of the talkup--survived, but his weekend
show is now 4-8pm Sundays. Kris, if you still insist on a six-day
week, put him back on midday Saturdays. I know it would be a
short turnaround, but it's your most important weekend daypart,
and "Mr. Mellow" just doesn't fit right. Mike would be better suited
to the more laid-back 6-10am Saturday slot...that is, if you'd get
the @#$% syndication out of there and put in a live voice. (Guess
this would be bad #2.)
 
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