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Steve Goddard gone from KOOL-FM

ihEARDtHAT said:
Just saw a post on Facebook by Steve Goddard saying he was let go by CBS Radio/KOOL-FM.
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The latest in a long line of excellent jocks that KOOL has shown the door. They lost me as a listener years ago.
 
A tip of the fez to Steve for hanging out on Phoenix radio as long as he has! Gotta be 30+ years, and that includes all kinds of different formats.
 
Any opinions on why KOOL would give Steve the boot? Pay too high? Not connecting with the younger generation?

Goddard and the Goldmine would be a fantastic combination (if only the Goldmine had a signal that could actually be heard).
 
Can't read that article in AZ Republic...they want $$$ for you to read it
Oh heck no.
 
I pasted it...

Radio personality Steve Goddard, KOOL-FM part ways

Steve Goddard, a familiar presence on Valley radio for 35 years, ended his association with KOOL-FM (94.5) on Monday, April 6. He had spent eight years with the station.

"Yesterday at 12:15 when I walked in for a meeting and I saw the H.R. girl. I knew this was not good," Goddard said with a chuckle.

Goddard, who worked the 1-6 p.m. shift, said the split was amicable. He said he had an idea the end was coming.

"The writing was pretty much on the wall," he said, saying that last year he signed a one-year contract instead of something longer term.

"I believe I had what was fair warning," he said. "There are no hard feelings, but there is disappointment."
Steve Goddard first appeared on the Valley airwaves

Steve Goddard first appeared on the Valley airwaves in 1980. (Photo: Steve Goddard)

His last day on the air was Friday, April 3. Goddard posted about Monday's news on his Facebook page and was touched by the outpouring of support, hearing from such disparate folks as media personalities Mary Jo West and Dewey Hopper and former Arizona attorney general Grant Woods.

A comforting, friendly personality, Goddard is known for his massive record collection and deep knowledge of Top 40 music. He came to the Valley in 1980 when he joined Top 40 station KZZP-FM (104.7). There was a 13-year run at country station KNIX-FM (102.5), in addition to gigs at KOY-FM, KPSN-FM and KKFR-FM. Along the way, The Arizona Republic twice named him Best Afternoon DJ for his KOOL-FM run.

"I made a decision that this would be home," said Goddard, explaining his longevity in the Valley. "I knew it would limit me in some ways, but I made the choice to stay here."

He said he is mulling what to do next, but knows he wants to keep working. First, however, he wants to enjoy a little down time.

"I'm ready to go (back to work), but I'm not ready to go today," he said with a chuckle. "I'll be ready to roll soon. There's still a lot of gas in the tank."

A source at KOOL-FM confirmed that Goddard was no longer with the station.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8849. Twitter.com/randy_cordova.
 
landtuna said:
Any opinions on why KOOL would give Steve the boot? Pay too high? Not connecting with the younger generation?

I think it's pretty clear cut, albeit sad, that when you reach your 50's/60's in the Radio/TV News business, you're shown the door. He knew it was coming because they only offered him a one year deal last year. He's still syndicated in some markets with his "The 70's with Steve Goddard" show. (I think it's still on KOOL?) He could always go and do traffic reports with the rest of the "retirees." ;-)
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KP said:
landtuna said:
Any opinions on why KOOL would give Steve the boot? Pay too high? Not connecting with the younger generation?

I think it's pretty clear cut, albeit sad, that when you reach your 50's/60's in the Radio/TV News business, you're shown the door. He knew it was coming because they only offered him a one year deal last year. He's still syndicated in some markets with his "The 70's with Steve Goddard" show. (I think it's still on KOOL?) He could always go and do traffic reports with the rest of the "retirees." ;-)
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Does Steve do VO or other work normally associated with "mature" radio personalities?

But this whole age thing never made sense to me. After all, most radio people don't do personal appearances like they used to so they are pretty much just a voice now. As long as that voice connects with the listener I don't know why a successful one would be shown the door. Although after saying that it is exactly what happened to me. One day the VP was hosting an all-hands meeting and said in her normal callous way "there is too much gray hair in the audience". The writing was on the wall so I scooped up everything off the table and submitted my walking papers. That company was stupid beyond belief because they could have gotten another ten years of productive work out of me had they just shown a little bit of appreciation. Guess I was too expensive but I wonder how much they spent to replace me? Some management are just idiots and have no business in the business. Such, apparently, is KOOL.
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landtuna said:
But this whole age thing never made sense to me. After all, most radio people don't do personal appearances like they used to so they are pretty much just a voice now. As long as that voice connects with the listener I don't know why a successful one would be shown the door.
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Depends on what you mean by "the listener." He's at a different point in his life than the target demo right now, and listeners can hear that. When he started, most of the current listeners were in short pants. Being on-air isn't supposed to be a job for life. There's an entire generation waiting for their chance at some of these jobs. At some point, you use your celebrity to move into other things. Maybe start your own business. I know a former DJ who owns a car dealership. Everybody wants to meet the boss.
 
TheBigA said:
Depends on what you mean by "the listener." He's at a different point in his life than the target demo right now, and listeners can hear that. When he started, most of the current listeners were in short pants. Being on-air isn't supposed to be a job for life. There's an entire generation waiting for their chance at some of these jobs. At some point, you use your celebrity to move into other things. Maybe start your own business. I know a former DJ who owns a car dealership. Everybody wants to meet the boss.
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On-air not a job for life? Tell that to a plethora of TV and radio people who spent their whole careers hosting, talking, preaching or entertaining. I can understand a performer wanting to age out of that type of job after reaching late middle age but I cannot understand a management that forces them out even though they remain popular. Steve fit the music he played so I assume the listeners felt he was appropriate. I would be very surprised to learn KOOL flipping to hip hop or country but could understand booting Steve in that case. Otherwise....no.
 
landtuna said:
I can understand a performer wanting to age out of that type of job after reaching late middle age but I cannot understand a management that forces them out even though they remain popular.
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I'm sure there were other factors, because there certainly are hosts in that building older than him, and a few who also get paid more.
 
KP said:
"Yesterday at 12:15 when I walked in for a meeting and I saw the H.R. girl. I knew this was not good," Goddard said with a chuckle.
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This, right here, will not help his case - and I remember hearing him on KZZP. He's one of the legends of Phoenix radio. But, radio stations don't employ "girls." Considering that a "girl' may be the next one looking at his resume, it's best to can that "Mad Men"-type of language. He's not Don Draper. Just sayin'...
 
indieradioguy said:
This, right here, will not help his case - and I remember hearing him on KZZP. He's one of the legends of Phoenix radio. But, radio stations don't employ "girls." Considering that a "girl' may be the next one looking at his resume, it's best to can that "Mad Men"-type of language. He's not Don Draper. Just sayin'...
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In my experience, "HR girls" are used to meet hiring quotas and would generally be unemployable elsewhere. Most companies don't use HR to hire until after it ready to offer a position. Only to protect the company in a firing situation. They are generally pretty useless.
 
You haven't figured out how to read AZ Republic for free? Just clear all your cookies that have AZCentral in them when they say you have no more free articles, or browse in a private window. I thought everyone knew how to do that.
 
Legend City said:
You haven't figured out how to read AZ Republic for free? Just clear all your cookies that have AZCentral in them when they say you have no more free articles, or browse in a private window. I thought everyone knew how to do that.
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True dat. Who does McRepublic think they're fooling? Fox10 and ABC15 have great apps that update local news more frequently than AZCentral...plus you don't have to wade through lengthy newspaper columns that have been cut and pasted to their web site.

But back to Goddard's Gone: our hunch is the decision not to renew his contract boils down to the driving force of radio these days - money. Aside from AMD, why pay big bucks for any other daypart? At most music stations after 9am, it's VT until the next morning. Kinda makes you wonder why so many wannabes enroll every year at the Buckeye Media Hut for a dead end career. But that's something Nurse Jeff and I never question!
 
In addition to the Stevemeister being shown the door at the "KOY Building"...in the past week or two, it appears that evening jocks Corina and Lysa D. have been jettisoned also. The oh-so-wonderful KOOL website now lists Steve Douglas (formerly K-Lite, or whatever they called it before flipping to sports) doing 7-10 PM. Peaker--now in the former Goddard slot--is extended to 7 PM.

Closed circuit for the KOOL webmaster: you really need to update those pages buried down at the bottom, too. There's one page that still lists some talent that your PD no longer thinks is talented (or maybe it came down from Dan Mason as his last act at corporate). I'll leave it to you to find it.
 
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