Bill Gardner

What Are These Trophies???

In February 2024, well-respected National Radio Consultant Mike McVay told me, "You have done it all.  Bill Gardner understands radio more than most ever did.....or will." Thanks Mike! 

Legendary radio programmer and former EVP NBC-FM Stations  Walter Sabo just told me, "Mike Phillips said you were the best AC jock alive, and he was right!"  Thanks Walter!  (On the air as Walter Sterling, currently national talk show personality by the way).

Another of America's leading radio consultants and a national name you radio guys know, (not George Johns, by the way), humorously calls Bill Gardner "the best radio morning man in America NOT currently on the air!"  We protect his confidence.  Ask and I'll whisper his name to you.

During the halcyon days at KOOL-FM Phoenix with General Manager Clancy Woods and Program Director Tim Maranville, our many number one "25-54 adults and 12+ persons" rating "books" were rewarded with these personalized trophies, still proudly displayed here at our home. Bill Gardner's ability to "remain under the radar," (amazingly sometimes even to his own consultants and management), has allowed him to "sneak into a situation," and enjoy some of the most defense- free, dramatic turnarounds, and a 100% success record as morning personality and program executive! 

An Exact Fit For Your Job Needs?

Bill Gardner has been an "immediate impact player" in Adult Contemporary, Country, Oldies, Classic Hits, and Rock & Roll radio.  There's "easy-to-document" success* as a Drive Time On Air Personality, a VP/Programming or Program Director, even President/General Manager while owner-operator of an Arizona AM/FM combo, many times assuming both senior programming and morning drive on air roles simultaneously back when doing both was thought to be impossible :-)  And this "easy-to-document success" doesn't happen some of the time...it happens every time!

(*Search or ask for your copy of the Arizona Republic July 31, 1999, article where with virtually no other change in KOOL 94.5 mornings other than hiring Bill Gardner, the Spring 1999 ratings "book" their radio and TV columnist detailed Bill Gardner with "the biggest gain in Valley radio," almost immediately moving from 13th to 4th most popular morning show in Phoenix."  Soon after to be #1 25-54!)

Bill Gardner On The Air!

You've found the site for airchecks, interview samples, resume, letters of recommendation and more for legendary radio morning guy Bill Gardner, for almost a decade through 2008 the top-rated morning personality of KOOL-FM Phoenix, as well as morning personality and program director for Los Angeles area's 92.7 Jill FM through summer 2010.

And a special thank you to the many KOOL 94.5 Phoenix listeners who've sought me out via search engines and sent emails to my email address below.  Even after more than ten years, new emails continue to arrive in my inbox!  Really!  Your thoughts and loyalty are genuinely appreciated!  It's nice to be missed, especially when I wasn't given a chance to say goodbye on air!

 Bill Gardner IN The Air!

I enjoyed a wonderful forty-five year radio career in some of America's biggest radio stations and greatest cities.  (See the list by clicking "resume" at the top of the center column if you like).  But when bottom-feeding corporations slashed radio salaries and replaced most of us with lower cost people or recorded or out of town voices, I'm SO fortunate to also have that Airline Transport Pilot license and join a small airline here in Las Vegas for almost nine years.   Until my recent retirement, my position was as an Airline Captain, with 4AM breakfast in progress pictured below.. It was fun to be in a profession where gray hair and plenty of experience are actually appreciated!  :-)  But when I realized it wasn't as much fun anymore, I'm gone!



FUN Web Search?

Web site archive!  Enter billgardnerontheradio.com, or koolradio.com at www.archive.org and see posts dating back to my decade doing mornings at KOOL 94.5 Phoenix! 

In my radio career, I've never turned down an "almost impossible task" that others had said can't be done.   But, "can you excel in the Los Angeles Nielsen Radio Ratings even if you don't have a transmitter in Los Angeles?!?!"  That was our challenge.  And there was more.  A radio station broker friend of mine heard I was going to work there and said, "Bill.  Do you know those radio stations have been almost desperately up for sale for several years?"  Ah, the challenge was even bigger, but I was on my way,. :-)

   "

Jill FM was THREE little low power Class A, FM transmitters surrounding Los Angeles, but not in it!  Check the above map to see our coverage north of L.A. in Ventura County.  Below, coverage in Orange County.  There was a third small transmitter out in the desert in Victorville, San Bernadino County...all three on 92.7FM!    .

Exactly fifteen Decembers ago, consultant George Johns and I were busily talking, creating, planning, even building this new radio station on an almost daily basis. Below, a peek at our control room studio on it's way to completion in a Lake Forest, Orange County California office park.         .  

 

Making this job perfect was our residence back then.  On the Pacific Ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach California.  This is a view from our living room, looking south along the beach.  30 feet of floor to ceiling wall-to-wall sliding glass doors!  

There were many reasons why, including way too many people weighing in on how, but the answer to that "challenge" after six months on-air with me as Program Director and Morning Radio Personality at SoCal's Jill FM turned out to be, "No.  You can't make much of a ratings impact in Los Angeles if you don't actually have a transmitter there."  You may have noticed on the coverage maps that 92.7FM surrounding Los Angeles is now known as KYRA-FM, with religious programming after Mr. Amaturo finally sold the stations.  On the latest L.A. ratings, they're not on the list of the more than 50 most listened to radio stations, or even the "other stations.".  

    

Cool Pic of the Day....

Seen a lot of Thanksgiving memes, but this one makes me laugh the loudest.  Hope your Thanksgiving brought many smiles.

   

Those Beautiful Girls Keep On Coming!

 If you want people to visit your web site, you'd better have a picture of a beautiful girl!"  One of my favorite quotes from my friend and radio consultant the late George Johns (www.georgejohns.com).   As always, you'll notice I take George's lessons to heart.

Mrs. Gardner and I are way behind the times, I guess.  We finally got around to watching Disney's 2016 "Moana" this week.  Good fun.  Lots of famous voices portraying those animated characters, including lovely Hawaiian Nicole Scherzinger.