Clif Groth’s engineering expertise has touched countless radio stations throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. For 60 years, he has dedicated himself to building and rebuilding radio studios and towers and establishing a reputation as a dependable, dedicated, and well-respected broadcast engineer.
Clif showed an interest in broadcasting at an early age and took his first engineering job in 1958 at WTTN in Watertown before he graduated from high school. In 1965 he started his own contract engineering business named Broadcast Electronic Service, which was later sold to Goetz Broadcasting. He was instrumental in the development of the Goetz Farm Radio Network and the statewide network for Marathon Sports.
Clif served numerous employers during his career while constantly demonstrating his commitment to the broader industry. Clif served on the WBA Broadcasters Clinic Committee for 20 years and has been an SBE member for 40 years. He is recognized for keeping himself relevant through constant training throughout his career. As a member of the engineering community, Clif has always been quick to loan services or equipment to help an engineer, even if it’s a competitor. His peers say he’s “always there.”
I am truly happy to see Clif honored in this way, he certainly deserves it!
I am the proud grandson of a wonderful man and an amazing family. This was amazing to see my grandfather honored and presented with such an amazing award
Congratulations. My father, Nathan Goetz, is smiling about his engineering buddy joining him in the “Hall of Fame.”
I just learned of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame today and I could not believe that the first thing I see on your web site is some one I knew. I knew Clif many many years ago when he would take time away from working on all the “real” radio stations and helped us out at the little station WSUW at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. I have always thought of Clif when ever I hear “Mule Skinner Blues”.
I can now appreciate why your wife is so proud of you. Brian J Tarro, Pat’s 1960 HS classmate.
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The Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame was created in 1989 to honor those broadcasters who have devoted their careers to broadcasting and its development in Wisconsin, to recognize their outstanding service to broadcasting, their communities, and their state, over at least a fifteen-year career in the industry, at least ten of which were served in Wisconsin.The first twelve members of the Hall of Fame were inducted during the 1989 WBA Summer Conference. Inductees are chosen each year from among nominations by WBA members. Broadcasters who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame include managers, personalities, engineers, reporters and those broadcasting pioneers who were at once all of the above.
In October, 1989, Alfred C. Sykes, then Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, came to Wisconsin to formally dedicate a Hall of Fame display, including plaques honoring the inductees, at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library in Madison. In 2010, due to remodeling of the SHSW facility, the display was removed. The Hall of Fame exhibit was relocated to the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in 2015 and enhanced with a touchscreen display featuring all inductee commemorative videos.
$5,000 Level
Gray Television Midwest Communications Mid-West Family Broadcasting Dick Record Wisconsin Stations of Quincy Media
$3,500 Level
Hearst WITI-TV, Milwaukee
$2,500 Level
Morgan Murphy Media
$2,000 Level
Armada Media CBS58 Milwaukee Koser Radio Group Scripps/WTMJ-TV Terry and Sandy Shockley WTMJ & ESPN Milwaukee/Good Karma Brands
$1,000 Level
Bliss Communications Magnum Communications Woodward Communications
$500 Level
Bill Hurwitz
