Thursday, May 16, 2013

Sincere (No, Really) Congratulations to Jeff Catlin


We give the CTO a hard time here from time to time, but we also note the fact that, uh, the CTO has more or less given us The Ticket in unbridled and unaltered form since Cumulus took over.  (It was unbridled and unaltered before that, but that was some other collection of Overlords.)   While there have been some missteps, I think most Confessors would have to concede that programming has been a bright spot, with new talent showcased, weekend programming enhanced, and successful teams left the hell alone.

So it's a pleasure to call to your attention (if you missed it in passing when announced on The Ticket) that Ticket Program Director Jeff Catlin was named by Radio Ink magazine one of the Top 20 Program Directors in the Top 10 Markets.

Here is the quote from the article:


Catlin says he loves being a PD because every day is different. “It’s fun!” he says. “It’s collaborative. It allows me to get my competitive juices flowing. I like seeing the success and growth of our staff. I enjoy seeing where the industry is headed in terms of digital, future content delivery, brand extension, etc., and trying to keep pace or ahead of that curve. One of my favorite things to do each week is lead our image production meeting and create the station brand and image of the Ticket through writing promos and liners in the station’s voice.  “It still comes down to delivering your message as a PD to the individuals in the studio who have to make it happen on air each day, based on a common goal and vision. You have to communicate your station’s brand to the audience and to clients, and you have to be able to outline a plan and strategy and goals to every other department in the building. A great PD also has to have a complete understanding of PPM and how it works.”



OK, I don't know what PPM is, and I'd give a fair amount of money to hear Jeff "delivering [his] message as a PD to [Mike Rhyner] in the studio who has to make it happen on air each day, based on a common goal and vision," but there's a little capsule of what the Pan-American Catman is about.

Ah, but did you also know that he is not only the Ticket's Program Director, he is also the Operations Manager for Cumulus Dallas, which means that he is the Overlord for the Program Directors for the other five DFW Cumlus properties?

So if you wonder what Jeff Catlin does all day to be the Program Director of a station that more or less seems to run itself successfully, programming-wise, year after year after year, now you know -- he has plenty to do riding herd on all those other people who you don't know what they do, either.

Seriously, the man seems to have a fairly stout fan base among The Ticket hosts, which, among a group not known for respectful treatment of authority, is saying something.  And, as noted, when there's programming to be done, the man keeps the P1 in mind.

And now, he's doing ads.

Congratulations to you, Jeff C, and may you have many more years of telling Corby to step up the E-News and Quick Hits prep.

*     *     *

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com
Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

29 comments:

  1. [A special thanks to Rich Phillips for providing a copy of the Radio Ink article.]

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  2. Thanks Rich and Jeff for a solid product.

    LMAO re: Jesse calling in to The Musers talking about The Nelson this morning - "She vomited and immediately turned around and made out with a bald, drunk salesman from The Colony."

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  3. I realized we have many new readers here.

    CTO = Cumulo-Ticket Overlords; management; suits.

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  4. This describes PPM and how a listener uses it for Arbitron. It is the measurement system for the largest markets in the USA, which replaced the personal listening diary.

    Remember the move to Victory and not being "plugged in"? That had to do with PPM.

    http://blatherwatch.blogs.com/talk_radio/2011/01/confessions-of-a-ppm-wearer-blatherwatch-has-unplugged-its-ppm.html

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  5. Thanks for the behind the curtain snapshot , Plainsman . Catman is a talented manager and understands the radio Buisness .
    If we connect the dot's , there is a direct correlation between the KTCKs continued success and a gifted PD as opposed to the compatition's struggle with ratings and PD's who manage solely by the numbers . ( same issue in other industries who drift from a Succesfull buisness formula in order to grow ) Bigger is not always better , it is if you protect your core element of success.
    People in all industries fail to calculate the value of a supportive and creative Corprate environment , when they make career changes , ending up in Corprate Zoo , unable to ply thier craft , no matter how good the product.

    Congrats to Catman . I predict continued long term success for him .

    ( what happened when he went to St.Louis for brief moment ? )

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  6. atlanta rhythm sectionMay 16, 2013 at 12:07 PM

    Atta boy, Catman of the Americas! You, too, Rich "Sports Duck" Phillips! Sho nuff, wicked stuff!

    Keep on a rockin' me Ticket!

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  7. Thanks, DA. Now that you mention it, I did know what PPM was at one time.

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  8. Cat is actually quite disliked by the talent. Staff and other management, certainly well liked. Most of the hosts don't listen to him or don't like him off air/in meetings. It's funny he mentions PPM, cause if he teaches it, they aint usin' it. Still winning though.

    I guess we'll really see his mettle when/if KTCK finally has to make tough decisions/changes.

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  9. 417 I'm gonna call your bluff. How do you know this information? I think you're making it up. In fact, I know you are. Now go back to your job at The FAN.

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  10. Today's gem from Danny (after resurrecting the phone he dropped in the toilet):

    "There's a piece of corn on the lens. I don't know how it got there."

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  11. Hey 4.17 , needless comment , foolish actually , greggos blog would be a more appropriate place to post shallow , vague and irrelevant comments .
    I cant speak for The Plainsman , but , I am sure you miss the spirit of this Blog , need some content to back up your statements . I don't know Cat , but I like his product and I like to learn from other peoples successes.
    There is not a company n the World where the Boss is beloved and listened to by all the employees .
    Reality would tell us that there are employees and people Cat has rubbed the wrong way throughout the years.
    The fact of the matter is , he has kept an eclectic group of on air egos focused on delivering their product under a variety of owners .
    Whatever the case , I would like to know more about his management style and delivery of the changing corporate culture he has endured . The results he has posted speak for themselves .


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  12. Quack.

    There have been a few spots that I seem to recall him writing that were, err umm pushing the envelope. I can't remember the spots but I do recall Big Dumb Danny making the remark, "That was written by Cat! The PD!"

    And I had an overwhelming desire to smack Corby today. Exercise in Futility was indeed a correct assessment.

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  13. Yeah, 417 sounds like axe-grinding to me too. I don't have much in the way of inside dope on this, but what little I have is to the contrary. Does the boss get under peoples' skin? Do they resent being told to be on time? Do they resent pretty much anything they don't want to do? Yeah -- but seeing as how they're all still there, all still successful, virtually never disciplined -- I'm guessing their relationships with JC are good to very good. I don't get a tense vibe on those few occasions when he steps into a showgram.

    Of course, now that he's competing for endorsements . . . .

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  14. I've heard from time to time about down talking Cat (it's normally THL, but sometimes I think it's because that's the kind of guys they are. They don't talk up many people and are all dark clouds to an extent. I would think they legitimately have solid respect for Cat.

    @ Anon Ron, I heard the Danny comment about the corn too. He knows how to play comedy on air. I'm sure he's probably a pretty fun guy to be around, as long as you can keep up drinking with him.

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  15. The shit they give Cat is totally out of love, friendship, and respect. Anyone who doesn't understand this or is unable to discern this has either never played competitive team sports past grade school, been in the military, a fraternity, or has a group of tight knit buddies. And if you haven't, then I feel sorry for ya. Alright there's one one alternative. You're just a jwad trying to gin up some sorta controversy. If that's the deal then screw you. Ticket rules, all other stations do their best to lap it up. Yeah, that's gross, I know. Don't care. Cuz it's true.

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  16. Since we have evidence that the Sports Cretin might visit these parts I want to put in a call for a segment on Dick Trickle from the Dick Hicks Nascar CD.

    No matter if he had one of the funniest, giggle snort names in sports the fact he ended his life tragically and was an influence in the sport deserves some measure of reporting. Thanks in advance Rich.

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  17. Mike Bacsik is covering for Slater today with Elf. They make a great team. But like it's been said before, Bacsik is good with almost anyone. To me it is a much better listen then Norm.

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  18. @ 11:25 I don't know man. Between Norm getting his Cowboy draft predictions WAY WRONG and calling a horse race on the air right now which no one can or cares to watch, we may be in the midst of DFW radio greatness.

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  19. Norm's fantasy horse racing calls are akin to the precocious kid who, due to the Thanksgiving meal, has the entire extended family held hostage and announces he's going to sing "Over the Rainbow" or play the violin, painfully badly.

    But hey, it's great comedy.

    Man would I listen to a Bacsik show over Norm. Heck, a Bacsik show against BaD would have be flipping back and forth.

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  20. Ratings are out, via DMN.

    On weekday shows 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. with heavy-hitter hosts in the demographic, it was The Ticket (8.5), ESPN (3.1), The Fan (2.2).

    The Ticket finished first every hour and ESPN was No. 2 every hour with the exception of noon when Elf and Slater nipped Fitzsimmons and Durrett, 1.9 to 1.8 and at 6 p.m. when the departed Richie Whitt and Greg Willams topped Chuck Cooperstein, 2.4 to 2.3. Looking in the rear view mirror at noon was The Ticket’s BaD Radio at 9.6 and at 6 p.m. it was The Hardline at 10.5.

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  21. Killer ratings. Gee, Greggo, yeah, right, it was "Spittle, Gavin" and B&S conspiring against you. Couldn't have had anything to do with your performance. Nope. Nothing to see here.

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  22. Good bounceback by 103.3; not a good follow-up performance by The Fan but Ben and Skin will be the answer!

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  23. Bob and Sean took a funny jab at the Greggo blog earlier. Bob was prodding Sean about when his blog was going to finally be up and Sean said that he needed to add "and Cafe" to the end of the name. Then Bob said he needs to hurry up so he can post about wrestling (or some such).

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  24. What a day for Jake:

    Fill in for Gordo (on extremely short notice?)
    Normal board op shift for BaD Radio
    Fill in for Danny as Danny fills in for Corby.

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  25. @354
    No offense bro, but what exactly will Ben and Skin be answering? How to come in a distant and pitiable second? Do you really think that's what CBS is aiming for? Hey, let's spend money on advertising, salaries, and everything else it entails.......so we can be nearly 9 points behind the #1 pm drive show! That's not how it works.

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  26. Never thoght I was going to have to worry about getting burned out on the song "Down Under" but it looks like it's going to happen now.

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  27. HL went well today , enjoyed an engaged Rhyner , Danny pitch hit well , didn't miss a forced corby ( i don't mean to dogpile him when hes gone ), theres a spot for corby , i just cant pinpoint it . Didn't listen to B&S this week , enjoyed GAC while surfing .
    Looks like greggo giving it a 100% effort at blog journalism , haven't figured out what hes trying to do ,perhaps trying to maintain a high profile of sorts while hes in transition , generally speaking listeners are not bloggers , cant imagine him trying to stay connected to a listening audience via a blog ?
    Ready for Race Week .

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  28. Hard to imagine Jeff in his role today when some of us remember him being the producer for Ron Engelman at KGBS 1190 in the dark days after the Great Waco BBQ and Turkey Shoot.

    Well done Sir, well done.

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