10 Questions with ... Cat Collins

NAME:Cat Collins POSITION:PD STATION:KQKS MARKET:Denver COMPANY:Lincoln Financial Media BORN:San Francisco Bay Area RAISED:San Francisco Bay Area

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

San Jose, CA
WPXY/Rochester, NY: MD/air talent
WJMN/Boston, MA: APD
KQKS/Denver, CO: PD 1998 - present

1. Why radio?

I grew up listening to stations like KFRC, KOME, (Dennis Erectus was the night jock and true to his name, he was a perv) and KMEL when it was Rock. Other huge influences were Lon Simmons and the late Bill King doing Bay Area play by play sports. Those stations and their personalities...were magic to me. They painted pictures in my minds eye. With KFRC the jocks were so good they made that station sound "larger than life"... just the way they said the call letters on the air-truly amazing. With Lon Simmons and Bill King announcing games on the radio (those were the days before the proliferation of sports on TV) you had to LISTEN to the games on the radio. Those guys were were so good I could watch TV in my minds eye while listening to them on the radio. Plus, they had a great sense of humor-so when the teams stunk-those guys could always keep me interested and tuned in. Radio was and still is magic to me. The thought of being able to program a great station like KQKS has been and is truly a privilege.

2. What stands out the most about your first few days at KQKS?

The first few months were very challenging. Change can be tough...

3. How has your day changed since coming to KQKS from WJMN/Boston?

Yikes-it's been nine years since then! At WJMN I micro managed the music...every aspect of it under Cadillac Jack's supervision. Here, I have hired a staff full of creative and talented people. John E Kage and I work together to make sure the music is perfect. The staff and I try our best to make sure everything between the records is fundamentally sound but presented as artfully and fun as possible. My staff gets 100% of the credit for that. We are live 5am through 2am and the jocks at KQKS just ooze the Denver lifestyle! I could not be happier or more proud of our air staff. They are the difference and the ONE reason KQKS has been on top 12-34 person for the last nine years.

4. What did you see as your biggest challenge when you accepted the job as PD at KQKS?

I felt the product was a little off-but I knew ownership and management were truly committed to winning...so my challenge was getting the right people to execute our vision.

5. You haven't had many airstaff changes at KQKS but what are you looking to hear as you hit "play" on an aircheck for a gig?

We have had only one full time air staff change in the last 7 years. I can't really say in words what I am looking for, but I know it when I hear it. My best advice is to put your best break first, make me want to listen to the next few breaks...For the rhythmic format I am looking for a personality, not an announcer. We can always teach fundamentals...so I am looking for unique talent.

6. Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)?

Cadillac Jack, Steve Rivers, John Ivey, Tom Mitchell, Matt Mills, Bob Call, Bill Schoening, Don Benson, Jon Coleman and most recently our new VP of Programming, John Dimick. To say I have been lucky to work for and with all of those guys is an under statement. I've really been blessed to learn from the very best.

7. Give me one line on the members of your air staff and programming team?

They are absolutely the best at what they do in Denver, and I would put my staff on any Rhythm or top 40 in America.

8. You've been the PD at KQKS for quite a while. What excites you everyday when you come in to work?

It's exciting to know we compete for number one every day. Hearing a great break from the talent...nothing gets me more fired up than that. That is the essence of the magic of radio...an entertaining and locally relatable break from the jock that you just know connected on a personal level with the listeners.

9. You're a huge San Francisco Giants fan. What does Barry Bonds mean to you?

LOL! Barry who? It really is sad to know his achievements are tarnished. Had he never taken steroids, he still would probably have over 600 homers and would have been a first ballot hall of famer. Now, he is ridiculed by most. Isn't it interesting home run stats are way down the last couple of years across major league baseball...is the pitching that much better or are players more "clean".

10. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing radio today?

In a down economy it is challenging for operators to invest in the product. When the radio economy starts perking up, will operators spend more on marketing, research and talent...or will the extra profits go to the bottom line?

Also, assuming Arbitron gets the sample right, the PPM should be a real positive for programming and sales. We need to embrace PPM, it is a better and more accurate way (than the diary) of extolling radio's benefits to the advertiser.

What song, in rotation now, always seems to make you want to smile when you hear it on the station?

Duffle Bag Boy. And any Ice Cube joint.