Carl Mann

KATI Announcer, Music Director & Chief Engineer from 1963-64

Carl Mann made his way to Casper by way of Steve Broomell and KDEY in Boulder, Colorado. He was working in his first radio job for Ken and Misha Prather at their new station there. As Carl had his First Class Broadcast license, he was doing engineering work for the station and was asked to pull a board shift on the air as well.

He liked being on the air and was pretty good at it when an opening came available at Casper’s KATI. Steve Broomell suggested he apply and he got the job. Carl primarily worked the KATI Night Train and was also the Music Director for the station in 1963 and 1964. He also was the station’s Chief Engineer when Bill Yeager left in 1963. While he was at KATI, he got a lot of experience and when he decided to move on, his next microphone appearance happened to be in Billings, Montana.

Yes, Cark Mann was another of those jocks that left KATI to head to Montana and KOOK in Billings and later to KOMA in Oklahoma City and KOIL in Omaha, Nebraska.

As a kid, Carl Mann made his home in eastern Nebraska, near Omaha. He listened to a lot of radio in the Midwest including the greats in Omaha, Chicago, St Louis, Cincinnati and more. As a kid Carl had an a keen interest in broadcasting and as a teenager, got his HAM license early and later his FCC 1st Class Broadcast License. In 1962, his first job in radio came as a combo man (Engineer/Announcer) at KDEY-AM in Boulder, Colorado, working with longtime KATI Engineer and programmer, Steve Broomell, who installed KDEY’s studios and transmitter and put the station on the air.

As it was Mann’s first radio job, he did some transmitter engineering at the new station and was also working an air shift on the air. Ken and Misha Prather started the station there after selling KATI in 1962. Mann said the station was very new and had not completely developed their format as yet. After a year or so at the station an engineering opening became available at KATI in Casper and Steve Broomell suggested he apply. He came to KATI in 1963, first doing the station’s engineering and also doing some air work.

In 1963 and 1964, Carl primarily worked the KATI “Night Train” in the KATI Kaboose and was also the Music Director for the station. During his time in Casper, he learned a lot from his fellow announcers, Sarge McClintock, Joedy Linneman and Bill Sims. He perfected his air skills and after a year or so, was another of those jocks that left KATI to head to the Big Sky Country of Montana and KOOK radio in Billings. He was there for a couple of years before Uncle Sam came calling and he was drafted in the Army.

Mann served a two-year stent in the Army, working as an announcer for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) based in Korea. He returned to KOOK in Billings when he got out of the army. He ended up working there for several years making quite a name for himself on the air.In the late 60’s, it turns out that Carl followed nearly the same path as J Michael Wilson leaving KOOK for nighttime powerhouse KOMA in Oklahoma City. Over the years, Carl Mann also worked a number of major markets ending in Omaha after spending a number of years there running a satellite oldies network.

Mann has retired from broadcasting and makes his home in Iowa. He has written a book, in three parts, outlining the broadcasting history of Omaha Nebraska radio. Mann’s book is entitled: Omaha Radio History – The Radio Biz up close, from its beginnings. A link to Mann’s book can be found here: https://omaharadiohistory.com

Carl Mann’s Resume is listed below:KDEY [Boulder CO] 1962
KATI [Casper WY] 1963
KOOK [Billings MT] 1964
AFKN [Mun-san, South Korea] 1968
KOMA [Oklahoma City OK] 1969
KOIL [Omaha NE] 1972
KCRG [Cedar Rapids IA] 1976
KQCR [Cedar Rapids] 1985 – Don Kelly
KOIL/KOMJ [Omaha] 1987
KKCD [Omaha] 1990
KESY [Omaha] 1992
KOSJ [Omaha] 1995
KPTM-TV [Omaha] 1997
Wait/Dial-Global [Omaha] 2004- 2010 – PD, Oldies