Radio host alum interviews Bob Mann on morning drive show

Communications and Media Studies Professor Bob Mann was the guest of his former student Joe Catenacci ‘06 host of the radio morning drive show The Big Talker 106.7 in Wilmington, North Carolina. As a Memorial Day program, they discussed a previous radio program Mann had hosted from the 9/11 Memorial in New York City.

“It’s been awesome to have him on,” says Catenacci.  The conversation may heat up next month when they begin a regular segment on media issues since the two do not regularly look at issues from the same political viewpoints. That is what makes it interesting, says Catenacci. “One of the great things about Professor Mann was and is the fact he always encourages you to have free thought….he welcomed different viewpoints with open arms to build the discussion.  For us, the debate and conversation hasn’t ended since I graduated from Caldwell”.

Catenacci,  who does  play-by-play sports broadcasting for Coastal Carolina University and UNC-Wilmington, says that when the conversation gets too animated or heated, Mann and he can always pivot back to what they both have a passion for, “baseball and the New York Yankees.”

A former Cougars baseball player, Catenacci appreciates the experiences he had at Caldwell. “I was trained with the proper tools through operations and direction as a person who had potential for on-air.”  Although he says it is the individual who has to go after the media career, he credits Professor Mann and his communications studies in helping him lay the foundation and set the building blocks for his future.