# Dan Mandis: From Dr. Laura To Marconi Winner & The Future Of Talk Radio :: Ep 36 Circling The Drain Podcast

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/circling-the-drain-7467223/dan-mandis-from-dr-laura-to-marconi-winner-the-future-of-talk-radio-ep-36-circling-the-drain-podcast
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/circling-the-drain-7467223/dan-mandis-from-dr-laura-to-marconi-winner-the-future-of-talk-radio-ep-36-circling-the-drain-podcast.md
Podcast: [Circling The Drain](https://stenobird.com/podcast/circling-the-drain-7467223)
Published: 2026-04-29T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a067d016
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/a067d016/9d6eb613.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/circling-the-drain-7467223/episodes/dan-mandis-from-dr-laura-to-marconi-winner-the-future-of-talk-radio-ep-36-circling-the-drain-podcast
Duration seconds: 5368

## Resource

On this episode of Circling The Drain, the three J’s sit down with Marconi Award–winning talk host and former WTN program director Dan Mandis for a deep dive into his 30+ years in radio. From cutting his teeth at legendary KFI in Los Angeles with Dr. Laura, to building syndication the hard way, to steering SuperTalk 99.7 WTN through the loss of Phil Valentine, Dan opens up about the highs, lows, and realities of a life behind the mic. You’ll hear how he: - Went from board-op and traffic guy in LA to hosting major-market and national shows - Helped grow Dr. Laura’s show station by station before syndication was “plug-and-play” - Transitioned from producer to host and program director across LA, New York, Dallas, Fort Wayne, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Nashville - Dealt with overnights, early mornings, burnout, and moving his family all over the country - Survived industry cutbacks, never technically got “fired,” and kept landing on his feet - Navigated the aftermath of Phil Valentine’s passing and kept WTN strong - Embraced video, editing, and streaming as an “old radio guy” and why he thinks you must if you’re on air today - Sees podcasting and radio converging and where the next generation of talent will come from Plus: - War stories about unscreened open lines on “America at Night” - A hilariously off-the-rails interview with Van Halen’s former manager Noel Monk - Dr. Laura’s tough-love style, how she sounds exactly the same today, and what Dan learned from her as a broadcaster and as a human - A candid look at conservative talk, Rush, Glenn Beck, and how digging into issues changed Dan’s politics - The power of theater of the mind, why storytelling still wins, and how Morgan Wallen and Ella Langley are doing it in country music today If you love radio, podcasting,…

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## Transcript

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