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10 Questions with ... Nik Rivers
February 17, 2009
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NAME:Nik RiversTITLE:PD/afternoonsSTATION:WZNEMARKET:Rochester, NYCOMPANY:Stephens Media GroupBORN:February 8thRAISED:Bridgeport, CT
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
1996-1997 -- WHOB/Nashua, NH nights; 1997-1998 -- WAAF/Boston promotions, 1999-2001 -- WPXC/Cape Cod, MA MD/nights; 2001-2002 -- WRLX (Planet Radio 92.1)/West Palm Beach afternoons; 2002-2007 -- WPBZ (103.1 The Buzz)/West Palm Beach APD/MD/afternoons; April 2007-August 2008 -- WZMR (104.9 The Edge)/Albany, NY PD/afternoons; and September 2008-Present -- WZNE (The Zone @ 94.1)Rochester, NY.
LAST NON-INDUSTRY JOB:
Financial Analyst for Fleet Bank, Boston. People always used to ask me when I worked there "why don't you bank with fleet." Simple Answer, I worked there, would you trust a bank that employed me?
FIRST RECORD EVER PURCHASED:
The Grammy winning Men At Work - Business As Usual. On Vinyl, and yes I still have it.
FIRST CONCERT:
It was Supposed to be Guns N' Roses and Public Enemy at Lake Compounce in CT. And in typical GNR fashion, they canceled the show. So the first show I actually went to was Steve Miller and Eric Johnson. Who knew that he would enjoy a career renaissance years later with the release of Guitar Hero. Now I don't feel so old, kids actually know an Eric Johnson song.
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL-TIME:
Toss up between the Beatles & Pearl Jam
1. What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?
I can cook a mean pulled pork. The Secret is Dark Beer, and at least 24 hours to sit in the rub.
2. What are you most passionate about?
I'm going to pick two things here. 1. Music and 2. New York sports. I bleed Giants & Yankees Blue.
3. What do you like best about living in Rochester?
About 65 of the last 70 days it has snowed. What's not to like? Dinosaur BBQ is pretty damn good as well. Another nice thing is that nothing is more than 20 minutes away. And oh yeah WEGMANS is AMAZING! (It's a western NY thing)
4. What would an outsider find most surprising about the Rochester radio market?
How much rock actually exists on the radio here, aside from the classic rockers, there are a few other stations in town playing more and more new rock these days. Popular conception outside the market is that The Zone is the only station playing new Rock, and I was somewhat surprised to find that's not really the case.
5. What is your best challenge programming The Zone?
A big challenge has been moving through life in our post O&A days. The Zone inherited some of the "Free FM" talent, from when we where owned by CBS. We had a lot of listener feedback asking for more music on the station. We made the decision to drop O&A in late December, and the challenge here was making sure that the remaining O&A fans remained fans of The Zone.
The Zone is now in its 12th year as an Alternative station, and with that long proud history, I have made sure to take the time to respond to every listener email, and return every phone call that I have gotten in regards to O&A. In the long run, the response I get in return is along the lines of, "Wow, I'm amazed that you took the time to write me/call me back about O&A." To me, it shows a lack of caring about the listener in this industry, is responding to listener email not common place? Not to get on a soap box, but with out the listener, our stations have no reason to exist. With that said, the majority of the O&A fans have in turn, thanked me for taking the time to care enough about them to respond, and say they have more respect for the Zone than any other station they have listened to. Keeping the listener happy is always challenge number one.
6. How would you describe the music and imaging on The Zone?
Well, I'll start with the imaging. It's the creative outlet of The Zone. What we put between the music is now more important than ever. I just don't get these stations that use a dry line of the station name. I might as well be listening to an iPod. To borrow a term from an industry vet, whom I have great respect for; I like to think of The Zone's imaging as "Audio Landscaping." I use it to paint a picture in the listeners mind. Creative writing, outside the box thinking, a lot of attitude, and subject matter that touches on the core of the demo's lifestyle. I have a dynamic duo putting it all together for me. My Voice guy Aaron Lehman is a true pro (http://aaronlehman.com) with the perfect attitude, and Fletch puts it all together, and makes it sing (www.myspace.com/fletchimaging)
The Music is, for a lack of a better term, middle of the road Alternative. Toss in a little from the Active Rock world, and mix in the fact that we are the ones to break new rock first in Rochester. A wide gold library with some '80s alternative, a nice base of grunge, and everything in between.
7. What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Radio is truly a small world. From city to city, names continually show up again and again. That along with knowing how to do as many things as possible at a station makes you that much more valuable, especially in this day and age.
8. What music do you listen to when you're not working?
Today I had Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts club band on as I was driving around town. It changes from time to time. Sometimes Johnny Cash, Sometimes its Public Enemy. I need to mix it up every now and then. You can only hear the songs on your playlist so many times.
9. What was your favorite station to listen to when you were a kid?
When I was real young, my mom won movie tickets from WICC. It was an AM Top 40 in Bridgeport, CT. We went to the studio to pick up the tickets, and got to go see the studios. I was in awe; guess you can say I caught the bug at a young age. From there on out I listened to that until I grew up a few years and discovered rock on the radio.
10. If you were to leave radio today and you could choose any other occupation, what would it be?
I would have to think I would like to take up something in the ornithological field. Oh, you haven't heard? It was my understanding that everyone had heard. Either that or I would want to work at The Pawtucket Ale Brewery. Hey you said any occupation, so a cartoon occupation qualifies as any.
Bonus Questions
What is your New Year's resolution?
I have resolved to pester Shawn Alexander so that he actually remembers to put me in the All Access Birthday list this year. I have also resolved to make the pilgrimage to the New Yankee Stadium at least once.
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