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Nikki Nite
May 21, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. It varies market by market and song to song. For example, it's much easier to take on a song coming from Triple A in a market where there is a successful Triple A station or where that type of music is popular. Most AC stations are looking for hit songs that appeal to their adult audience in their particular market. Those songs may come from a variety formats, including Country and Triple A
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To say the least, Nikki Nite has worked and earned her way up to her current role as VP/Programming and AC Format Captain for Entercom. She started her career in South Carolina, Nite eventually honed her programming chops in a variety of formats on a number of stations in markets that ranged from Myrtle Beach, Greenville, Dallas and Sacramento to, currently, Austin. Here, she offers her insight on the delicate balance of programming the various niches of Adult Contemporary.
You've programmed a variety of formats. Are the basics tenets for successful programming the same no matter the format, or are there discernable differences, such as some tenets are more important for one format than another?
I've found the basic tenets to be the same. If a programmer understands the target audience, the reason for the brand to "be" and which content will keep the audience engaged, using the basic tenets for successful programming will lead to strong performance.
Describe your duties as AC Format Captain...
What I do at a given time depends on the current needs and can include assisting with things such as music, talent and digital. I act as a resource and work with PDs where needed on strategy, tactics and execution.
Bringing our talented team of AC programmers together is also an important part of the role. I initiate collaboration among our PDs to share ideas and best practices. We have a great brain trust and by working together, we can help all our brands achieve even greater success.
In an earlier Power Player interview, Pat Paxton described Entercom's use of annual Format Captains. Yet you're doing AC for the second year in a row. What made you decide to do it again?
I love programming. I love collaborating with people. I love helping others. I get to do all of these things in this role. And I also get to learn. Every time I speak with another Entercom PD about their situation, I learn something, so it helps me too. It's challenging and exciting to be exposed to all the different competitive scenarios that exist across the country.
Where do you see are the differences between a Hot AC, a Soft AC and Mainstream AC not just in terms of music programming, but marketing, promotion and branding?
Each of these variations of AC offer a different mood service and the listener is using each for a different reason.
For Hot AC, the listener may be coming because the music and presentation are more energizing and makes them feel more in touch with today. For Soft AC, the listener may be coming because the music helps them unwind and it's familiar and comfortable. Each of these types of ACs can also differ musically market to market based on the competitive landscape, the market's music tastes and the market demographics. Each station is programmed locally to reflect the tastes of the local audience.
It all comes down to getting very clear about what the brand stands for, the reason for it to be and why the listener chooses it. The marketing, branding and promotions are strategically crafted to fit the brand promise.
Historically, ACs have been known as the midday/office work format, with less impact in nights. Agree?
Successful ACs have to win the workday. An AC can have an impact at night if resources are directed there.
How many slots in your programming are devoted to new music from AC superstars, vs. relying on Gold/recurrents?
We play very little brand new music on KKMJ/Austin. We are more concerned with playing familiar, established hit songs. That doesn't mean we never play a new release from a superstar artist. But generally, current songs on our playlist have already at least somewhat established themselves as hit records. Most successful Mainstream AC stations are similar, with a small number of currents in rotation and a large percentage of each hour's playlist being gold-based.
How interested are your stations in introducing new music/crossovers from Country, Triple A, etc.?
It varies market by market and song to song. For example, it's much easier to take on a song coming from Triple A in a market where there is a successful Triple A station or where that type of music is popular. Most AC stations are looking for hit songs that appeal to their adult audience in their particular market. Those songs may come from a variety formats, including Country and Triple A.
Is there such a thing as "burn" on AC?
Yes. That can happen song to song, generally in the more current categories. Sometimes there is also artist fatigue, which can lead to artists moving in and out of the format. Library music testing is useful here so a programmer can see trends over time.
How do you judge success for your stations ... is it always ratings, or is it more in revenue?
The pinnacle of success is great ratings and great revenue. That, to me, is the sign of a strong brand that is hitting on all cylinders. My number-one job is to work with the programming team to generate great ratings and digital metrics. But it goes beyond that, too. It's communicating with sales about what we are doing in programming and why, going on a sales call if needed, working to come up with creative ways to get the buy in a competitive landscape and more. I value and appreciate a strong sales team.
All programmers hope to have success book after book, but sometimes that just doesn't happen... and sometimes, even with great ratings, there can be other factors that affect sales. Communication across the organization is so important because it's not always just ratings you are selling.
Do you have the same excitement/feeling about radio now as you did when you got your first PD gig?
Yes. I have always loved the fact that a radio station is never "finished." Every day that I get to paint on the canvas is a day that I get to be part of creating something unique that other people enjoy. That is still a great feeling to this day. And with the way that radio is continuing to grow, change and evolve there are even more opportunities to be excited about.
Do you set three or five-years goals or have things you still want it accomplish in radio, or is to now more keeping a balance between business and your family life?
There are so many things I still want to accomplish and experience in radio. Radio is evolving in so many new and exciting ways. There are new opportunities that present themselves every day. I often think about how many different things programmers get to do today vs. what we did just five years ago. There are so many new ways to think about radio and how we deliver this amazing content we create to the people who make it part of their lives. And, of course, balance is key. I am fortunate to be able to work at what I enjoy and also have a family that I enjoy and love. I can't wait to see what happens in the next five years.
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