Adam Rivers, PD, WKCI/New Haven,
WKSS/Hartford and WWBB/Rhode Island, CT

May 20, 2024

by Bob Burke

Adam Rivers

When you’ve grown up knowing that broadcasting would be on your bingo card, it’s a good thing! Even better, overseeing the programming of two radio brands in and around a place that you’ve always called home, Connecticut. Enter Adam Rivers, the one-time wanna be weather guy who would eventually end up on the air, and programming a pair of iHeartMedia heritage Top 40s, WKCI (KC101)/New Haven & WKSS (Kiss 95-7)/Hartford and WWBB/Rhode Island. It’s the ultimate dream job with one of the top broadcasting companies in the industry.

iHeartRadio isn’t just a brand to Rivers, it’s a way of life. Adam’s combined passion for music and the art of creating FUN compelling radio is a breath of fresh air. He’s created quite a name for himself, sure he’s tough, even opinionated, but he’s also fair while remaining open-minded, and more important he’s a new Dad. No programmer has their finger on the pulse of their markets, while winning in the streets, and on the air! 

When did you know or have a feel this was going to be the career of choice for you?
I think that it was always in me that I was going to do some kind of broadcasting. When I was 6 years old, I beat out a bunch of teenagers for a position reading Kids TV news every Sunday morning on WGGB/News 40 in Springfield, MA (next to my hometown of Chicopee). I wanted to be a meteorologist but was really bad at math. So that’s how I ended up in radio.

It’s not often someone ends up overseeing the stations they grew up listening to. How surreal is it to be leading these important Connecticut brands that have quite a history?
When I think about it, if I had told my 8-year-old self that this would be my job someday – I would have not believed that it was even remotely achievable. Both WKSS and WKCI have so many legends of our business – and both sides – radio and records – that have programmed or been on the air here, and to have followed in their footsteps is a true honor. As a kid, Kiss 95.7 and KC101 were 2 of my top 3 stations (the other was WCCC, RIP) and getting to do what I do every day is awesome.

KC101 is a heritage station that’s has had many talents from across the country who have spent some time either in the building or on the air. What makes the place so special?
KC101 has a certain aura about it for whatever reason, and I’ll be honest, I’ve been here almost 11 years, and I still can’t put my finger on it. It’s a great place surrounded by other markets with such great radio (New York, Long Island, Hartford, Bridgeport) and the station jumps off the dial. It’s always a station that has punched well above its market size and that shows even to this day.

“Feel-Good Weekends” has become a fun benchmark staple for KC101. What makes them so unique to the market?
It all really started during COVID – we had always done throwback weekends, but we got rid of anything coded slow because people just wanted to feel good when the world was a mess around them. That premise has stayed true with the Feel-Good Weekends that we do now. People want an escape when they listen to the radio, and we always want to deliver that whether it be content or music.

How challenging has it been to balance the art of good programming while still trying to search out those next hits from new or up and coming talent?
I think it’s obviously become much more difficult in recent years and especially because there is now just so much data for everyone to look at – but ultimately, what does it mean to our audience, the streaming audience, and the concurrent retention that we’re trying to accomplish? I am a huge believer and fan of “if it sounds good, let’s give it a shot” and believe that programmers’ and listeners’ ears are still an important part of the equation even if there isn’t initial data on something. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” is a great example of a song that just sounded good, that programmers believed in, and it became a #1 at Top 40 radio in addition to growing into a massive streaming record as well.

You literally are the man on the street, representing the stations, but it’s more than that. You look like you’re genuinely having fun in a time where many are doing more with less. What’s the secret?
I do genuinely have fun every day. There are some days that are tougher than others, ultimately, of course. But at the end of the day, making connections with the audience – being very promotionally active (we give away a TON here on both stations in CT) and just making people that have had a tough day smile is ultimately what I’m going for the most, and what keeps driving me every single day. We’re lucky that we seem to have a lot of parades around here (thanks UConn and St. Patrick’s Day), but it really is much more than that on a day-to-day basis.

How important has it been to have the iHeartRadio app as platform in your arsenal to extend your brands?
The master brand and the app truly are so crucial. Even if people are not familiar exactly with the station(s) or what we play, most people know of the iHeartRadio app and because we are associated with it, it automatically gives us credibility to people both locally and when I talk to random people regardless of where I am or what I’m doing. I was in a timeshare presentation (awful) in Sedona last month (thanks for the gift card though for me not buying anything) and the whole room lit up when I said I work for iHeartRadio. Everyone who was bored was then more interested in asking questions about radio than about overpriced timeshare nonsense (lol).

What’s been the key for you in managing both KC101 and KISS, and now WWBB/Rhode Island, and keeping them top of mind?
Two apps: Todoist, and Joplin (to take notes). I sync these up with all my devices so that if I think of something, I can put it in my to-do app or notes app, and then just have it so I can go back to it. I’d never be able to keep track of everything without either one.

Who are some of your mentors who have been behind you on your journey and have helped you to stay focused in on the markets that you really have a passion for?
I honestly probably would not be here doing this without my SVPP, Joey Brooks, who I have known since I was in middle school. He has been a great mentor in many ways throughout the entire journey. JB Wilde brought me to KC101 11 years ago and challenged me to be a better raw programmer and understand the art and music combination that is so crucial to our industry. Rob Anthony, for whatever reason, hired me as an 18-year-old to do AC radio in Springfield, and has always been an awesome resource to go to as well.

The stations and you have one of the most unique partnerships with a client that I’ve ever seen. Tell us how you literally became that Dunkin’ guy?
I think because people can tell it’s so genuine. I truly drink Dunkin’ every day. Even if they weren’t an endorsement, I’d still be going (please stay an endorsement forever). I love the brand, I love the way that it’s ingrained in our lifestyle here in Connecticut and New England, and I truly do run on Dunkin. 

You’re a new Dad, give us some time management tips to balance all things personally and professionally?
My #1 priority is to make sure that I’m home for my son to go to bed – to make sure that I get that time with him and read a book. Even if I have to work on something in bed later on, that’s fine as long as I do that. It’s challenged me more than ever before to become a time manager, but I do hope and think it’s gone pretty well so far (My wife can comment further on Instagram).

What’s radio’s biggest challenge moving forward, and what can we or are we doing better that will continue to make it the go-to media of choice?
I think one thing that I’m really happy the industry has realized is that our differentiator is the personalities, the ability to be in the moment and the ability to be local. I think that is something that at times we struggled with when the focus was on “play more music and talk less”. The thing that brings people to our brands is us, and we’ve finally given ourselves credit for that. Continuing to give people a reason to create an occasion to listen to the radio is so important in moving forward. I believe in radio and the unique way we can connect with an audience. We just have to make sure that we continue to engage, entertain, and most importantly, be in the moment.