The Fierce Video editorial team is proud to present its third annual Emerging Leaders Awards, recognizing the brightest young professionals rising up the ranks of the streaming TV industry. Throughout the month of May we’ll be featuring these profiles with each of our finalists. We will announce the winners during our StreamTV Show with a live awards ceremony in Denver on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Not yet registered for the StreamTV Show, running June 6-8? Be sure to register now!
Nikki Frangella/Pluto TV:
Nikki Frangella is the senior programming manager at Pluto TV overseeing the Crime, Gaming + Anime, Classic TV and Home + DIY categories. Managing multiple channel verticals and leading a team of curators, she is a core pillar of the Pluto TV curation team where she works closely with multiple departments across the company on programming strategy. Frangella began at Pluto TV as an intern shortly after its launch in 2014 and has been rising through the ranks ever since. She received a B.A. in Visual & Media Arts: Writing for TV and Film from Emerson College. She lives in Los Angeles and is a self-proclaimed true crime enthusiast and has been an avid gamer since childhood.
What her colleagues are saying:
"Nikki Frangella began as a startup intern and is now a team leader at a billion-dollar revenue-generating, market-leading streaming platform. Her desire to keep learning at every step combined with her constant 'we'll figure it out' attitude fuels her ability to take on more and more. She is very definitely an emerging leader." - Scott Reich, SVP of programming at Pluto TV
"Nikki Frangella has an enthusiasm and inquisitiveness that is contagious to those around her. She eagerly absorbs information, making everything she does as informed as it could possibly be. Passion and wealth of knowledge unmatched, she is a true asset to Pluto TV. Like a true leader, she effortlessly inspires her team and pours her heart into every project thrown her way." - Jodi Lederman, head of global communications at Pluto TV
Streaming Industry Q&A:
What streaming services do you subscribe to?
I would say Pluto TV, of course, but we don't require a subscription! Being a part of the streaming world, I do feel like I have to keep an eye on what everyone else is doing. A few of my other favorite services to relax with are Paramount+, Netflix, Hulu and Crunchyroll.
Describe your biggest career highlight so far.
I started at Pluto TV as an intern the year it launched, so I've been watching this company grow at warp speed while I've been growing professionally alongside it. It has been such an amazing thing to witness, especially when I was just starting off in the industry. Pluto TV has also given me the chance to pursue some personal passions, and as a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, having the opportunity to build our Crime category from the ground up was such a dream come true.
What has been your biggest career learning experience?
The quickly changing landscape of FAST is the ultimate learning experience. Over the past 7+ years I've been in the industry, it has grown and transformed into something entirely different than when I began. I have to be constantly engaged with trends and where competitors are looking next.
What's next for you in terms of new challenges in streaming TV?
The streaming landscape has changed so much in recent years and we at Pluto TV are always striving to maintain our competitive edge, especially as more services come on to the scene. A big part of that edge, I think, has always been the human curation aspect. As a curator, I am always looking for new ways to apply my personal knowledge of the categories I oversee, and I'm constantly trying to learn more about them in order to deliver the best possible content that keeps viewers engaged and coming back.