The graduate student works as the student-run radio station’s programming director.
He is the one who calls the shots on what the station plays and when they play it, a job he said is similar to creating one massive playlist.
More than 100 CDs are sent to Impact’s front desk every week. The music director then decides which CDs best represent the station’s sound. After the CDs are chosen, Pacynski takes the reins and uploads them onto a computer.
From there, he moves on to post-production activities. The scheduling program automatically creates a schedule for the day, but usually leaves errors in flow between songs.
“That’s one of the hardest parts of the job,” Pacynski said. “There are so many different styles that there isn’t a clear or right way to do it.”
Pacynski then weaves through the computer-generated schedule and reorganizes it depending on what time of day the music will be playing.
He said morning drive times are typically made up of a several soft and similar-sounding songs with an occasional upbeat peak in between.
The afternoon is generally composed of more upbeat songs that slow down as the day goes on until the “Impact Alternative” segment that plays heavier rock music. The section lasts from midnight to 6 a.m.
On an easier day, it takes him about 45 minutes to complete a day’s music schedule. Sometimes it takes him about 90 minutes for one day.
Juggling classes and a second job at Buffalo Wild Wings , Pacynski tries to plan two to three days of blocks at a time. While at the station, he also is in charge of managing the air staff and disc jockeys.
After two and a half years working at Impact 89FM, Pacynski said he hopes to continue working with radio in the future and has looked into radio stations in Seattle and Georgia.
“From my perspective, music is the only thing that can still surprise me,” he said. “It’s a way of inspiring people, and I wanna see everyone inspired.”
