10 Questions with ... Phil "PK" Kukawinski

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started in college radio at Grand Valley State University and Oakland University back in 2008. Worked my way up the ladder at 89X (CIMX) in Detroit starting in 2009 as an intern, and eventually becoming APD/MD. Now the Program Director for ALT 92.1 (WFUZ) here in Scranton, PA.

1. What was your biggest takeaway from cutting your chops at 89X in Detroit?

I was fortunate to learn quite a lot during my time at 89X. I got to work with some incredible people who helped me understand all the moving parts for a radio station. I think my BIGGEST takeaway was my programming and MD experience. I learned a lot about how to conduct myself and how to work in a high-paced environment.

2. What excited you most about programming the new Alt 92.1?

It's a new brand with a lot of freedom. They gave me the keys and a lot of freedom to do what I want to do with the station. It's exciting to have a new challenge to face and I have a great team working with me to help accomplish our goals.

3. What are you learning about Wilkes-Barre/Scranton?

There's always a lot to take in when moving to a new city. So far it hasn't been too difficult to transition to the changes here. It's a fun spot to be in and I've been learning new things every day about all kinds of things.

4. Give us the 411 on ALT 92.1.

ALT 92.1 recently rebranded back in February, with an emphasis on new music discovery. We play a lot of new records, and we play them a lot. We're continuing to build on the foundation of new music, so we'll be doing more in the next couple of months with bringing bands in to town and really showing that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is dedicated to breaking new artists.

5. What is your biggest challenge as a new PD?

My biggest challenge to being a new PD is just that... I'm a new PD! There are a lot of things that I never had to really focus on during my time in Detroit. Right now, my biggest pain has been putting together our summer show. Starting day 1, it was full steam ahead trying to plan the show, and I had never planned anything bigger than local showcases. It was a big difference!

6. What is your favorite part of your job?

The people. We have a great team here at ALT 92.1. It's been fantastic getting to meet new people and share ideas with each other. Like I said, we essentially have a blank slate here, so it's been really exciting getting to implement new ideas and start building the station.

7. What is your typical workday like for you?

The typical day starts at around 8:30AM. Working on music logs throughout the day while taking (and dodging) phone calls is the bulk of my day. The occasional meeting here and there, plus my on-air shift take up the rest of the day until about 6PM.

8. How does it feel to be a newlywed in NEPA?

The wife has actually been living back in Michigan the whole time I've been here, so it's been the bachelor life for me the last month. I joke all the time that my life has reverted back to being an 18 year old college kid... Lots of pizza, pop, and video games...

9. What will you miss most about Michigan?

I'll miss my family the most. The majority of my family (and my wife's family) all live back in Michigan, so it will be difficult not having everyone be half an hour away.

10. What are you most passionate about?

I'm most passionate about my family. They always come first. I'm looking forward to a few weeks from now when I have my wife and puppy here.

What is on your personal music playlist these days?

On a very annoying day, it's a lot of hard rock like Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot, etc. BUT, on any normal day, I've been really into the new Queens Of The Stone Age, Killers, Sir Sly, Bleachers, etc.

When you're not playing video games, how do you spend your free time?

When you work all day, free time isn't something that is in abundance. So far, I've gone to a few RailRiders (AAA baseball) games. Hit a few local bars and restaurants here and there, as well. Most of my time is spent sitting in my office, though.

How would you describe a typical weekend for you and your wife?

Tough to tell what a typical weekend will be now that we've made the move. I used to work Monday through Saturday when I was at 89X, so having two full days for the weekend will definitely change things. It used to be spent cleaning and watching Netflix, but I suspect we'll break out of that mold now that we'll have a lot more time on weekends.

Fill in the blank: My favorite new discovery in NEPA is ___________?

So far, I would have to say the RailRiders or Cooper's Seafood House. And, yes, it is business romantic...