Z89 Passes Half-Century Mark
• The WJPZ Alumni Association, which unites the alumni of Syracuse University’s well respected student-operated Top 40 radio station, WJPZ (Z89), will hold its 39th Annual Birthday Banquet on campus over the weekend of March 2.
Under the theme of “Spectrum Of Studios,” more than 100 alumni and students will attend the Saturday evening celebration, which marks WJPZ’s 39th year on the FM band, and 51 years since WJPZ launched in 1973 as an AM station with a blazing 1/10 of a watt, designed to simulate professional radio. Over the ensuing five decades, the station has greatly enhanced its legacy as the “Greatest Media Classroom.”
The event’s speaking program will feature a keynote speech from Mike McVay of McVay Media, a 40+ year radio programmer. Stephen Donovan (’95), stand-up comedian and radio free agent, most recently morning host at WWLI/Providence, will emcee the event.
During the Banquet weekend, the WJPZ Alumni Association will formally induct its 14th class into the WJPZ Hall of Fame. New members are: Mina Llona (’08), host on SiriusXM’s The Heat and WRNB/Philadelphia;Alex Silverman (’10), Director of News & Programming and Brand Manager at KNX-AM & FM/Los Angeles; and Kelly Sutton (’92), WJPZ’s first elected female General Manager, currently Enterprise Account Manager at WEEI-FM/Boston.
The Association continues to regularly post new episodes of its podcast, WJPZ at 50, featuring interviews of a wide range of alumni who have influenced the station and the communications industry over 50+ years. The podcast is available on all popular podcast platforms.
“For more than 50 years, WJPZ has stood apart among collegiate broadcasters, as does this weekend that brings together students, alumni, and leaders in the industry to prove why the station is one-of-a-kind in the nation,” said Kevin Rich (’07), President of the WJPZ Alumni Association and VP of Operations of Beasley Media Group. Interested alumni can register for the Banquet right here.
