In this episode of WJPZ at 50, we sit down with Bella Galan and Lizzie Gottlieb, the current GM and PD of WJPZ, to talk about how they found Syracuse, how they found the station, and how they are helping shape its culture right now. Both of them came to Syracuse with strong interests in performance, media, and storytelling. Both found, in Z89, a place that brings all of those interests together. What stands out most in this conversation is how clearly they see the station as more than a radio outlet. They describe it as a place to build communication skills, leadership skills, confidence, and real relationships that last far beyond college.
A major focus of the episode is how the station continues to evolve while protecting what has always made it special. Lizzie talks about the programming side and how Z89 still leads with Top 40 music while also making room for specialty shows and new ideas. Bella explains how the team has worked to expand opportunities for students who do not necessarily want to be on air, including web, press, photography, and newly created associate producer roles. Together, they make the case that the station works best when more people feel they belong there and can see a path for themselves inside it.
The conversation also highlights the current culture at WJPZ. Bella and Lizzie speak with real gratitude about the mentors who guided them, and they are intentional about passing that same support to younger members. They talk about wanting freshmen to feel welcomed, included, and confident enough to take up space. That emphasis on culture comes through again when they discuss women in leadership, representation, and the importance of amplifying more voices across the station. Bella in particular reflects on how meaningful it has been to see women and women of color in visible leadership roles, and how important it is to keep building on that progress.
The episode closes with a look at what is happening at the station right now. They share updates on new shows, new technology, a digital station timeline, fresh social content, and even a full April Fool’s Day format flip built around Glee covers. More than anything, the episode shows that WJPZ is still doing what it has always done best: giving students room to experiment, lead, connect, and turn passion into real work. In 2026, it remains the World's Greatest Media Classroom.
(00:00) Intro
(01:19) Lizzie’s path to Syracuse and Z89
(04:02) Bella’s background and early station experience
(08:25) Lizzie’s first DJ shift and The Morning After
(10:54) New shows and taking creative risks
(14:38) Why Z89 is bigger than an FM station
(17:31) Mentors who shaped Bella and Lizzie
(23:52) Bella on the GM role and off air opportunities
(26:04) Building station culture and belonging
(30:23) April Fool’s Day and Glee89
(33:57) How Lizzie chooses music for the station
(35:47) Alumni who made an impact
(39:24) Women in leadership at WJPZ
(44:49) Representation and diverse voices
(46:08) The women’s conference and mentorship
(47:57) What is happening at the station right now
(51:17) Syracuse Giving Day and WJPZ support
(52:49) Closing thoughts
[Music playing]
Voiceover (00:01):
For half a century, WJPZ Syracuse has been the greatest media classroom on the planet. We've trained students from the 1970s to the 2020s on how to run a professional radio station. But the lessons learned and relationships formed go far beyond studios and transmitters. Taking a look back through the eyes of those who experienced it, this is WJPZ at 50.
Jon Gay (00:26):
Welcome to WJPZ at 50. Today is a bucket list episode for me because I'm so excited to have today's guests. They are the current GM and PD of WJPZ, Bella Galan and Lizzie Gottlieb.
Lizzie, also, you may remember, if you were at Banquet, this year's Lock Award winner. So, congratulations there. And welcome to you both.
Bella Galan (00:46):
Thank you so much for having us. We are so, so excited, obviously. Obviously, we love Z. So, we were so excited that you asked us to be on the podcast today.
Jon Gay (00:54):
I want to get to a lot of different topics with you. And especially the current culture of the station, because I think that really came through both in your speech, Bella, at the alumni meeting on Saturday in Syracuse.
And then also, just talking to your staff, the record turnout for especially freshmen at the Banquet. There's so much I want to get to. But let me start with backstories and where you're from, how you got to Syracuse, how you found the station. Lizzie, let me start with you.
Lizzie Gottlieb (01:19):
Yeah, so I'm from outside of Philly, kind of in that right in-between of almost to New Jersey, but still very much a PA girl. I grew up doing a lot in the theater.
And what I've noticed (especially now that I am here at Syracuse University) is that a lot of people have gone through that theater and music and high school pipeline to then being broadcast journalists.
[Laughter]
And so, that's where I really was like, “I want to blend my passions between the performance element, but also being able to write and being able to use all these different platforms.”
And so, that's when I knew like oh, this is a career path that I want to pursue. And now I know even more that I want to work in music. So, that's why I got to Syracuse. And how I got to Z89 was because I met Grace Denton and I actually remember one of the Orange Preview days.
So, before I started here on campus, it was like a month or two before her school year ended. I went up and got to meet her at a preview event in the Dome. And it was really exciting to learn about Z89, and again, get that blend between broadcast journalism, music, and just … it had the whole package for me, for sure.
Jon Gay (02:43):
I was going to hit on this later in the interview, but you're teeing it up for me perfectly. If there was one thing that I would scream from the mountaintops to freshmen and anybody joining the station, look, I worked in radio for 15 years.
We all know the current state of radio; it is not what it was. And 25, 30 years ago, a good chunk of people at JPZ were probably going to get into radio. And now, they're few and far between because there are few and far between with jobs in the industry.
But I think what's amazing about JPZ (and you just hit on it, Lizzie) is it teaches you a skill set that you can use anywhere you go. Whether you're on air, off air, whether you're learning to talk 20 seconds over a song intro and explain something clearly and concisely.
And then, of course, the relationships and managing a staff, as you're both doing right now. But the communication and the interpersonal dynamics, I think no matter what you do, the station is so valuable for.
Lizzie Gottlieb (03:37):
Absolutely. I think the biggest thing for me is just learning how to communicate. Going on the air and knowing that you've got to talk for however amount of time and you have to go off of what each other is saying has been such a valuable skill that you can take with networking. You can take if you're going on air for a news hit. It's just been — there's so many valuable experiences here.
Jon Gay (04:00):
Bella, let's get your back story.
Bella Galan (04:02):
Oh, yeah. Well, I'm from Wayne, New Jersey, as a lot of WJPZ alumni.
Jon Gay (04:07):
Oh, my gosh. Can you run through just off the top of your head the list? Because there's a lot.
Bella Galan (04:11):
There's too many to count, but I'm honored to be a part of that legacy, that's for sure. Yeah. I grew up as a competitive dancer and also competed in pageantry. So, not officially theater.
I've made my way to theater, since then, on the outskirts. But, yeah, I always grew up, again, loving performing, loving being in front of people, loving to talk to people. I definitely built that skill when I competed in pageantry and was going on interviews and doing community service.
I just knew I loved going out and meeting people and hearing their stories. So, when I was in high school participating in a lot of different clubs and extracurriculars, I was really fortunate to have a great communications department there that had a TV station that did the morning announcements every single morning in the form of a news broadcast.
So, I started getting my foot in there, created my own podcast. And I just knew I wanted to go into the multimedia space in some way. So, when looking for broadcast journalism majors and looking for schools, Syracuse was the top of the list.
And I said, “I have to go there.” There is nowhere else that I can go. And when I stepped on campus to do a tour, I just knew immediately that that was it. So, I applied early decision. It was one of two schools that I applied to. And I knew I was like if I don't get in here, I don't know what I'm going to do.
Jon Gay (05:34):
What was the other school?
Bella Galan (05:36):
It was Bryant University, because it was the only other one that had early option. Everybody else regular. So, I was like if I don't get into Syracuse, then I'll apply and figure out what else I'm going to do. But I'm going to really put all my eggs in that basket.
But Bryant is great, too. But I can't imagine being anywhere else than here. So, then, yeah, I came here kind of very similar to Lizzie. We got involved in a lot of the same organizations (chuckles) as soon as we got here, like many of the freshmen do.
I was in way too much doing a million different things, but very quickly realized that there was just something so special about Z89, and I wanted to get involved as soon as I could.
So, it was thanks to that current executive staff that was like, “Yeah, just do a DJ shift, get cleared. And you know what? Apply for Exec, it will never hurt.” And I did and applied as the web director, and was the web director from my freshman spring into sophomore fall, which was great.
And I learned so, so much. And being able to go to that first banquet was genuinely life-changing (laughs). I did not know what to expect at all. And very quickly realized, again, just how special these people were and how much of a family it was.
And like you guys were mentioning before, it isn't just about going on the air as a DJ, going on the air as a radio host. It was all of the skills that you learn surrounding that. Which has then kept me here, obviously now sitting here as the GM, former VP of Ops.
And now, being able to teach that to the new classes and the new generation of Z89 has been so rewarding. And I could not be more grateful.
Jon Gay (07:13):
So, you're both seniors, Class of ‘26?
Bella Galan (07:16):
Juniors. You can't get rid of us yet.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (07:19):
How is that possible? You're both so accomplished. How is it possible you're only juniors?
Bella Galan (07:25):
Yeah, junior. We came in the same year. Again, we pretty much do everything together. We also are roommates.
[Laughter]
So, we do all of it together. We do stuff at Citrus, stuff here. We were both on Red Carpet Report, both love theater. So, we're attached at the hip and want to do more of that entertainment lifestyle, more like hearted.
Lizzie Gottlieb (07:49):
I think our big difference is she's more the Broadway route. Love Broadway. She wants to pursue that route. Whereas I'm like music.
[Laughter]
Bella Galan (07:57):
But it blends perfectly. It blends perfectly.
Jon Gay (08:00):
What I love about doing this podcast is the stories that echo throughout the years. You two being so close, living together, running the station together.
Off the top of my head, I'm thinking of a couple dozen pairs that I've interviewed in the podcast that have just become so close and together through the station and so on. So, it's nice to see that still alive and well.
Lizzie, tell me about your path to the station.
Lizzie Gottlieb (08:25):
So, very similarly, fall of 2023, getting trained as soon as possible because I wanted to get on air, and this was the quickest way to do it. But I remember going into the station for the first time (the studio) and seeing the colors of the board.
I was just so amazed at the equipment that Z89 had access to and figuring out that, “Oh, you're actually going to be doing this within three weeks and know how it works and you're going to go on air.” So amazing.
So, I did a DJ shift that I am still a part of to this day. Chloe Breeze and I, we started that as freshmen, and it's still going very strong. And we've brought in other underclassmen along the way and been able to mentor them as well.
But that DJ shift is so, so important to me. I was also on The Morning After for a semester, and that was some early mornings for sure.
Jon Gay (09:25):
What is The Morning After, for alumni who don't know?
Lizzie Gottlieb (09:28):
So, The Morning After is a Sunday, 9 to 11 morning show that just kind of … it's been a long weekend. Maybe you were up doing a lot of fun activities. Let's bring it on back down, let's manifest for the next week coming up and look ahead to what we've got.
So, it's a lot more chill music to get you started on your week again. So, you don't get those “Sunday Scaries” for sure.
[Laughter]
But it was a lot of fun.
Jon Gay (09:54):
What about the regular DJ shift? Is that just regular JPZ, Z89 music, or is that especially a show as well?
Lizzie Gottlieb (10:00):
Yes, that's just the 24/7 WJPZ music.
Jon Gay (10:05):
As the PD, I'll ask you, so if you had to ballpark (I don't know the exact number), of the shows on the air, percentage-wise, roughly, how much is this traditional CHR Top 40 format versus specialty shows, if you had to just guess or ballpark it?
Lizzie Gottlieb (10:24):
About 75% is your Top 40 music, and then 25% is those specialty shows that still have some bleed from the Top 40, but get more nitty-gritty into the niche genres, for sure.
Jon Gay (10:39):
Forgive me for getting on my soapbox for a second, but the thing that's going to really save radio is personality-driven radio and giving your audience something that they're not going to get on Spotify or Apple Music or YouTube. And I think you're exemplifying that with what you're doing at the station.
Bella Galan (10:54):
Yeah, I would 1,000% agree, which has been the greatest part about having a PD that's as open to collaboration and new ideas as Lizzie, is we've brought in two new shows into our programming within this year, one in the news department, one in the music department.
One of them being my show that I just added, A Brief Intermission about all the things theater in Central New York, not just on Syracuse University's campus. We really branch off into the other areas of Central New York as well.
Getting people in from the national tours of the Broadway shows that are stopping at the Landmark (Theater). We just did an interview with Dylan Knight Weaver, who was the lead in Book of Mormon on the national tour, and he went here and graduated three years ago.
So, having people like him come in, but then also the regional theaters and community theater, has been a really, really great way to bridge the gap between us as Z89 on campus, but then also being a radio station that is for the greater area of Syracuse as well.
But then adding in House Arrest, which is our brand-new music show we added this semester. EDM and house music, which is extremely popular right now, and has been doing really, really well.
And just being able to collaborate and be open to those ideas and having students wanting to share their personalities and their passions and things they're passionate about, that's what is the most important to me.
I know when I was pitching my show at first, it was like, “I don't know, might be too niche. I don't know if that's our brand.” And I was like, “Guys, if it doesn't work and it flops, we can cancel it. It's fine, but I think we just got to try.” There can be something really special here.
And I ended up becoming a finalist for International Broadcasting Championship, International Student Broadcasting Championship. Again, House Arrest being led by someone who was a finalist for best on-air host.
We know we have the talent and the ideas here, and we want people to feel open to being able to share those and really express that. Which I think has been really, really special this year.
Lizzie Gottlieb (12:58):
Yeah, I think my viewpoint on it is: If you don't try it out, you're never going to know if it works. And I would rather people try these things when they're able to, when we are in college, than when you're professionally down the line and there's a lot more roadblocks in the way to trying out these new things.
So, if we're able to try a house music show, let's do it, I'm open to it. You have an idea, let's see it to fruition. And so, I'm glad that we've been able to get these new shows in, get more interviews that are happening in the local area.
We have more coming up, don't worry. So, just branching from Z89 to Syracuse University, but to also all of Syracuse area.
Jon Gay (13:45):
There are a lot of alumni that are very happy to hear that because I think there are … sometimes it gets lost of just focusing on the campus and then expanding to that whole … that's always traditionally in 50+ years been a big part of the radio station.
You're also kind of transitioning me to my next question, which is Z89 as an entity. Maybe 30 years ago, pre-social media, early days of the internet, it was a radio station. It was an FM radio station at 89.1, which it still is and still sounds terrific, credit to the two of you and your staff.
But you're talking about interviews, and you're talking about social media, and you're talking about having an influence on Central New York and then also talking to people in the community.
It seems the last 10-ish-plus years that WJPZ and Z89 is more of a brand than an FM radio station. Can you talk about that a little bit?
Bella Galan (14:38):
Yeah, I think when Lizzie and I were just talking about this too, just even at the slogan, we're a party station. And if we want to update it or change it. And I feel like that really just encapsulates us so well as to what we do.
It's just like Z89 in and of itself as a brand is a party. It's fun. We want people to be able to, again, talk about the things that make them light up because that shows in the talent shows in the topics they're talking about.
If I was forced to talk about something that I did not like or had very little interest in, it would be very different than when I would go on Red Carpet Report and we would just be able to (for lack of a better term) bot out about the Harry Potter teaser that just came out.
It's focusing too on just what makes people light up because when you're watching it or when you're listening, you can hear that. And then I think talking about the social media aspect of our branding that we've been really trying to push forward this year as well with a lot more of our vertical content.
It's clipping the parts of the shows also that we know other people are going to enjoy or those other niche communities that will then be able to find that clip and be like, “Oh I like their hot take on that. I like what they said about this, let me follow them to see what else they're doing.”
So, making it less about — yes, it's always about the music. We still are music first; we’ll always be music first. But it's also just finding ways to get people to really see themselves in Z89 beyond just the music.
Lizzie Gottlieb (16:10):
And that part of like, “It's a party.” So, yeah, there's going to be music at the party, and we're going to have the hits you want to hear. But the thing about a party is everybody's invited and so, you have the news, we have sports, we have the music specialty shows.
And because of that, I think that your party station Z89, there isn't necessarily in my mind a better way to describe what our station's goal is. And that is being able to try out social media, try out doing press for concerts, being able to interview people live on air, and bring them into the studio. And just getting that full-picture experience and having a party.
Bella Galan (16:51):
What you just said too, a party is different for everyone. My definition of a party may not be the same as Lizzie's or might not be the same as yours. So, if your party is EDM house music, great. If it's wanting to listen to an hour of just country music, great.
That's what we have the power hour for. We have different things for — it could be sports. Obviously, our sports department does extremely well. If that's your version of what you want to listen to at a party, we have it.
So, I think it's just finally embracing that and realizing it it'll look different for everybody, but at the same time, it still falls under this one umbrella of wanting to have a good time and just being your true authentic self.
Jon Gay (17:31):
So, this is your third year there, which I still can't get over. I assumed you were both seniors because you're so well accomplished, but who are some of the mentors when you got to the station that have helped you out along the way?
Bella Galan (17:41):
There's so many. And I know we share a lot. And they've definitely gotten more the longer that we've been here. One of the first for me … well, the first person that actually told me to join Z was former GM Patrick Chambers, who let me onto his DJ shift when I had no one else to sign up with.
He was like, “You know what?” … me and Victoria, who was the former VP of business, he was like, “Just come on to ours.” And I was like, “Really? You’re asking me, a freshman, who just got here to join — you guys are on Exec, what do you mean you're inviting me to be on your DJ shift?”
So, they definitely helped me in that transition. But I also had a DJ shift with Ilana and worked extremely closely with her and have always looked up to her as not only just a mentor, but just as a role model of what it looks like when you put in so much love and passion into the projects that you have such a strong desire to make successful.
So, seeing her basically do everything that I wanted to do, I was like, “Okay, it is possible I can do both? I can do Z89 and Citrus. I can do hard news and entertainment reporting. She was kind of that big inspiration for me, and I know she definitely was for you too.
Lizzie Gottlieb (18:56):
Yeah, she was for a lot of the same reasons. But Ilana was the girl that trained me to be able to be a station member here, and she ended up being my Citrus TV mentor as well, so I utilized her for everything. A lot of questions about Z89 for sure.
And I remember asking her about when I was applying to be music director. I wanted to know everything that possibly you could know before going into it, because I wanted to make sure that it was good for me.
I love music, but, like, “What is this role?” And she was so helpful in being able to understand what actually would go on with that. But she just … wow, she has so much passion for what she does, and it's so, so evident.
And even now as programming director, I will text her for questions for help. Earlier this year, there was the 2016 throwback trend going on and we worked together to come up with some ideas for maybe liners of like, “Is this 2026? No, it's 2016, actually.”
So, being able to work together and be able to pick her brain because she was the programming director. She was the music director. And I look up to her and how much time she put into the station.
I feel like she was here midnight to midnight every Friday, programming as much as she possibly could. But also, Alexa LaMalfa, we were both on Red Carpet Report together. Me, Bella, Alexa, and a bunch of other people.
But she was our lead host, and I looked up to the way that she was able to engage with our discussions, lead them, and end them. Because we did have, I think, six people on our show?
Bella Galan (20:43):
At one point we did, which is crazy.
Lizzie Gottlieb (20:44):
Which is a lot of people and a lot of voices that want to be heard. But she did a great job of making sure that everybody's voice was heard, and we're not pushing an insane amount of time to get everybody in.
So, now that I'm the lead host of Red Carpet Report, I know that I’ve got to make sure everybody is heard and that it's not just rambling and we're having a good discussion. So, I looked up to her a lot with that as well.
Jon Gay (21:10):
How do you do that? How do you channel your inner Elvis Duran and call on different people at different times?
[Laughter]
Lizzie Gottlieb (21:15):
It's a lot, because you're looking at the timer and you're like, “Man, we got so much to talk about.” And then you're trying to think while someone else is saying something.
And over the years, you kind of gain the intuition to know — you've worked with your people for a while that you know how to bounce off of each other very quickly.
Bella Galan (21:37):
And you know when it's kind of time to start wrapping up. You're like, “Alright, I think we're saying a whole lot of nothing right now. I think that means it's time to wrap it up.” And again, that's the beauty of being able to join shows, say, your freshman year.
I joined Red Carpet Report my freshman spring and then was able to do it all the way until I started doing a brief intermission. But it was by watching the older, more experienced members.
By joining previous DJ shifts of people who were on Exec that I honestly just sat there and watched. I don't think there's any other way to learn. Besides getting in and doing it, it's just watching the experience people just getting to do it.
And I feel like for me, as someone who originally came in, just being like, “I just want to be on air. That's it. I don't really care.” And then now I'm sitting in a more administrative role and more business side of things as the GM.
I never thought that that was something that I was going to do or I (chuckles) could step into. But then being able to then meet all of the incredible mentors that we've had here and then getting to get closer with people like Grace.
Who, when I first got here, I was like, “Okay, she's the GM, and she's so professional, and she knows how to run a business. I can't do that.” To then now becoming really good friends.
And like how you text Ilana about PD stuff, I would text her all the time leading up to Banquet, leading up to any sort of event that we were going to have. “What do I need to know about X, Y, Z?”
So, being able to see how you can wear multiple hats in the station as well and take those skills that, say, you learned from being on air as a regular host to then becoming the lead host to then even working with other people on your team on exec has been really helpful.
And again, all due to the people that came before us. And now we're just passing it on to the next.
Jon Gay (23:28):
Which I want to come back to in a second. I don't know if I've interviewed a single GM on the podcast, Bella, that walked in as a freshman expecting or even conceiving they might be GM. So, you are in good company.
[Laughter]
For alumni that may not be as close to it as some of the more active alumni, what are some things that are in your purview, I guess, as GM, that might surprise alumni? What are some of the things that you're dealing with day to day, week to week, month to month?
Bella Galan (23:52):
I think the biggest thing for us has been trying to obviously keep the history of the station alive because obviously that's why we are still here and why the alumni network is so strong.
But also, still trying to incorporate new ideas and update the station in a way that it still feels fresh and new and highlighting all of the different facets of the media industry, like we talked about before. The way that Z89 is run now is not the same way that it was when it first started.
And one thing that was really big for me and that I mentioned a lot during Banquet weekend was just highlighting the people that may not want to be on air either and may not want to be on the day.
And giving them those opportunities to join teams like our web team, our press team, taking photos. Becoming associate producers, which is a brand-new role that we started, where I started leading when I was VP of Ops and then continued now as the GM. Of having two members, one that's helping the social media manager live tweet, post stories in real time, and just helping whatever they need help within the show.
And then the other one being more of the audio AP that's taking the show after it's done and editing it into podcast format and uploading it as a podcast. Because obviously podcasts are doing extremely well.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (25:18):
Really, they are? I had no idea.
Bella Galan (25:20):
But then adding those positions as well to just give other people an opportunity to be in the station besides just their one DJ shift a week. Besides just their one show that they were here for. People coming in and out.
Because that's what I noticed people were doing. They got here five minutes before their show. As soon as their show ended, they left, and they only talked to people on their show. But there's so many people here at the station that you don't even realize are in the station if you're not crossing paths with them at the same time.
So, finding ways to just get more people in the station has been a really big goal of ours that I think has been working really well since adding some of these new positions and giving more people off-air opportunities in addition to the traditional DJ or hosting.
Jon Gay (26:04):
If you listen very closely, you'll hear every former PD and GM in the last 50 years silently applauding right now.
[Laughter]
Because it's getting the folks in there. It's making that connection. And I noticed this in your speech to the alumni association on Saturday afternoon, Bella, and I said this to you in person, and I’ll say it again for the benefit of the podcast listeners.
Everything you're describing, which you also described in your speech about making everybody feel welcome, making it a community, which is just so welcome to hear for those of us who've been here for 50-somewhat years.
I think both of you (I guess it's you, Bella, in person, but I can tell you too, Lizzie, in talking to both of you) have a really high EQ. And I think that serves you very well in your roles that you have a good sense for reading people, understanding what motivates them.
And I don't remember if it was you, Lizzie, or was somebody else on the exec staff that they actually told me at Banquet, “We want to run through a brick wall for Bella.”
[Laughter]
I don't remember who it was that told me, but somebody actually-
Lizzie Gottlieb (26:56):
That’s awesome.
[Laughter]
Bella Galan (26:58):
Wait, that makes me so happy. I don't want them to do that; I don't want them to actually do that.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (27:04):
It was one of your exec staff. I wasn't sure who it was. I can't remember and I apologize to whoever it was. I don't remember off the top of my head who it was. But ask at your next exec staff meeting and ask, “Who told Jag you'd run through a brick wall for me?”
But it came through in your speech. It came through interacting with both of you at the Banquet. Obviously, Lizzie, you winning the Lock award speaks volumes about your EQ as well.
I just want to give you so much credit because there are a lot of us watching and listening right now. You are 20, 21. I don't know half of what these people know at that age. The fact that you are able to really interact with and motivate your staff is certainly a credit to both of you.
Bella Galan (27:43):
Thank you. And again, it really just comes from the people that were doing that for us. And again, I’ve been in that position before. Where I remember what it was like walking in freshman year.
Being scared out of my mind being. Being like, “I don't belong here, I don't know what I’m doing. I just feel like I’ve just landed here by accident.” And I kind of like, not hid myself but it was just more inward towards myself.
And was like, “Okay let me just watch from the sidelines. I don't need to be going up and doing that.” And then it was the older, more experienced members or even the alumni that were like, “No, no, no, own what you have. Own what you know. Flaunt it. Please do it.”
So, then when it was my turn to now then mentor these freshmen and see them at Banquet, I’m seeing them at the table sitting there not talking like I was, I was like I wanted someone to come up and tell me, “Uh-uh, come up with me I’m going to introduce you to this person.”
So, that's what I wanted to do. And then I think it was just evident: the amount of freshmen that came to Banquet and that were networking way better than I was when I was a freshman.
And they were like, “Yeah, I talked to so-and-so, so-and-so, it was great.” And then alumni coming up to us being, “Who's that freshman over there? Do you know them?” I said, “No, but now I need to.”
That is what I’m just so proud of our station for doing, and I really see all of the efforts that — and again, it is all because of my incredible staff that I feel like everybody is able to find their place here and relate to someone.
Because if they don't relate to me, they can relate to Lizzie. If they don't relate to Lizzie, they can relate to Alex, our sports director. So, it's a whole team effort. But it's just the culture that I felt here the second I joined, and I just want to make sure that that continues for everyone after me.
Lizzie Gottlieb (29:34):
And it's so easy to work with the executive board and everybody else a part of Z, because everybody is so passionate about what they're working in that it makes it so easy. Like, “Oh, I have this idea for a graphic for the flip that's coming up.”
And the excitement that Maddie Santoriello was like, “Oh yeah, oh yeah, we're getting this done.” Just being able to work with people that are firing ideas off of each other because we all care so much about the station, it just makes every day feel like a party (laughs).
Jon Gay (30:09):
It feels like your party station, there you go. So, we're recording this, full disclosure, on March 27th. So by the time this airs it will already have been April Fool's Day. I promise to not reveal it beforehand, but what are you doing for April Fool's Day? I know it's been a great tradition the last few years.
Lizzie Gottileb (30:23):
So, it is going to be Glee89. So, Glee covers the whole day long. I've been working on this … I think I came up with the idea before I was even PD, I was starting to think about it because I was like, “This is so fun. They get to do this.”
So, I mean, I just got the liners in literally an hour ago and I was listening to them and I’m so excited for that to play.
Bella Gallan (30:48):
And you know I was all for that. As soon as she came up to me and she was like, “I know what I want to do” and I was at 100% go for it. And I think a lot of people are really, really excited for it.
Lizzie Gottileb (30:58):
A whole day of Glee covers which is great because you do have music that … I mean, the show hasn't been on for a while but you do have music that people are going to be like, “Oh, yeah, I know this Lady Gaga song.”
Bella Gallan (31:08):
Top 40 still. It’s in there.
Lizzie Gottileb (31:10):
It was top 40 at some point for sure, but it's also that definitely very funny if you're tuning into Z89 on that day and have no idea that it's the flip, you will find out very quickly.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (31:24):
My favorite story about Glee, I was not a big Glee watcher — but was the story of Don't Stop Believin’ from Journey because that song has been ranked by some as the greatest song of all time. And that song being covered on Glee introduced it to a whole new generation of people that didn't know the original Journey version from the ‘80s.
Lizzie Gottileb (31:42):
Yeah, my dad is a huge Journey fan and he would probably be mad at me for saying I associate Don't Stop Believin’ to Glee. Do I listen to other Journey songs? Absolutely. Separate Ways is one of my favorites.
But I think that was what Glee was able to do for this generation, not just Don't Stop Believin’ but Michael Jackson, Madonna — all of these artists that were huge and are still huge today but just getting new exposure to this generation and being able to listen to new stuff.
Bella Gallan (32:16):
And in a similar way too, I mean not completely related, but I know something that I remember Ilana was doing when she was PD, is more important too, what's trending on TikTok? What are the young people actually listening to beyond just the traditional top 40 and like, “Hey this song has a really viral trend, let's add it.”
Like at the end of the day, yes, we do broadcast to the entire Syracuse area, but we also are on a college campus, and we're run by college students, so what music do we actually want to listen to?
So, it's like now, I’m coming into the station and of course, there's some of the classic top 40 songs are obviously topping the charts, but then I'll hear a song that I love from TikTok and I’m like, “Yep, see, this is why I can listen to this all day and not want to go back to my Spotify playlist because I know the same songs are on both because I’m hearing them from social media as well.”
So, I love that we've been able to kind of, of course, keep the traditional side of radio but then also including in more social media stuff as well.
Lizzie Gottileb (33:16):
So, many great songs that you could find from TikTok. One thing that I was proud of when Stateside featuring Zara Larsson started trending, we had that in there as it was happening. Before even the radio stations because it was trending on TikTok.
And that was back in the end of December, and it's recently been trending with iHeartRadio and all the other streaming platforms and radio formats. So, I was like, “Okay this TikTok thing really can help you figure out what's trending to the younger audience and bring in more people to listen to an iHeartRadio affiliate Top 40 station.”
Jon Gay (33:57):
Lizzie, what are some of the criteria you look at when it comes to adding music?
Lizzie Gottileb (34:01):
Well, I use a lot of different things. First, I'll look at MediaBase, see what the streams/how that's working out and what I’ve noticed is there is barely, barely any movement and you're not going to figure out what's new and trending from that.
So, I look at that just to kind of check in, but using chart metrics, looking at the billboard charts and kind of piling that all together to figure out that oh, Babydoll by Dominic Fike has been doing really well this week. That really needs to be in, and that features and caters to a younger audience for sure.
So, it's keeping in mind yeah, a lot of these chart metrics, MediaBase, all these strategies and research might cater to an older demographic and that's not necessarily what we are.
So, having that in mind while also implementing the TikTok sounds and that music that's trending from there to really figure out what is the best sound for our station that does take into account the Uber drivers that are driving the college kids around Syracuse and from there, just picking that overall Z89 sound.
So, there's a lot that goes into it, it's a lot of at the end of the day, gut feeling of it’s not going to do well, and this one might not. And what I like about Z89, is I also put my own little flair in there and songs that you'll find Dancing On My Own by Robin. That is definitely not trending at the moment, but it's always going to be one of my favorite songs. So, that's slipped in there every once in a while, for sure now.
Bella Gallan (35:44):
Now, I know to request some songs.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (35:47):
Who are some of the alumni? You mentioned some closer in age to the two of you. But who are some of the alumni you've interacted with whether it's Banquet or otherwise that you've gotten a lot of value out of that interaction?
Lizzie Gottileb (35:59):
I’m going to say because I know I think we had a similar experience with this. When we were both freshmen, I think we were in that similar boat of being like, “Oh my gosh, there's so many alumni. Who do we talk to?”
And one particular person, Mina SayWhat (Llona), very much took us under her wing and made us feel so comfortable in answering our questions and talking about the industry and that really stuck out to me because I was like, “I don't want to go up to ask people things,” and she-
Jon Gay (36:30):
That'd be Hall of Famer Mina SayWhat by the way.
Lizzie Gottileb (36:32):
That was the year that she was inducted too. It was a big year for her, and I really appreciated her reaching out to us when we didn't even know what we were doing.
Bella Gallan (36:44):
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there's way too many to count, and obviously it continues to just keep growing the longer that we've been here. Someone that I’ve always looked up to is Ralphie Aversa.
I knew from the beginning that I was more of a personality-driven person and not necessarily wanting to be a hard news reporter for evening news and I knew that I just loved entertainment. I loved pop culture, I loved the celebrity drama and seeing him just do so well with the red carpets and all the interviews that he was doing for USA Today as soon as I saw him at Banquet like our freshman year, I was like, “Wait, that's something that I feel like I could see myself doing.”
And he has been such a fantastic mentor. Even over the summer in the city when I was there doing the New York City, NYC program, I reached out to him, and he gave me a tour of USA Today, and we just hung out and got coffee, and just being able to use him as a resource has been so phenomenal.
But then also people like Scott MacFarlane has been absolutely great. So, I’m still getting both that entertainment and hard news side because again, at the end of the day, we still are broadcast journalism students and that's what we're learning in class, is how to report on hard news, how to report on the fun stuff as well.
So, being able to have so many people from all over the industry not just in journalism but even in marketing or being a lawyer, I don't know, everyone just has something so unique to offer to the table which I’ve been very fortunate to be able to connect with so many of them, and it's just been one of the biggest blessings of being a part of not only Z89, but the Syracuse University alumni network.
Lizzie Gottileb (38:27):
Look, I’ve been loving the being able to pick the brains of former PDs. I've talked to Dion Summers a lot about things during his time and how that's changed so much. He mentioned something about … I was talking about how much I love learning about the history of Z89 when Banquet comes around, he was mentioning the opposite side of it for you guys of being able to learn what we're doing now and how it's all so changed.
But I was like, “Oh, it's really interesting to see that perspective for sure.” I mean, I know I’m talking to Corey (Crockett) in a few weeks.
Jon Gay (38:58):
Yep. Scott MacFarlane, so thrilled for his success. We've mentioned a bunch of hall of famers and others as we go through. Ralphie's had so much success, Scotty just a lot of recent success in his recent move. Dion is in a league of his own as far as programmers go, we all know that.
Next time you talk to Ralphie, Bella, ask him about the time I totally ruined his Saturday night, and it's a spoiler, it's in his episode of the podcast too.
[Laughter]
Bella Gallan (39:23):
Okay, I definitely will. I definitely will.
Jon Gay (39:24):
So, we talked about a lot of Hall of Famers, and it's been vocalized by a lot of folks that the hall of famers are a lot of white men, and in the first 20 years of the station, there were a lot of white men there, and the Hall of Fame didn't start until about 15 years ago when we had a backlog of people that are hall of fame worthy.
What's been really encouraging to me over the last 10, 15-ish years is the amount of absolutely incredible women that have run the ship at JPZ. I can go back to Liz Doyon, and you mentioned several, you know, Grace and Maddie, Ilana, and so many others. I’m wondering what your perspective is on all this?
Bella Gallan (40:09):
I could not be more grateful to, one, have seen what it was like under Maddie and Grace and Allana and Victoria when they were all for female BOD exec. Being able to see that my freshman year first semester was so encouraging.
And then being able to do it again but now under me, that was I think one of the best days when we figured out what our new exec staff was going to look like, and I realized that it was going to be me, Lizzie, Elizabeth Forsatz, and Grace Wilson.
So, I went to an all-girls Catholic high school. So, I was always surrounded by women being in leadership roles because that's who was going to do it whether it was me as the president of our TV station or the national honor society. It was like that was the norm for me. So, being able to experience that here at Z89 has been the greatest blessing.
And again, we are so grateful for all of the people that have been able to lay the path down for us, but I think adding the women's conference and being able to experience that this year in the way that Maddie Doolittle so incredibly set up with Grace to end this year, was a really big turning point for me.
There have been some moments where you realize like, “Wow there still is a lot of growth that we do need,” and I thought I would be a little bit more respected than I am. But for the most part it has been so incredibly rewarding to be able to have some of the support of the other members of my BOD and the rest of the executive staff, being able to just highlight all the incredible things.
At the end of the day, it's the skill set that we all have, and I think that has been able to make a really big impact in the station as a whole.
Lizzie Gottileb (42:00):
Yeah, as you said like at the end of the day, we all have this same passion, but when you look at it, the majority of the station is women, I think.
Bella Gallan (42:08):
Yeah, yeah, I would say so.
Lizzie Gottileb (42:10):
And so, that translates to our executive board where we do have our board of directors being for women and a lot of other women in the other positions across executive board, and I think I mean to go off of you with Grace, Maddie, Ilana and Victoria — it was great to look up to that.
And to see that and it was almost just like “Oh, yeah, that's normal.” And I hope that's the same for new members of the station that are joining and being able to look at our executive staff and see all these women in power.
Because as you said, it's not necessarily reflected in the current Hall of Fame and all those people are so, so deserving but there are a lot of women across Z89’s history that have put in so much time into the station, and I hope to see in the next year, three years- a lot more women get recognized for what they've had to go through and break down those barriers.
Bella Gallan (43:13):
Especially women of color too. I feel like as a Puerto Rican woman being able to see Victoria like when my freshman year, I was just like, “Oh, okay cool this is awesome,” and then being able to kind of be that representation has been really, really great for me.
And again, even just across Z89 and CitrusTV because I did serve on the executive staff for CitrusTV last year as well, one of my big things was talking about the diversity in the newsroom, and the lack of diversity that I felt we had which didn't represent Syracuse University or even the journalism department as a whole, but it was why aren't other people getting involved? Why do we constantly keep seeing the same people on air all of the time?
And I feel like Z89 has done a really, really great job of making sure we're amplifying so many voices whether, it was last year when we had the opportunity to broadcast from the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration with Dr. Wright and we were going to do it this year, but then the weather canceled the event unfortunately.
But we were ready and so excited to do that, adding in the Power Hour to talk about whatever genre of music, whether it's French or Afrobeats or whatever you want to talk about — like being able to just amplify diverse voices has been something that is also a really big passion of mine that I think that we're doing really well.
And I know we can still do better, and I know that we will, and that obviously this stuff does come with time but we have a great deal of support from alumni and I think from future students as well to be able to keep making that better.
Jon Gay (44:49):
I really appreciate the thoughtful answers from both of you. I know it can be a touchy subject with some of the alumni, and to be fair, I wasn't exactly sure how to bring it up, but you two took the ball and ran with it, and I appreciate that.
Bella Gallan (44:59):
Really important to talk about. I know I had a long conversation with Maddie Doolittle about this over Banquet weekend just about making sure that the women's conference and how important it is, and reworking it too so it felt more of not only a help for us as students and emerging journalists or on-air personalities, or marketing, whatever.
But also from them too, because even just hearing their stories like, “Oh I did not feel like I had a voice as much as you guys do or felt like that I could have done X, Y and Z, or stand up to X,” whatever, when they were here in college. And I think it's been really encouraging for me, but then also still seeing like, “Okay, we do still have some ways to go.”
Jon Gay (45:44):
I don't know how much of it you can share because I want to be respectful of the fact that the women's conference is a safe space for the women, but top level, is there anything that you can share with the audience of — and you started to allude to it a second ago Bella, but what gets discussed at the women's conference as far as what can be helpful to you and to other female alumni? Are you able to get into that a little bit, but respecting everybody's privacy?
Lizzie Gottileb (46:08):
I can get into a little bit of it. I think a big thing is mentors and mentorship, and having those women that you look up to personally, or I know we talked a lot about celebrities that we look up to and a lot of them being Olympians who were competing during that time, and how important it is to have these people that you look up to and you can learn from, but also people that you can pass that on down to.
And so, I think the women's conference just kind of really reinforces the idea that we are all here for each other, and that we are united because we're all women of WJPZ. And whether or not you have an issue with something, with Citrus or something in a classroom, we are all here for you.
Bella Gallan (46:56):
I would say that describes it pretty much perfectly.
Jon Gay (47:00):
Well, the two of you- I appreciate the fact that you spent some time with us today, but also the fact that you have this appreciation of the history of the station, and that you are carrying that legacy forward both present and in the future with the underclassmen.
I really think I speak for all the alumni watching and listening right now, saying the station could not be in better hands with its current board of directors. So, on behalf of all the alumni, just want to thank the two of you and your staff for all that you do to keep this entity that we all love so much alive and well.
Bella Gallan (47:27):
Thank you. And thank you for setting that up for us to be able to keep pushing and putting out the message of your party station out all across to Syracuse and Syracuse University's campus, and continuing to make Z89 the world's greatest media classroom. It wouldn't be possible without all of the people that came before us.
Lizzie Gottileb (47:47):
Absolutely. I couldn't say it better.
[Laughter]
Jon Gay (47:50):
So, before I let you both go, give us a quick snapshot as we record this end of March 2026, what's going on at the station right now?
Bella Gallan (47:57):
We've had so many updates, and we still have a lot more coming which is really, really exciting. I feel like we're still in the peak of everything, like we haven't fully hit there yet. But we finally have a digital timeline. I see the physical one’s still sitting in front of me, so we have to figure out what we're going to do with that.
But one of the things was when I first joined the executive staff, they made very clear to me that I was the first person on exec that was born after the timeline ended-
Jon Gay (48:24):
Was it 2001? Was it the last thing on it?
Bella Gallan (48:27):
No, the last thing on here was 2004, I believe, and then I was 2005. So, they were like, “We got to update this because we can't have someone who wasn't even born yet.” And I was like, “Okay.” So, then I kind of started trying to get the gears turning on how we can make a digital version of it, and we had our fantastic previous design director Colin design a fully digital version, and then work with text to put it up on the TV monitors that we now have outside in our lobby, which has been really, really great.
And then over the Banquet weekend, we had the new cameras installed. I know Ilana was the big spearhead for those, and during her term we was excited to get those put in. So, now to finally have those has been really, really great. And then I’m going to let Lizzie talk about … I know she's like geeking out, excited about for-
Lizzie Gottileb (49:13):
I am so excited that Zetta is getting installed this summer. We've been using NexGen and you can tell it's a little behind on the time. So, to be using the industry standard technology and software is going to be so exciting and to be able to say like “Yeah, I’m using Zetta, so is SiriusXM is amazing,” and that's part of us being the greatest media classroom, so-
Jon Gay (49:39):
Real quick before you continue, for those who aren't in the industry — Zetta is the newer software that runs the station just like NexGen did for a number of years. So, Zetta is the industry standard at this point. Just want to fill that gap in, but go ahead.
Lizzie Gottileb (49:53):
Yes. So, Alex and Tex have been working hard and they're going to install that over the summer, and then part of what I'll be doing is I’ll be learning how to use it, and then we have to teach everybody else how to do it. So, it's a really exciting time to be on the executive board and I can't wait for it.
Bella Gallan (50:12):
And well I can't speak fully on the sports department. They're doing great. Going to so many different games, we just had one of our sophomores, Caitlin McDonough, called the lacrosse game, and it was giving day when it was happening, and I was in shine with Professor Velardi.
And we were listening because they were playing Z89 during tabling, which was awesome, and all of a sudden, we hear Caitlin come on calling the game, and he was like, “That's a girl! That's a girl calling the lacrosse game.” And I was like, “Yeah, of course, she is.” And he was like, “I haven't heard that in such a while.”
And then I asked Alex, our sports director about it, and he was like, “Yeah, there hasn't been a girl calling the games in a really long time.” So, for her to be able to do that as a sophomore, I’m very proud to see that and excited for what the sports department is going to be able to keep doing too. Because they're in their own little world, but they're still doing a good job. So, I can't complain too much.
Jon Gay (51:08):
So, it'll be in two years, you can call him Chris and not Professor Velardi, right?
Bella Gallan (51:12):
I know. I can't (laughs).
Jon Gay (51:17):
You mentioned SU Giving Day which just happened a few days ago Bella. You were one of the hosts for that, right?
Bella Gallan (51:22):
Yes, I was. It was so awesome. It was one of the best days of this semester for sure, and I got to be a side stage host last year, and then this year when they asked me to do the official hosting for the show alongside Thomas O'Brien who is a Syracuse grad, and now the project coordinator for the creator economy, being able to do it with them and obviously the alumni office, they're just the best, and having Professor Velardi there too is also great (laughs).
Jon Gay (51:51):
All his classmates are laughing as you say Professor Velardi.
[Laughter]
Bella Gallan (51:56):
Always throwing in Z89 any chance I could during that whole day. We got some great donors; we broke record numbers for the university giving day with over 9,000 people sending in donations which has never happened.
Lizzie Gottileb (52:08):
And we were so grateful for all of the alumni and our family members and friends that donated specifically to WJPZ for our gift account and we very much appreciated.
Jon Gay (52:21):
Yeah, I know WJPZ did well and something tells me that the basketball team did well announcing GMac as the head coach the same day. That couldn’t have been an accident.
Bella Gallan (52:29):
That was the best part of the day, was honestly, it getting announced right before we did our first live show because I was like, “I get to announce this before the sports BDJ guys like they're going to be so jealous.” It was great. It was great. I loved doing it. Of course, had to post it right away. I was like, “Beat that, I got it first.”
Jon Gay (52:49):
Lizzie and Bella, class of ’27 (I was mistaken when I thought ‘26 earlier) thank you both for spending some time with us today and best of luck to you. We’ll see you soon.
Bella Gallan (52:57):
Thank you.
[Music Playing]
Voiceover (53:00):
The WJPZ at 50 podcast is created entirely by the staff and alumni of the world's greatest media classroom. It's hosted by Jon Jag Gay, class of 2002. Imaging by Maureen Cooper, class of 1999. And Ed Lacombe class of 1985. Podcast artwork by Marty Dundas, class of 2001.
Follow WJPZ at 50 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you're listening right now you.