Taylor Swift, Baseball, and Type 2 Diabetes: Other WJPZ Alumni Podcasts, Part 1

Taylor Swift, Baseball, and Type 2 Diabetes: Other WJPZ Alumni Podcasts, Part 1

Author: WJPZ April 4, 2024 Duration: 6:40
WJPZ at 50
HistoryEducation

I wanted to call your attention to some OTHER WJPZ Alumni who are doing great podcasts.  In fact, we’ve got a little something for everyone.  Today, in part 1, I’m going to introduce you to three podcasts hosted by WJPZ Alumni.

There’s no bigger star in the world right now than Taylor Swift – and you’d be hard pressed to find a bigger Swiftie than Molly Nelson, class of 2014.  She and her best friend Ryan co-host “Hits Different,” a podcast devoted to all things Taylor, from news to theories, and many other Swiftie rabbit holes.  It’s edited and produced by Molly’s husband who she met at WJPZ, Alex Brewer from the Class of 2012.

From America’s sweetheart to America’s pastime and the class of 2015’s Jeff Kurkjian.  Jeff grew up with baseball, thanks in large part to his reporter father, ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian.  If you love baseball, you’ll love this show, co=hosted by father and son, featuring Tim’s encylopedic knowledge, Jeff’s quick wit, and some great guests.

Finally, we turn to one of WJPZ’s “OG’s” in the world of podcasting.  Stacey Simms, Class of 93.  Over 8 years ago, she began hosting Diabetes Connections, a podcast dedicated to providing news and information to those with Type 1 Diabetes.  She’s just launched “Diabetes Connections, Type 2” – dedicated to superserving those individuals with Type 2.  It’s easy to hear her WJPZ and news chops as she tells you about the show.

Now these folks aren’t the only WJPZ alumni doing great podcasts.  We’ve got more to tell you about in the spaces of true crime, comedy, and more.  And if you or a WJPZ Alum you know has a podcast – be sure to let me know.   

Podcast Links:

His Different: A Taylor Swift Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ithitsdiffpod

Is This a Great Game Or What: https://greatgameorwhat.com/

Diabetes Connections Type 2: https://diabetes-connections.com/diabetesconnectionstype2/

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


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For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Sal Capaccio - from WJPZ to the Bills Sideline and Damar Hamlin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:16
Today you will hear two incredible stories from Sal Capaccio, Class of 1995. The first is his own "origin story." At 37 years old, he quit his job to follow his dream. He and his wife moved back to his hometown of Buffal…
"Hot Shot" Scotty Bergstein, Class of 1989 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:30
Today's guest gobbled up every airshift he could, and now makes his living directing commercials, after learning under Ridley Scott.Scott Bergstein came to Syracuse, like many, chasing the sportscaster dream. When he saw…
MTV's Matt Gehring and SNY's Sam Kandell, Class of 2018 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:28
WJPZ has formed many deep bonds and friendships - and that is certainly the case for Matt Gehring and Sam Kandell, who served as PD and GM respectively, for the Class of 2018.As you'll hear, their origin stories differ g…
Julie Bruno, '85. on Reconnecting as an Alum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:09
A few days before Banquet 2023, Jag sat down with fellow Massachusetts Native Julie Bruno from the Class of 1985. Julie's from the small town of Mansfield, and was the first in her family to go to college, and quickly we…
"Pop Pop" Mike Murphy, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:28
(Thanks to alum and Newhouse professor Tina Perkins for editing this week's episode.)Mike Murphy, from the WJPZ Class of 1995, has gone from Z89 sports to the face of sports in the state of New Hampshire, having called m…
Pete Gianesini, '94, SU Alum Prez and Friend of WJPZ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:29
Pete Gianesini, '94, did not technically work at WJPZ as a student. But nobody would doubt that he's an adopted member of the Z89 family. He's supported the station and its members from his time as a student, through his…
"Goofy" Bette Kestin, Class of 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:00
"Goofy" Bette Kestin, Class of 1993, and currently Old Navy's Director of Media Strategy and Investment, is today's guest. This New Jersey native did not join WJPZ until her junior year, but quickly made up for last time…
Ben Green '85 On Keeping WJPZ's Teaching Legacy Alive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:33
Today's guest is the always passsionate Ben Green, aka Ben G, aka Mr. R&B, from the Class of 1985. He takes us from humble beginnings at Syracuse (including changing majors when he couldn't afford to rent equipment and b…
NFL Senior Coordinating Producer Mike Konner, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:23
(Disclaimer: this was recorded Tuesday after Banquet, before Jag's voice was back to full capacity.)The Super Bowl, The NFL Draft, The Combine, even The Pro Bowl. If it's an NFL "tentpole" event, today's guest is directl…

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