CitrusTV, WJPZ to expand studio spaces in Watson Hall

Based on the continued growth of staff, technology and programming at both CitrusTV and WJPZ, the two student media organizations will jointly expand their studio spaces into the area currently occupied by Food Works in Syracuse University’s Watson Hall. 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled about expanding our facilities and working to better meet the needs of our 300 volunteers and the community that relies on our programming,” says Ben Slutzky, general manager of CitrusTV. “This is a huge opportunity for both CitrusTV and WJPZ, and it will allow both organizations to produce even higher quality content and more stories. Most importantly, it will provide opportunities for even more students as both groups continually grow.” 

Effective at the end of the semester, CitrusTV and WJPZ will transition into this space to expand and enhance their current facilities and better serve their student volunteers and the campus community. The two organizations are working with Auxiliary Services and the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction to ensure a smooth transition. 

As part of the process, many of the current convenience and specialty offerings at Food Works, which include organic and vegetarian items, will be integrated into the market sections at nearby Kimmel Food Court and the Schine Student Center, which both offer extended service hours. Ernie Davis Hall, also in close proximity to Watson Hall, is also home to Food Works II, which will remain in operation. Additionally, Watson Hall will be equipped with enhanced vending services for food and beverages. With this transition, current Food Works employees will be reassigned to positions at another campus location. 

Specific plans for the allocation and use of the space by CitrusTV and WJPZ have not finalized, but a group from both organizations’ executive boards will work together in the coming months to create a mutually beneficial arrangement. Current facilities will remain as they are through the end of this semester. 

“The University has expressed an appreciation of our need for additional space and understands the benefits it will have on not only our own organizations, but the campus community as a whole,” says Alex Brewer, representative of WJPZ. 

About CitrusTV
As an entirely student-run television studio, CitrusTV serves the SU and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry campus communities with high-quality, student-produced entertainment, news and sports programming, and provides experiential hands-on learning opportunities for all SU and SUNY-ESF students to work in a comfortable environment with state-of-the-art equipment. With more than 300 active student members, CitrusTV is also one of the largest student organizations at SU. The studio’s primary target audience for its nine shows is undergraduate and graduate students at SU and SUNY-ESF. CitrusTV’s content is broadcast regularly on the Orange Television Network (campus channel 2 and HD 2-1), the studio’s website at www.CitrusTV.net and Time Warner Sports 13 on Time Warner Cable. 

CitrusTV broadcasts three live, half-hour newscasts each week covering University, local, national and international news. Among other programming, the studio also produces one of the nation’s few Spanish college newscasts and Syracuse’s only live post-game show, featuring live reports from away stadiums, highlights of football and basketball games, player and coach interviews, and in-depth analysis. 

CitrusTV was founded by students in 1970 as Synapse, an off-shoot of the SU Light Work Community Darkrooms. The largest student organization on campus, University Union, took over the organization in 1977, and reorganized it as “UUTV.” UUTV split off from University Union in 2004, and today it is recognized as its own registered student organization. 

About WJPZ
WJPZ is a 100 percent student-run, contemporary urban/hip-hop, non-commercial radio station that is on the FM dial at 89.1 in Syracuse. In addition to music programming, Z89 also has an active sports staff that broadcasts Section III High School Football and SU Woman’s Basketball, is the flagship station for SU women’s lacrosse, and hosts 14 hours of sports talk on the weekends. WJPZ’s main goal is to be a media classroom, so it’s run as a professional station with a full working business and promotions staff. This coming March, WJPZ will celebrate its 26th annual alumni banquet. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as well as being available online via webstream at z89online.com. 

For more information on CitrusTV, contact Slutzky at benrs@citrustv.net or 315-443-2041; for information on WJPZ, contact Brewer at acbrewer@syr.edu.