WCSB/Cleveland Becomes JazzNEO

• Ideastream Public Media has entered into a partnership with Cleveland State University to operate non-comm 89.3 WCSB/Cleveland. With this move, the formerly student-run station has become Northeast Ohio’s Jazz radio station, JazzNEO, expanding its reach with the addition of an analog broadcast signal. This expanded service is an extension of the February 2024 launch of JazzNEO on 90.3 WCLV-HD2.

The CSU Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Ideastream Public Media Board of Trustees both approved the agreement for Ideastream to oversee programming of the station at their respective meetings last Friday. The station retains its call letters, and CSU continues to maintain the FCC license.

“The decision to have Ideastream oversee WCSB programming is one step forward in our Cleveland State United vision, the strategic plan for our university launched earlier this year,” says Dr. Laura Bloomberg, President of Cleveland State University. “CSU is uniquely embedded within the city of Cleveland, which provides students with opportunities to benefit from strategic partnerships like this one. We look forward to working with Ideastream to expand access to experiential and work-based learning.”

Jointly, Ideastream and CSU will develop paid and for-credit learning opportunities — including a wide selection of internships in journalism, television and radio production, marketing and graphic design. Ideastream’s HQ is conveniently located just steps away from the CSU main campus, and currently shares space with CSU’s School of Film & Media Arts.

Listeners can access the JazzNEO broadcast at 89.3 FM and ideastream.org. and via online streaming at jazzneo.org. [Graphic Design: Pat Miller / Ideastream Public Media]