Ideastream

Ideastream
Ideastream Public Media
IndustryMass media
GenrePublic radio and television broadcasting
Predecessor
  • Educational Television Association of Metropolitan Cleveland
  • Cleveland Public Radio
FoundedCleveland, Ohio (2001 (2001))
Founder
  • Jerrold Wareham
  • Kit Jensen[1]
Headquarters
Cleveland, Ohio
,
US
Key people
  • Kevin E. Martin
  • (president/CEO)
  • Jenny Northern
  • (general manager)
  • Todd Mesek
  • (chief marketing officer)[2]
Websiteideastream.org

Ideastream (marketed as Ideastream Public Media) is the main public broadcaster in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, serving both Greater Cleveland and much of Northeast Ohio. Its headquarters, newsroom, and radio and television studios are located at the Idea Center in Playhouse Square in Downtown Cleveland.[3] It operates WKSU (89.7 FM), the region's main radio news service aligned with NPR, and owns classical music/jazz outlet WCLV (90.3 FM) and Cleveland PBS member station WVIZ (channel 25).[4]

Ideastream was formed in July 2001 through a merger of equals between WVIZ and then-NPR member WCPN (since supplanted by WCLV), which up to that point operated separately as Educational Television Association of Metropolitan Cleveland and Cleveland Public Radio, respectively. Talks of a cooperative agreement between the two entities began in 1999, but was first proposed in 1993, when co-founder Jerrold Wareham was named as WVIZ's general manager.[1] WCLV, then operating as a Lorain-licensed station at 104.9 FM, was donated to the group in 2011.[5] Since 2021, Ideastream has operated WKSU and its repeater network on behalf of owner Kent State University,[6] and has been Cleveland and Akron's sole NPR station of record since March 28, 2022.[7] Kevin E. Martin has been the organization's president/CEO since January 9, 2017,[8] succeeding Jerrold Wareham.[9] Jenny Northern, a staffer with WCLV since 2001, was elevated to station manager in 2014[10] and became general manager for all stations in 2020.[11]

All stations in the group jointly rebranded as Ideastream Public Media on June 15, 2021, to celebrate the entity's 20th anniversary.[2]

  1. ^ a b Washington, Julie (November 29, 2009). "Ideastream partners WVIZ Channel 25 and WCPN 90.3 enjoy benefits of merger". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Andrus, Calle; Vaselaney, Stacey (June 15, 2021). "ideastream Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Rebrand and Renewed Vision to Strengthen the Community; Becomes Ideastream Public Media" (Press release). Cleveland, Ohio: Ideastream. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Fybush, Scott (July 11, 2014). "Site of the Week 7/11/2014: Cleveland's Ideastream". Fybush.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022 – via RadioBB.
  4. ^ "Stations and Services". Ideastream Public Media. December 19, 2016. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  5. ^ "Classical music station WCLV-FM to join Ideastream". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland, Ohio. May 4, 2011. Archived from the original on May 8, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
  6. ^ Morona, Joey (September 15, 2021). "WKSU, WCPN deal approved by Kent State, combined NPR station to operate at 89.7 FM starting in 2022". cleveland.com. Cleveland, Ohio: The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Venta, Lance (February 25, 2022). "Ideastream Sets Cleveland Public Radio Frequency Change Date". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via RadioBB.
  8. ^ Connors, Joanna (November 23, 2016). "Ideastream names new CEO: Kevin Martin comes from KQED San Francisco". cleveland.com. Cleveland, Ohio: The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  9. ^ "Ideastream chief Jerry Wareham plans to retire". cleveland.com. Cleveland, Ohio: The Plain Dealer. June 10, 2016. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  10. ^ Dawidziak, Mark (July 31, 2014). "Ideastream names new content management team". cleveland.com. Cleveland, Ohio: The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  11. ^ "Jenny Northern named first GM for all three ideastream stations". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland, Ohio. February 11, 2020. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2022.