Ideastream

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

Operator of PBS and NPR stations in Cleveland, Ohio

title: "Ideastream" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mass-media-in-cleveland", "public-television-in-the-united-states", "public-radio-in-the-united-states", "organizations-established-in-2001", "ideastream", "2001-establishments-in-ohio"] description: "Operator of PBS and NPR stations in Cleveland, Ohio" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideastream" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Operator of PBS and NPR stations in Cleveland, Ohio ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameIdeastream
logoIdeastream Public Media logo.svg
logo_altA circle divided into four pieces by a star shape, in navy blue. To the right, on two lines, the words "ideastream" and "public media" in black in a rounded sans serif.
trade_nameIdeastream Public Media
industryMass media
genrePublic radio and television broadcasting
predecessor
foundationCleveland, Ohio ()
founder
location_cityCleveland, Ohio
location_countryUS
key_people
homepage
::

| name = Ideastream | logo = Ideastream Public Media logo.svg | logo_alt = A circle divided into four pieces by a star shape, in navy blue. To the right, on two lines, the words "ideastream" and "public media" in black in a rounded sans serif. | trade_name = Ideastream Public Media | industry = Mass media | genre = Public radio and television broadcasting | predecessor = | foundation = Cleveland, Ohio () | founder = | location_city = Cleveland, Ohio | location_country = US | key_people = | homepage =

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. It operates WKSU (), the region's main radio news service aligned with NPR, and owns classical music outlet WCLV (), jazz outlet WCSB (), and Cleveland PBS member station WVIZ (channel 25).

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. WCLV, then operating as a Lorain-licensed station at , was donated to the group in 2011. Since 2021, Ideastream has operated WKSU and its repeater network on behalf of owner Kent State University, and has been Cleveland and Akron's sole NPR station of record since March 28, 2022. Kevin E. Martin has been the organization's president/CEO since January 9, 2017, succeeding Jerrold Wareham. Jenny Northern, a staffer with WCLV since 2001, was elevated to station manager in 2014 and became general manager for all stations in 2020. Since 2025, Ideastream has also operated WCSB, which is owned by Cleveland State University.

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

Radio

WKSU

Main article: WKSU, WCPN

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Ideastream_Public_Media_WKSU_logo.svg" caption="location=Cleveland, Ohio}}"] ::

The station and its full-power repeater network carry a roster of four HD Radio subchannels: a simulcast of WKSU's analog transmission, folk music via FolkAlley.com, a simulcast of WCLV and an alternate lineup of news and talk programs.

WCLV

Main article: WCLV

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Ideastream_Public_Media_WCLV_logo.svg" caption="via=Newspapers.com}}"] ::

WCLV's current frequency was previously home to WCPN, one of Ideastream's two founding partners and, from 1984 to 2022, competed with WKSU as the region's other NPR member. It is also the successor station to WBOE, which the Cleveland Board of Education operated from 1938 to 1978, one of the first formally licensed non-commercial educational radio stations on the FM dial and one of the first FM stations in Ohio.

Television

Main article: WVIZ

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Ideastream_Public_Media_WVIZ_logo.svg" caption="language=en}}"] ::

References

References

  1. Fybush, Scott. (July 11, 2014). "Site of the Week 7/11/2014: Cleveland's Ideastream".
  2. Washington, Julie. (November 29, 2009). "Ideastream partners WVIZ Channel 25 and WCPN 90.3 enjoy benefits of merger". The Plain Dealer.
  3. (May 4, 2011). "Classical music station WCLV-FM to join Ideastream". Crain's Cleveland Business.
  4. Morona, Joey. (September 15, 2021). "WKSU, WCPN deal approved by Kent State, combined NPR station to operate at 89.7 FM starting in 2022". The Plain Dealer.
  5. Venta, Lance. (February 25, 2022). "Ideastream Sets Cleveland Public Radio Frequency Change Date".
  6. Connors, Joanna. (November 23, 2016). "Ideastream names new CEO: Kevin Martin comes from KQED San Francisco". The Plain Dealer.
  7. (June 10, 2016). "Ideastream chief Jerry Wareham plans to retire". The Plain Dealer.
  8. Dawidziak, Mark. (July 31, 2014). "Ideastream names new content management team". The Plain Dealer.
  9. (February 11, 2020). "Jenny Northern named first GM for all three ideastream stations".
  10. Venta, Lance. (October 3, 2025). "Ideastream Public Media To Operate WCSB Cleveland; Flips To Jazz".
  11. (June 15, 2021). "ideastream Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Rebrand and Renewed Vision to Strengthen the Community; Becomes Ideastream Public Media". Ideastream.
  12. Venta, Lance. (September 15, 2021). "Ideastream To Begin Operating WKSU; Swap Frequencies Of WCPN & WCLV Cleveland".
  13. (September 14, 2021). "Ideastream Public Media & WKSU: Frequently Asked Questions". ideastream.
  14. Morona, Joey. (September 15, 2021). "WKSU, WCPN deal approved by Kent State, combined NPR station to operate at 89.7 FM starting in 2022".
  15. link. (September 27, 2015)
  16. link. (September 22, 2018)
  17. Gerber, Jacqueline. (November 1, 2022). "WCLV Observes 60 Years on the Air Nov. 1".
  18. (November 2, 2000). "Arts group will take ownership of WCLV". The Plain Dealer.
  19. Quinn, Jim. (June 18, 2001). "Seven area radio stations will play musical chairs". Akron Beacon Journal.
  20. Washington, Julie. (February 19, 2011). "WCLV FM/104.9 Fits Right in at Idea Center in Cleveland". The Plain Dealer.
  21. Lewis, Zachary. (September 25, 2012). "Cleveland's WCLV FM/104.9 planning switch to non-commercial format". The Plain Dealer.
  22. Venta, Lance. (September 25, 2012). "WCLV Cleveland To Go Non-Commercial".
  23. Spencer, Carrie. (September 2, 2001). "Radio station saves classics, supports the arts". The Tribune.
  24. Dawidziak, Mark. (July 13, 1984). "Public radio in Cleveland: News and all that jazz". Akron Beacon Journal.
  25. "History Cards for WBOE". [[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards.
  26. (February 10, 1941). "Education by FM". Broadcasting.
  27. Dawidziak, Mark. (September 16, 2013). "Betty Cope, founding president of WVIZ Channel 25, dies at 87". The Plain Dealer.
  28. Lapin, Andrew. (September 20, 2013). "Betty Cope, WVIZ founding g.m., dies at 87".
  29. (December 19, 2016). "Stations and Services".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

mass-media-in-clevelandpublic-television-in-the-united-statespublic-radio-in-the-united-statesorganizations-established-in-2001ideastream2001-establishments-in-ohio