Cleveland finally has something it has been missing for far too long: real jazz on the FM dial.

The decision by Cleveland State University and Ideastream to bring JazzNEO to 89.3 FM has been attacked as a “hostile takeover” that silenced students and community volunteers. I understand the disappointment. Yes, this transition could have been communicated with more transparency and diplomacy. But knowing that a campus station is an emotional home for many people, and judging by the current protests, I’m certain that any change that reduced student or volunteer airtime would have been rejected outright.

But here’s the truth: Putting a full-time jazz service on the FM dial in Cleveland is not a cultural loss. It is a cultural win.

For decades, jazz in Cleveland has been pushed to the margin

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