Last week, Scene broke the news that Cleveland’s rock radio station, 87.7, is switching to Latin programming.
Since the station’s announcement, Clevelanders as far south as Mansfield have boisterously voiced their disapproval.
According to a press release from the station’s staff, “There have been more than 7,000 phone calls from shocked and disheartened listeners, 150,000 interactions on Facebook, a petition with over 2,400 signatures has been created by listeners to not switch formats and #SaveOurSound has been trending in Cleveland on Twitter,” Cellar Door Cleveland reports.
From the looks of things, 87.7 staffers are giving their station one more shot. Yesterday, the crew released a video calling SOS— Save Our Sound— and asking Clevelanders to donate canned food items for families in need. Each item donated will be counted as one vote toward saving the station’s current rock ‘n roll format.
Here’s the video:
For a complete list of donation drop-off locations, head on over to 87.7.
This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2013.
…and none of it will matter. They are already staffing the new latin sound now.
I disagree Chris. It will show that Cleveland cares about having good radio, and the staff at 87.7. At the very least it will provide food for families in need. I think it will matter plenty Chris.
Anytime there is passion and movement, people can make a difference. I’ve signed every petition, and I will donate all I can. Save Our Sound!!
Cleveland radio is the reason I get XM/Sirius. How many sports talk stations to we need to discuss our losing professional teams? And all the stations play the same songs and you hear the dumb commercials every 10 minutes. 87.7 was a bright spot to Cleveland radio, now it’s leaving.
I love 87.7! I moved to Ohio from Texas about 2 years ago, & it is by far my favorite radio station. There are no other stations in Cleveland that play such a broad range of music. I love that I hear songs I’ve never heard before, as well as music that takes me back down memory lane. Every time I get in my car, I turn it on this radio station, because I can count on liking whatever it is they are playing, any time of day.
It shows that Cleveland people are more racist than people thought. This just shows that Clevelanders are so close minded. They rather see a radio station loose money and close than switch it to Latin music. Nice going Cleveland
I think there’s room for both a Latin station (probably 2-3 of them, if the signals are strong enough to reach out to other NEO counties that have higher Latino populations than Cuyahoga) and a great station like 87.7. The only time I listen to radio is in my car and because of that, I got Sirius because Cleveland radio is so awful and formatted and bland. There are some college radio shows I like, but they’re on at night – often late night – and drive time is when I listen in my car. The one redeeming station was 87.7. I loved the fact that the djs were knowledgeable about music – both older bands/songs and new ones – and programmed their own shows, rather than having them programmed by a computer algorithm. I loved the fact I never had to hear crappy pop music or, shudder, dinosaurs like Kansas or Foreigner. I’m going to miss it. That’s not racism, it’s a fact. Ultimately, radio is a business, and the station owner is going to go with what he thinks will make him more revenue. I think he’s probably wrong that a Latin station will garner higher ad revenues, but I hope for his sake and the sake of the audience who would enjoy a Latin station that I’m wrong.
87.7 has been a long-overdue bright spot in the Cleveland radio wasteland. And Sirius/XM? It blows almost as bad.
And by the way, I have Puerto Rican friends who think it’s a horrible idea to lose the format. But as usual, someone HAS to pay the race card. Typical Cleveland mentality.
It’s only “playing the race card” in response to the (and this isn’t everybody) attacks on the Latino community saying that a) there isn’t a market b) we don’t deserve spanish language radio c) assorted other racist bullshit.
I LOVE 87.7 and I probably won’t listen to the new Mega station. But it doesn’t help the cause of those trying to keep Indy radio on the air when ass holes attack my community. It’s not the Hispanic population of Cleveland’s fault that the format is switching, except in the existential sense wherein if we didn’t exist they probably wouldn’t switch the format…
I strongly believe tht Latin Radio in Cleveland is waaaay Over Due… Many claim to be proud Clevelanders, well, Cleveland is a very diversed city with a very high Latino/Hispanic community tht input alot into our economy, Bringing this station will open doors to a a Nitch tht hasnt been tapped yet… Cities that has welcome Latino Radio and embraced the different cultures tht exists such as NYC, Chicago, Miami & Los Angeles certainly dnt have the financial problems Cleveland has…
We are long overdue for a latino station we have to stick together latino stand up. We have been progressing as a community we just have to stick together I hope it all works out
That’s great that housekeepers and men gathering at Home Depot now have something to listen to.
I don’t doubt that the current programming has its fans, but station ownership must believe that there is more to be gained by changing to Spanish language programming. I happen to agree. There are various genres of music within Spanish language music. People that haven’t experienced it will now be able to. All genres of American Music are heard in countries where English is not the native language and they are enjoyed. The problem is that Spanish music is not represented in the Cleveland market adequately enough. As a business decision it makes perfect sense because advertising is what keeps a radio station on the air and all businesses will benefit from reaching the latino market not just latino businesses. At this point in the history of the USA it makes sense to be inclusive of not just Spanish speaking people, but all lovers of the Spanish language and the many genres of music sung in that language. Please open your minds and ears to music that you may appreciate and even enjoy.
Bigots like Stansbury and the simpletons you see in above comments making anti-Hispanic remarks are why many of us stopped listening or supporting this failed ego trip. They wasted many thousands on their ignorance.
With the exception of 87.7, the radio landscape in Cleveland is terrible: A few stations playing the same old classic rock/oldies over and over, and a few stations playing the same pop garbage on repeat. Which stations will play Florence & The Machine? MGMT? Fitz & The Tantrums? Cage The Elephant? Awolnation? The Black Keys? (And don’t say WMMS, because Rover/Alan are talking for half the daytime.) Back to Pandora, I guess.
The true racists are those who immediately equate “not wanting to hear Spanish instead of cool music” with “hating Latinos.” I’m not a fan of country music, so I wouldn’t care if one of those stations changed to “Latin sound” (whatever that is) but I would expect that country music fans would be upset. Are they automatically racists? Of course not. Are some of them racists? Possibly, but that’s not the point. If somebody wants to start a new station for Spanish listeners, go for it, but don’t shut down a good station in the process. It seems awfully racist to assume that Spanish-speaking people will only listen to Spanish-language stations. How patronizing.
For fucks sake, it’s not the fault of La Mega or the Hispanic community in Cleveland that The Sound is getting shut down. It’s the fault of the Sound’s management/ownership who wanted to sell it.
If Chad Zumock was as unfunny on the air as he was when he (briefly) wrote “articles” (his word, not mine) for SCENE…this is like putting down your pet when its time has come…a mercy killing.
Chuckles the Clown
I have no problem with Cleveland having a Latino station – just don’t take MINE! I grew up in the days when radio jocks could play what THEY wanted, and what their audience wanted, instead of being forced to play whatever the music moguls said they should. 87.7 Cleveland Sound is the first station in a long time that resembles the radio I grew up with & loved. It is the ONLY station that pulls me away from satellite radio. The DJ’s care about their music & are much more knowledgeable about it than any of the other DJ’s on local stations. One of the first times I tuned in, I heard Barry White, NIN, U2, Dean Martin & Red Hot Chili Peppers all within my 35 minute drive into work. Where else are you going to get that kind of variety?
So, they gave it all of 3 days for the “rally” to save the station, before conforming they are going over to a Latin format? Hmm, that was fair.
“With the exception of 87.7, the radio landscape in Cleveland is terrible: A few stations playing the same old classic rock/oldies over and over, and a few stations playing the same pop garbage on repeat. Which stations will play Florence & The Machine? MGMT? Fitz & The Tantrums? Cage The Elephant? Awolnation? The Black Keys? (And don’t say WMMS, because Rover/Alan are talking for half the daytime.) Back to Pandora, I guess.”
Clearly you have never listened to WBWC, WSTB or WJCU. CIDR/93.9 out of Detroit comes in loud and clear for much of the West Side. Hell, even 99X touches on all aforementioned bands in spite of being a nationally-programmed HD2 subchannel jukebox.
“One of the first times I tuned in, I heard Barry White, NIN, U2, Dean Martin & Red Hot Chili Peppers all within my 35 minute drive into work. Where else are you going to get that kind of variety?”
Not on any station that expects to turn in a profit. There’s a reason why radio stations – even the best and most respected AAA stations – don’t do train wreck segues like that.
give it up it is our sound and station now you can get your asses out ‘ latino AND PROUND’ bitches