Save Jazz Radio

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In 1974, the owners of WRVR, a jazz radio station in New York City, announced their intentions to sell the station. This came at the same time that another classical station was being sold and its programming changed to rock. This led to a conflict in which listeners of the formerly classical WNCN attempted to purchase WRVR and change the programming to classical, but were ultimately unsuccessful, with the station being bought by Sonderling Broadcasting in 1975. These prompt changes sparked the formation of the "Citizens for Jazz", a group of listeners and activists who protested the proposed change in programming on WRVR. Although successful at the time, the station was eventually purchased by Viacom and changed to country music, to the upset of the jazz community in New York. WRVR had been one of the only jazz stations in the city. Today, the radio station's call number has changed to WLTW, and it is a broadcaster of primarily adult contemporary music.