East West Jazz Challenge- WBGO vs. KKJZ
KKJZ (formerly KLON) in the Los Angeles area is challenging WBGO to a race to raise a million dollars for jazz. The first station to raise a million by the end of their winter membership drive, February 13, will win.
Though the East-West Jazz Challenge is a competition to see who can raise a million dollars, it’s also about keeping jazz alive. “It’s more of a friendly competition,” according to WBGO fundraising producer Peter Zehren. “As the jazz format continues to fall off the public radio spectrum, the two powerhouse jazz stations are looking for support and appreciation for the art form of jazz on a national level.”
WBGO member John spends half his time in LA, and listens to both stations. “I have adopted a neutrality stance on the race – contributing the same amount to each station.”
Click here to submit an e-pledge towards the challenge!
James, WBGO is my constant radio companion and IMO the only station that doesn’t suck in the New York market. With too many stations owned by either Clear Channel or Infinity Broadcasting, they all just sound alike. But it’s really not about winning and losing, it’s about keeping jazz on the air. If that happens, the listeners are the winners.
Oh yes. I’m a second generation WBGO listener/supporter, sitting here right now in my WBGO tshirt, drinking out out of my WBGO mug (it goes on and on). Why? Because about 25 years ago my family woke up one morning to the shock of WRVR suddenly playing country music out of the blue. Poof, gone! And there was no more jazz on the air in NYC until WBGO came along. My parents, and now I too, always give them money because heaven forbid that ever, ever, ever happens again.