Lawsuit filed over Cleveland State's transfer of student radio station
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A new lawsuit is seeking to reverse the controversial transfer of Cleveland State University's longtime student-run radio station, WCSB, to Ideastream.
Why it matters: CSU's decision late last year to shut down the station and transfer its signal to another broadcaster drew widespread backlash from students and the college community, while garnering national attention.
Driving the news: The lawsuit filed Monday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court lists the plaintiffs as WCSB, Alison Bomgardner (a CSU student and former WCSB general manager) and Friends of XCSB, a nonprofit founded last year "to promote and protect independent broadcasting in Cleveland."
- They're suing CSU, President Laura Bloomberg and the school's board of trustees to end the agreement with Ideastream and allow WCSB members to run the radio station again.
State of play: The lawsuit says the defendants violated the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights, including freedom of speech, the press and assembly, by shutting down WCSB and not allowing students into the station's facilities.
- It also accuses the defendants of "wrongfully" seizing equipment, music collections and other property.
The other side: CSU spokesperson Kristin Broka said Tuesday afternoon that, once the school receives the lawsuit, it will "respond appropriately consistent with applicable law."
- Ideastream, who is not named as a defendant, declined to comment.
The lawsuit says the relationship between CSU and WCSB, which had been run by students since the mid-1970s, had "historically been collaborative and mutually beneficial."
Yes, but: That relationship had "grown more strained in recent years," according to the lawsuit.
- The lawsuit says WCSB members publicly aired grievances last year against CSU, such as an inability to access station funds and the redistribution of student-leadership scholarships budgeted for WCSB.
- It also says the university then stopped communicating with staff members and began "secret deliberations and discussions to sandbag WCSB with a plan to shut it down."
In October, CSU announced WCSB's transition into a jazz station operated by Ideastream Public Media on 89.3 FM.
- At the time, the university said the change would offer more professional opportunities for students, but the lawsuit claims that hasn't happened.
What's next: The plaintiffs ask that CSU's agreement with Ideastream be invalidated and that WCSB staff members be given back access to the station and their property.
- It also requests damages, attorney fees and other relief, while demanding a trial by jury.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note Ideastream declined to comment.