Boston radio station WGBH (89.7) has shaken up its schedule and eliminated or moved the bulk of its jazz programming, marginalizing host Eric Jackson’s long-running show by moving it to weekends and dropping Steve Schwartz’s Friday show altogether. Both have been with the station since the 1980s.
The station plans to increase its lineup of NPR programming, according to news reports from the Boston area. Jackson’s show aired from 8 p.m. to midnight Mondays through Thursdays and will now air 9 p.m. to midnight Fridays through Sundays. Schwartz’s Friday evening show will be eliminated.
In a quote given to Boston.com, pianist Danilo Perez said, “That’s tragic. In a culture where we are so much in need of hope and optimism, that’s what jazz is all about. As long as people listen to radio, it’s crucial to have jazz there.”
A Facebook page has been launched to try to save Jackson’s program.
