adopting a jazz format full-time. Shortly after the takeover and call letter change, WJMO moved to a black-oriented rhythm and blues/soul music format. WABQ would do the same, but unlike WJMO, they explicitly boasted an on-air staff composed entirely of African-Americans; WJMO still carried assorted ethnic and religious programming on their lineup, including Message of Hope, a 15-minute long daily sermon produced and hosted by Richard Eaton himself. WJMO notably took credit for being the first radio station outside of Detroit to play the Mary Wells song The One Who Really Loves You. Legal and racial troubles WJMO's license was granted a short-term renewal by the FCC on January 19, 1965, along with four other stations owned by Richard Eaton. The unusual move was made due to technical violations at WJMO, and came as co-owned WOOK AM/FM in Washington, D.C. and WBNX in New York City were facing increased scrutiny and fines over their operations, although it was not provable at the time that WJMO was facing issues similar to those stations (WCUY's license, by contrast, was granted a full renewal). Along with the renewal, WJMO's daytime power was increased to 1,000 watts daytime, while remaining at 250 watts for nighttime hours. Pierre Eaton—Richard Eaton's son, who also served as United's vice president and as a secretary for Friendly—assumed direct responsibility for WJMO's operations in mid-1969; he would relinquish those duties in January 1970, but not before operations manager John Slade was fired. Morton Silverman—Friendly's vice-president and assistant secretary—assumed oversight of the station shortly thereafter, while Slade's dismissal ignited a dispute between staff and management over working conditions at the station and the lack of blacks in key leadership positions. Station staff and local community groups, including the SCLC's Cleveland chapter, presented a list of 21 demands; these included the installation of new broadcast equipment, appointments of African-Americans to management roles, and the cancellation of all ethnic and religious programs, including Message of Hope. Key station personnel formed a coalition with the SCLC that staged a boycott, picketing, and then an employee-led "sick out," which took the station off the air between January 12 and 21, 1970; Friendly retaliated by firing all personnel involved in the "sick out", while the SCLC's Cleveland chapter asked sponsors to withhold advertising from WJMO. In a truce called to resolve matters between the staff and the management, the fired personnel were reinstated, and morning