▁format . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁WM MS ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁contrib utor ▁in ▁organ izing ▁a ▁campaign ▁( al ong ▁with ▁former ▁Cleveland ▁ad ▁ag ency ▁president ▁Edward ▁Sp iz el ▁and ▁author - de ej ay ▁Norm ▁N . ▁N ite ) ▁which ▁brought ▁the ▁Rock ▁and ▁Roll ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁to ▁Cleveland . ▁ ▁John ▁G orm an , ▁Den ny ▁Sand ers ▁and ▁Kid ▁Leo ▁organized ▁the ▁original ▁campaign ▁with ▁T unc ▁Er im , ▁assistant ▁to ▁Atlantic ▁Records ▁president ▁Ah met ▁Er te gun . ▁ ▁Jeff ▁& ▁Flash ▁were ▁also ▁cred ited ▁as ▁being ▁major ▁contrib utors ▁in ▁bringing ▁the ▁Rock ▁Hall ▁to ▁Cleveland , ▁by ▁heavily ▁prom oting ▁on - air ▁a ▁USA ▁Today ▁reader ▁poll ▁to ▁decide ▁which ▁city ▁should ▁get ▁it . ▁ ▁John ▁G orm an ▁and ▁Den ny ▁Sand ers ▁left ▁the ▁station ▁in ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁leading ▁four teen ▁staff ▁members ▁with ▁them ▁to ▁start ▁rival ▁station ▁W NC X . ▁ ▁G orm an ▁cred its ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁leave ▁to ▁changes ▁in ▁management , ▁and ▁the ▁station ' s ▁overall ▁shift ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁" cor por ate " ▁ment ality . ▁ ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁Read ers ' ▁Pol l ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁named ▁WM MS ▁" Radio ▁Station ▁of ▁the ▁Year " ▁nine ▁straight ▁years ▁( 1 9 7 9 – 8 7 ) ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁its ▁annual ▁Read ers ' ▁Pol l ,