WSLB

Station Information

Call Letters: WSLB

Frequency: 1400 AM

Location: Ogdensburg, NY

WSLB banned The Beatles!

Evidence of the Ban:

The Associated Press (as printed in the Star-Gazette in Elmira, NY, on August 4, 1966) reported, "Donald Ballou, 35, general manager of WSLB, Ogdensburg, NY, declared that the Beatles are 'off my station.'"

Further, the AP (as printed in the Poughkeepsie Journal the same day) stated, "The owner [sic*] of radio station WSLB planned to broadcast an editorial today, explaining he has banned Beatle recordings because of what he termed the group's anti-Christian attitude.... Ballou, the father of one child, said: 'I have personally read the article and do not appreciate my child listening to any group that would condemn Christianity. Neither would I allow my audience to listen to such a group.' The station, which broadcasts from this St. Lawrence River City, has an estimated audience of 60,000 in the United States and Canada. This was not the first time a singing group's records have been banned from WSLB, Ballou said. Paul Revere and the Raiders are not played because of what Ballou described as their anti-Vietnam war songs."

*Ballou was not the owner of WSLB, he was the general manager. George W. Bingham was the station's owner.

Current Info:

Correspondence:

The station was contacted to see if they want to apologize to The Beatles, but they did not respond.