Not Quite Bans

Some radio stations did not actually announce bans of The Beatles but instead either teetered on the brink of a ban without doing so or announced their solidarity with the banning stations but didn't play The Beatles (and therefore couldn't actually ban them). Those stations are listed below, alphabetically by call letters.

KCBN

United Press International (as printed in the Independent in Long Beach, CA, on August 6, 1966) reported, "In Reno, Nev., station KCBN aired an anti-Beatle editorial every hour and announced a rally to burn Beatle albums and souvenirs Saturday."

It is unclear whether KCBN banned The Beatles or only announced a bonfire.

KEYS

According to the Corpus Christi Times on August 5, 1966, "Many calls are being received by KEYS radio..., and the majority of callers want the station to ban the group's records, Charlie Brite, program director, said today. 'No official decision has been made. We want to find out exactly what was said and whether or not the remarks were printed out of context. We have been trying to get in touch with Brian Epstein, the Beatle manager, in London and Date Book magazine in New York,' he said.... 'No matter which way we finally decide, we're not going to make a public display. I think the Birmingham station was wrong to burn or break the records publicly. We'll either play them or stop playing them without fanfare. It's in poor taste to use the religious feelings on the American people for sensationalism and publicity,' Brite said."

KFRO

According to The Kilgore News Herald on August 4, 1966, "State Rep. John Allen, affiliated with KFRO in Longview, said the Lennon statement will give the Beatles a zero rating in this area."

It is unclear whether Allen was speaking on behalf of KFRO or whether it was a station that played The Beatles.

KHHH

The Pampa Daily News reported on August 5, 1966, "A.C. Higgins, KHHH station employe [sic], said he had received a flood of telephone calls, mostly from Pampa teenagers, requesting a blackout of Beatle recordings. 'We plan to abide by their wishes,' Higgins said."
Higgins was the general manager and chief engineer of KHHH, but it's unclear whether the station went ahead with a ban.

KOB

United Press International (as printed in The Tennessean on August 6, 1966) reported, "An invitation by station KOB, Albequerque, for listeners to phone in with their views resulted in 600 calls, 65 per cent of which were in favor of boycotting the Liverpudlians."

KPDN

While the Pampa Daily News reported on August 5, 1966, that "The Beatle ban in Pampa will be imposed by KPDN," it also added: "Warren Hasse, owner of KDPN said, 'We don't have to to ban them. We have never played them.'"

KSVP

While KSVP told The Sante Fe New Mexican on August 4, 1966, that The Beatles were banned, it wasn't because of the "more popular than Jesus" controversy: "Artesia Station KSVP said it banned the Beatles about a month ago when members of the group were quoted in Tokyo as being critical of U.S. bombing of oil depots at Hanoi and Haiphong in North Viet Nam."

KTUC

The Tucson Daily Citizen reported on August 4, 1966, "One of the Tucson stations which hasn't played Beatle reocrds is KTUC, whose manager, C. Van Haaften said today: 'I wish we did so we could ban it and make an issue of this.'"

KVIC

The Victoria Advocate reported on August 5, 1966, that KVIC was being a little technical on their response. "'We have not banned them,' said James Traber, sales manager of KVIC, 'But as of Wednesday night we have quit playing their records. I really can't say just how long the policy will continue. It will depend on circumstances.' Traber said the station has had 'several' calls, from adults as well as teen-agers, encouraging the station not to play Beatles records."
So it somehow wasn't a ban?

KWCL

The Monroe Morning World reported on August 7, 1966, "Radio station KWCL here sponsored the burning of Beatle records, magazines, pictures and all types of literature in a huge bonfire on the courthouse square here Saturday at 7 p.m."

There was no announcement of a ban, just the bonfire. Therefore, it's unclear if KWCL played The Beatles.

WAIM/WCAC-FM

The Associated Press (as printed in The Asheville Citizen on August 4, 1966) reported, "Program director Betty Black of WAIM-WCWC-FM [sic], Anderson, S.C., said: 'The Beatles have been banned from our station for the past several months because we consider them to be unacceptable to many lovers of good music. If they had not been banned earlier, we would certainly move (now) to keep their recordings, tapes and network shows off our station in view of the statement that the Beatles are more popular than Jesus.' "
Several sources reported WAIM as banning The Beatles in the wake of the "more popular than Jesus" controversy, but its ban pre-dated the "ban the Beatles" movement.

WAYX

The Atlanta Constitution reported on August 6, 1966, "In Bainbridge, a local minister joined disc jockeys in their plans to set fire to Beatle discs. The Rev. Charles Bishop, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, announced he would hold a 'Beatle burning' of records, and three disc jockeys said they would supply the pastor with 14 Beatle records to burn. The stations, WAYX in Waycross, WTIF in Tifton and WOGA in Sylvester, announced 'Beatle bonfires' in the near future."

It is unclear if WAYX banned The Beatles.

WBSR

The Pensacola News Journal reported on August 6, 1966, "Jerry Ray, the 'Daddy Rabbit' of Pensacola's WBSR, brought on a burning of records by mentioning, in a throw-away line, 'I'm going to get on home and burn my Beatle records.' At the show's end, five carloads of listeners were outside the WBSR broadcasting station with records to burn.... The Ron Montgomery Show of Pensacola's WBSR has had the disc jockey answering phone calls that were running 95 per cent against the mop-haired musicians from England, and only five per cent singing their praises."
It is unclear if any of this activity resulted in a ban.

WBTM

The Danville Register reported on August 4, 1966, "General manager Jim Crawford of WBTM said his station probably will stop playing Beatles records, but 'won't make any hullabaloo about it.'... Crawford's first reaction upon hearing of the Lennon statement was that 'it's so absurd.' He said he fears 'so many kids will be carried away by it, which is bad.' But he said he would be inclined to 'just ignore it' while quietly eliminating Beatle records from the station's programming."
It's unknown if they quietly pulled the trigger.

WCSI

On August 6, 1966, The Republic in Indiana's Columbus reported, "Radio Station WCSI was conducting a survey Friday to determine how Columbus residents felt about the Beatles. During a period when mostly adults are listening, the station reported a 44 to two vote against the singers, although it wasn't known if the vote would have been any different before Lennon made his statement. The survey was closed Friday night with 226 callers objecting to playing of Beatles records and 88 remaining faithful to the 'Liverpudlians.' "
No record of a ban has been found.

WDEF-TV

This most certainly was a ban, but it was not by a radio station but rather a TV station. All the while the "ban the Beatles" movement played out, The Beatles cartoon was running on TV outlets across the United Stations. 

United Press International (as printed in The Tennessean on August 11, 1966) reported, "A Chattanooga television station has canceled a half-hour show on the Beatles scheduled for Sunday. Morris Quave, program director of WDEF-TV, said 'the decision was my own' and that he felt this 'would not be the proper time' for a show featuring the British group. Quave said the program may be scheduled later 'if the Beatles apologize or if the public accepts them again.' "
This cancellation is likely of the cartoon.

WFIF

The Hartford Courant on August 5, 1966, reported, "The Beatles also lost at non-rock stations WFIF in Milford, WSTC in Stamford and WINY in Putnam."

Since WFIF played primarily country music, it's unclear whether this was a meaningful ban.

WHPB

The Greenville News reported on August 5, 1966, "Miss Janice Broome, leader of a 'Ban the Beatles' campaign here, said a bonfire to burn Beatle records and pictures is scheduled on Murdock Road Saturday at 10 a.m. She said she was a fan of the Beatles before one of the members of the British singing group said 'he thought he was more popular than Jesus.' She said the campaign has been endorsed by the Belton radio station.' "


WHPB appears to have been the only radio station in Belton in 1966. However, the station is only referred to as "endorsing" the bonfire.


The Greenville News updated the story on August 7, 1966: "A pyre of Beatle records and memorabilia was torched into a 10-foot flame surrounded by some 200 contributors on the outskirts of town here Saturday. The burning was in protest to a statement attributed to one of the four English singers, John Lennon, that the recording group is now more popular than Jesus. Rev. J.C. Dyar of the Belton Second Baptist Church offered a prayer before the fire was set. He told the Greenville News Saturday night the remark was the 'most sacrilegious, blasphemous and discreditable statement ever made.' The minister said most of those in the group were teenagers. Many people watched from cars parked along Murdock Road east of town. Four balloon effigies of the Beatles, with mops for hair, straddled the top of a pile of limbs, leaves and old tires. The debris was soaked with gasoline and ignited. An imitation devil placed beside the pyre carried a sign with mocked, 'I've come to take you all away.' One teen-ager, a former fan of the singing group told The News she felt the American people had 'made them' and she couldn't 'imagine anyone feeling that way.' She fed the fire with five albums. Rev. Dyar said that recent statements defending the Beatle's remark were just an attempt to get the singing group 'off the hook.' 'I think they should have all their tours cancelled in America,' Janice Broome, 14, a sponsor of the burning told The News. Rev. Dyar said he also hoped that public indignation would result in the group being banned from America. 'I think we've got a good start, I really do.' Another Beatle bonfire will be set at Salem Baptist Church in Anderson Sunday at 2:30 p.m."

WIBR

United Press International (as printed in The Daily World on August 7, 1966) reported, "An eight-foot high stack of Beatle records, scrapbooks and other Beatle things went up in smoke Saturday before an appreciative crowd of 400 persons, mostly teen-agers. The pyre was topped by a Beatle wig and soaked with kerosene before it was fired. Radio station WIBR sponsored the Beatle burning. Bryan Wilson, WIBR disc jockey, said a band of pro-Beatle teens had threatened to picket the event but they never showed up. There were a number of adults and small fry who joined the teen-agers. Wilson said he had received a phone call from an anonymous young lady who told him, 'I guess we ought to start burning Bibles now.' "
No evidence has been found for a ban on The Beatles by WIBR.

WINF

The Associated Press (as printed in The Bridgeport Telegram on August 5, 1966) reported, "Some Connecticut radio stations joined the ban on Beatles records Thursday. One of them started a 'BBB' club—standing for 'Beatles are Bad Business'—and said it promptly received calls from more than 200 listeners wanting to join.... Station WINF in Manchester said that it was a 'mostly talk' station but that it tossed away all its Beatle records. Then, on its afternoon 'talk show' it announced the launching of the BBB club."
While the station owned and removed records by The Beatles, it is unclear if this was actually a ban.

WINY

The Hartford Courant on August 5, 1966, reported, "The Beatles also lost at non-rock stations WFIF in Milford, WSTC in Stamford and WINY in Putnam."

It's unclear if this meant a ban or not, as WFIF is noted as being a "non-rock" station.

WKIN

The Kingsport Times-News reported on August 7, 1966, "Larry Harris, record librarian and announcer for Station WKIN, Kingsport, said none of the Beatle records is being played now. 'We may play their records later, but not right now.' "

It is unclear if this means there was a ban or that The Beatles did not have a song in current rotation at the time.

WKOA

The Associated Press (as printed in The Courier-Journal on August 4, 1966) reported, "Most disc jockeys at Hopkinsville's WKOA indicated they would go along with the ban. However, one said he was reserving judgment until 'someone proves that Lennon made the remarks.' "
Not so much a station ban as a DJ ban?

WKPT

On August 7, 1966, The Kingsport Times-News reported, "WKPT, another Kingsport station, 'is kind of holding off,' said a station spokesman. Although the station broadcast an 'editorial' defending the Beatles' music, a WKPT employe [sic] said none of the records being played. 'We had a couple of nasty calls when we did play them,' he said. 'They may be played later, but not right now.' "
Potentially a ban, but a bit unclear.

WLIS

The Associated Press (as printed in The Bridgeport Telegram on August 5, 1966) reported, "Joseph P. Trantino, president of WLIS in Old Saybrook, said his station banned the Beatles because 'we have received numerous calls... from housewives, clergymen of all denominations and educators in our area expressing deep concern with the alleged remarks of John Lennon...'. "

However, United Press International (as printed in Alexandria, LA's The Town Talk on August 5, 1966) clarified that, "The two Connecticut stations do not play much Beatle music. Mike Lee of WLIS in Old Saybrook, explained, 'We just came out in protest against the statement.'"
It's therefore unclear if WLIS only declared a theoretical ban, not an actual one.

WNOS

According to the High Point Enterprise on August 4, 1966, "Radio Station WNOS will henceforth play a Beatle record only upon request. 'We are not conducting a ban-the-Beatles campaign,' manager Bob Smith said. 'We have their records; we shall keep them. We shall play them when the public demands, but they will not be presented with pleasure as they once were.' Smith said it was unfortunate that someone with worldwide admiration should make such a reckless statement. 'The Beatles are worth saving and for the sake of their fans we hope they will be. The Beatles can still be an influence for good. We hope someone near them will show them the way.' "

WOGA

The Atlanta Constitution reported on August 6, 1966, "In Bainbridge, a local minister joined disc jockeys in their plans to set fire to Beatle discs. The Rev. Charles Bishop, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, announced he would hold a 'Beatle burning' of records, and three disc jockeys said they would supply the pastor with 14 Beatle records to burn. The stations, WAYX in Waycross, WTIF in Tifton and WOGA in Sylvester, announced 'Beatle bonfires' in the near future."

It is unclear if WOGA banned The Beatles.

WOKZ

The Alton Evening Telegraph reported on August 6, 1966, "Lane Venardos of Alton Radio Station WOKZ said the station conducted a poll this morning on whether to play Beatle records. There were 164 telephone calls voting 'no' to 136 'yes' votes, he said."
Aside from the call tallying, it is unknown if WOKZ took any further action.

WPKY

The Associated Press (as printed in The Courier-Journal on August 4, 1966) reported, "The top disc jockey at WPKY at Princeton said he had stopped playing Beatle records for the time being but add: 'I am praying he (Lennon) didn't say it.' "

There's no indication whether this was a station decision or a DJ decision.

WSTC

The Associated Press (as printed in The Bridgeport Post on August 5, 1966) reported, "WSTC in Stamford, which said it never has played and never will play Beatles records, is banning 'music written by them which may be performed by other groups,' according to a station spokesman."

WTIF

The Atlanta Constitution reported on August 6, 1966, "In Bainbridge, a local minister joined disc jockeys in their plans to set fire to Beatle discs. The Rev. Charles Bishop, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, announced he would hold a 'Beatle burning' of records, and three disc jockeys said they would supply the pastor with 14 Beatle records to burn. The stations, WAYX in Waycross, WTIF in Tifton and WOGA in Sylvester, announced 'Beatle bonfires' in the near future."

It is unclear if WTIF banned The Beatles.

WTRU

United Press International (as printed in The Indianapolis Star on August 5, 1966) reported, "In Muskegon, Mich., music director Don Anderson of WTRU said if Lennon had been accurately quoted, WTRU would 'ask for all Beatle records to be turned into the station for one of the biggest bonfires ever seen.' "

WTTI

United Press International (as printed in The Tennessean on August 11, 1966) reported,"A radio station in Dalton, Ga., has offered to break a Beatles recordings [sic] every time a listener has his 'Beatle-type' haircut changed. Mort Lloyd, owner of WTTI, said the offer has been made over the air and 'we'll break a Beatles record every time someone refutes them by having his hair cut.' "

It's unclear if this offer accompanied a ban.

WVAL

On August 5, 1966, the St. Cloud Times reported, "Bob Sparrow, speaking for station WVAL, Sauk Rapids, said they would not play Beatle records. 'We play country western music, so we don't play the Beatles anyway, but after their comments we are very much against them. If we played that type of music we wouldn't play Beatle records.' WVAL ran a two hour telephone poll this morning on the subject, 153 callers, 60 per cent of them adults and 40 per cent of the teenagers, wanted to ban the Beatles. Seven callers did not think stations should stop playing Beatle records."

CKLW 

According to United Press International (as printed in the Detroit Free Press on August 6, 1966), "CKLW's music director, Dave Schaefer, told his staff Thursday that he was banning the Beatles' new album, due for release in mid-August. Beyond that, the station has taken no action, but a disc jockey, Tom Shannon, said he was also going keep the Beatles' new single record 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Yellow Submarine' off his 7 p.m.-to-midnight program."