Buffalo radio stations ban Bon Jovi music

By now you know that Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi and the City of Buffalo aren’t exactly on the greatest of terms. That’s what happens when you try to steal the beloved Bills from Buffalo. Now it appears that frostiness has extended to the radio waves, where even local stations that might normally play Jovi have gutted their vaults of his music in response to his bid for the Bills, widely rumored to be one that accompanies an eventual move to Toronto.

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The Buffalo News reports that at least three major broadcasting corporations have permitted a purge of Bon Jovi music from their airwaves, affecting 10 FM stations in Western New York.

"The region’s top three radio groups – Entercom, Cumulus and Townsquare Media – that own 10 FM music stations have stopped playing Bon Jovi songs here in a protest of the belief that the Toronto group he has aligned with may buy the Buffalo Bills and eventually move them north."

Suddenly everyone else is wishing Bon Jovi would try to buy their football team.

Obviously not every station is going to be affected by the ban because, thankfully, not every station plays Jon Bon Jovi’s music. Still, those who could play those songs have not. Among those stations to boycott? Arguably the two biggest classic rock stations in Buffalo, 97 Rock and Jack FM.

"John Hager, the program director of two Cumulus stations, 97 Rock and Sports Radio 1270 The Fan, said the group’s local FM stations have stopped playing Bon Jovi as well. Besides 97 Rock, Cumulus owns WEDG-FM, The Edge (103.3) and WHTT-FM (104.1).Rich Chiaino, general manager of the local Townsquare Media stations, WBUF-FM, WJYE-FM and WYRK-FM and WBLK-FM, said a former brand manager suggested WBUF, 92.9, which is called Jack FM, start a Ban Bon Jovi Summer. The station declared itself a Bon Jovi-Free Zone in early June."

When you attack the football team in a small, provincial city like Buffalo, you make things personal. Clearly the city’s residents have taken it personally that Bon Jovi would entertain the idea of a move and they’re willing to voice that displeasure in an array of gestures. Now we just have to wait and see if Bon Jovi takes the hint and moves along. He’ll get all the hint he needs if he ever actually drives through Buffalo and turns on the radio.