> not sure of your point. you think it stops at the two
> programmers mentioned in the settlement? just those two
> guys in the whole country?
In the true era of payola, from the 50's to the early 70's, there were only a handful of indictments in the whole country. Alan Freed was hit with IRS tax evasion based on unreported income. Dick Clark was cleared. A couple of other PDs were indicted, and only a couple ever were conviceted.
Two of the mentioned programmers, in Buffalo and Rochester, were discovered by thier own stations before the investigation... and fired. Diana Laird in SD is suspended... since payola does not apply at a Mexican licence, this one will be very interesting to review later. And the PD in NC was also let go. That is as far as it goes today.
Everyone else in radio is innocent until proven guilty. At least that is what I learned in civics class.
> just the pop or rock formats?
> they all do it. every time a record company buys
> roll-a-sign or t-shirts
Very often programmers say, "I am considering a song, but I need something to support it and get it noticed." In no case is a bunch of crummy T´s going to influence adding a bad song.
: or fly-a-way vacations or pays an
> artist to play a gig on behalf of a station or a big screen
> tv to give as a prize or gas cards or laptops for radio
> personnel or trips to the super bowl or artist showcases for
> a pd, it is all part of the same game.
The NY Attorney General was very focused on Indies. Most indies do not or did not work much beyond the top 50 or 60 markets.
Most radio promotion by labels is concentrated there. The fact that TM's HitDisks and Radio Express' RadioPlay sets exist is that labels ignore the smaller markets and stations have to buy the music. (
www.radioexpress.com shows one of these subscriptions services for smaller markets)
Most radio companies have prohibitions of out of town showcases and gifts over $50. In this case, any exception is either payola or subject for firing or both.
: record money
> affecting a playlist. sure, it may not be explicit (though
> very often it is), but it is certainly implied. how many
> free meals have programmers had from morton's, ruth's chris
> or sullivans purchased by a regional rep?
How many members of the local sewer board get the same from manufacturers of pumps and chemicals? Business meals are pretty standard in relationship building, are not bankable and not considered improper in general.
: when radio needs
> a van wrapped in a logo, who do you think they call? the
> independent then the regional reps. in that order.
You know why? Both parties benefit. There is synergy. This is common in many businesses. The station gets a cool wrap, and the artist gets street promotion. What is unethical about this if it is above board? And, of course, the station benefits... not an individual. Business exists to make money. When two parties gain in a legal fashion, there is no reason NOT to do a deal.
It's frequent for stations to get calls begging to add an artist to an event. This is because the label and artist want the exposure. Since the benefit is mutual, there is no wrongdoing.
Note that payola is the undisclosed taking of money or valueables by a station employee in return for promotion without the onsent of management. If management agrees, it is not and can not be payola. The only other consideration is compliance witht he sponsor ID rules of the FCC, a totally different item.
: follow
> the money. you give that kind of money (or goods or
> services) to a radio station or a station employee and
> you've got "juice" and affect the playlist.
The stations in markets big enough to influence the charts are actually big enough to pretty much avoid conflicts of interest.
> that's how randy travis singles end up on the air in corpus
> christi.
Corpus Christi is not a market that can influence the charts at all. It would take a doozen or two Corpus Christi's to make any dent on rank.
>
> if you don't know it you are either not in the biz or
> somehow convinced yourself that the practice is ok because
> everyone does it.
Again, doing some quid pro quo promotions, such as T's to support a new single, or doing a contest to send listeners to an out of town concert is not evil. In both examples, the promotion gets extra on air mentions for the artist and something of value for the station. I frequently suggest to PDs to always ask for label support with new adds, like CDs for street hits, and more in the case of new artists... T's or jackets or caps or CD players, etc. New adds are so dangerous, it takes extra effort to make them positive, so getting the lable to help is fair and reasonable and totally legal.
Going to lunch is normal in every business in the world. Maybe you are not a major market PD and don't get invites... and are envious. The fact is, such invitations are not a sign of any impropriety. In whatever case, most of us turn most of them down as they take time away from our jobs.
Radio also likes to get interviews with name artists for the morning show... labels like interviews with new artists. So sometimes there is a package... we get a short interview with the no namer and a good one with the star. We all win. Some staitons get artists to go out on van stops, to answer the request lines, to do a dinner with listeners before a concert... all are part of making radio more fun, but require a nice relationship with the label. None of htis is illegal or unethical.
> people beleive that a song got on their
> favorite station because someone at the station liked it.
I don't think the average listener even asks this questions. Listeners like some songs and dislike others. The PDs job is to minimize the latter.
Songs get on stations because they fit the format, have a sound that fits a hole in the playlist, are by an artist that pulls positives on tests, where the song is on other stations we look at for additonal guidence, are right for our market, etc. It helps that the PD hears something in the tune, but there are many other factors involved due to the inherent risk in playing any new music.
> the truth is that the warren brothers get played because of
> a promise for a trip to see tim mcgraw in houston or dallas
> or san antonio.
If the trip was for a contest, this is legit. If it is for an individual, and undisclosed to management it is payola, and probably a violation of IRS rules, too... unless the label 1099's it.
>
> bottom line is that promotional money affects the playlist.
> it isn't supposed to.
In 99.9% of the times, it does not. And that other few times, it is illegal and the perp should be arrested. Period. <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">
Edited by David Eduardo on 07/31/05 09:47 PM.</FONT></P>
