Payola's comet

[FredLeonard]

Payola is only a crime if it goes to air personalities. Not if it goes to management.
The payola scandal is pure hypocrisy - by politicians and radio managers.
Before the scandal, air personalities had some control over their music. Then management took that away and kept the goodies for itself, as well.
David, do you ever question the industry line?

 

[TheBigA]

Payola is only a crime if it goes to air personalities. Not if it goes to management.

Not true. When Elliot Spitzer cracked down on payola in New York State, only one individual was named, and he was in management.

 

[davideduardo]

Payola is only a crime if it goes to air personalities. Not if it goes to management.
The payola scandal is pure hypocrisy - by politicians and radio managers.
Before the scandal, air personalities had some control over their music. Then management took that away and kept the goodies for itself, as well.
David, do you ever question the industry line?

Payola is a crime if the ownership of the station is not the beneficiary of the bribe. Whether a DJ or a manager or the janitor takes the bribe, it is illegal and a Federal crime.

If station ownership takes record company money to play a song, it is legal. However, if they do not comply with the FCC Sponsor ID rules, they have committed a violation of the FCC rules which are considered "administrative law" and subject to fines or further sanctions.

When I first began in radio in the late 50's, the only stations where the DJs picked music were the ones nobody listened to. The Jazz FM, for example. The Top 40's had precise, color coded playlists. The MORs had bins of LPs with approved cuts that were played in order "put the one you played at the back of the bin". Even the R&B station had Top 40 like color coding and precise rotations. This was, at the time, a Top 10 market and no significant station let DJs pick the songs.

When I put my first station on the air, a Top 40, in 1964, I selected all the music in a meeting with the jocks, and that was what we played. No choices. As I added stations and formats, we did the same thing on each. All the major stations I visited did the same... until free form rock appeared briefly. And then even that was done in by AOR and tight, pre-approved playlists.

As those who have heard me on industry panels and committees over the years can attest, I question industry practices all the time. What I don't do is make up stuff that has no basis in real fact.