Why Does Radio Need Outside Sales?

[davideduardo]

but at the end of the day this truly is an effort to legislate conscience.

Well, that's kind of what government regulations are all about, aren't they? Like payola laws.

Payola regulations at the FCC level are based on the requirement that broadcasters must identify the name or identity of persons or parties advertising goods. A spin of a song that is paid for but not disclosed is a violation of sponsor ID rules, whether the station got the payment legitimately or whether the DJ was bribed.

The non-FCC rules have to do with the legality of taking under the table money and thus benefiting from the property of others... as in using a radio station that is not yours to promote a business you benefit from, whether it is your own night club or store or someone else's record label or recording. Because of the issues involved, payola was specifically defined, but it is no different than a truck driver charging for carrying goods on his employer's trucks without the knowledge of the owner of the trucks.

I suppose you could say all criminal statutes are legislation that reinforces a collective conscience in regard to the core values of a society, but in the case of payola, all we have is a case of theft clear and simple. "Thou shalt not steal" is the core value in American society.