> from Pitchfork
>
> Rob Kleckner reports:
> Just in from Pitchfork's Crimewatch: New York Attorney
> General Eliot Spitzer has forced Sony BMG Music
> Entertainment to stop paying radio stations for
> airplay. In case you didn't know, this practice known
> as payola, is illegal. "Our investigation shows that,
> contrary to listener expectations that songs are
> selected for airplay based on artistic merit and
> popularity, air time is often determined by
> undisclosed payoffs to radio stations and their
> employees," Spitzer said.
>
> According to a press release from Spitzer's office,
> the payola occurred in several forms, including the
> following: "Outright bribes to radio programmers,
> including expensive vacation packages, electronics,
> and other valuable items; contest giveaways for
> stations' listening audiences; and payments for 'spin
> programs', airplay under the guise of advertising."
>
> An email found during the investigation, from one
> executive at Epic to another, read: "At the end of the
> day, [David] Universal added Good Charlotte and
> Gretchen Wilson and hit Alex up for another grand and
> they settled for $750."
>
> Another, from an Epic employee to a Clear Channel
> programmer looked like this: "WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO
> GET AUDIOSLAVE ON WKSS THIS WEEK?!!? Whatever you can
> dream up, I can make it happen."
>
For some people, it's personal...
Travus T. Hipp Commentary [ July 27 2005 ]:
The Music Industry - It's based on pimping the talent of the musicians... A history of payola
http://leighmdotnet.blogspot.com/2005/07/july-27-2005-travus-t-hipp-morning.html
[ Mp3 Audio 64Kbps Mono 2.5mb 5:32min ]
Leigh www.leighm.net