"Bob Haberkost" wrote in message
...

"David Eduardo" wrote in message

Untrue. A PD was fired in Rochester for accepting the latest record
company
scam, giving gift cards 2to give to listeners" which the PD kept... that
was
last week. There were a half-dozen indictments about 5 years ago in CA,
resulting in two convictions.

I wouldn't call that payola, though, David. That's just fraud or larceny.

It's clear payola. every communications attorney in the US sent a note to
clients saying about the same thing, too.

The record company said, "Hey, Mr. PD, here are a few thousand dollars in
gift cards for on air promotion. (wink, wink). why don't you give them away
on the air... if you want."

the idea was that if they did nto get given away, the record duck was not
going tocompalin, and the PD could go on a shopping spree. Clear and present
payola.

But the
problem remains that in its executed form (where said gift cards actually
go to said
listeners), it's still a corruption of the way things should be.

There was no intent to give anything to listeners.

Payola or not, anyone having an interest in the music business should be
barred from
offering any rewards to the outlets or their representatives who make
decisions on
whether or not that outlet should be playing the output from the music
business.


Artist based promotions have been a legal and legitimate synergistic
promotion with radio for many, many decades. As long as there is disclosure,
it is legit. The minute management approves, there is no payola possible.