"David Eduardo" wrote in message
...

"Bob Haberkost" wrote in message
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"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.

Fair enough, on all counts. Certainly the issue of intent has a lot to do with it.
I still think that artist-oriented promotions are bad for the business, though, since
it gives the established major labels more of an advantage than the indies.
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