PAYOLA FINES

[Herbie Meeks]

Four U.S. broadcast companies, together owning more than 1,500 radio stations, tentatively agreed to pay $12.5 million in fines in a pay-to-play music scheme.

In addition, the Federal Communications Commission and industry officials said the four conglomerates -- Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Entercom Communications and Citadel Broadcasting -- agreed to provide air time for local artists and independent record labels, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.


The negotiated settlement should end an investigation into the practice known as "payola," in which large record companies provide cash or other incentives to radio station employees in exchange for playing music by the companies' artists, usually at the expense of lesser-known musicians, officials said.


"It wipes payola off the radio dial," said FCC commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein said.


If approved, the settlement be one of the largest penalties imposed at one time by the FCC -- until the agency levies a proposed $24 million fine against Univision, the Spanish-language broadcaster accused of sidestepping its obligations to supply children's educational programming, The New York Times said.

[P Gleespen]

"It wipes payola off the radio dial," said FCC commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein said.

Right, sure it does.

[Dave Mudgett]

"It wipes payola off the radio dial," said FCC commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein said.

Seems I've heard this before.

The only solution here is large-scale redistribution of licenses to make real competition in the marketplace. We don't need big brother to "monitor" this for us. All IMHO, of course.

[erik]

This must be why the local Country station actually announced that they want listeners input on what they want to hear played. I found this peculiar. I plan on going to their web site and trying to do this.

[Charles Davidson]

Payola will NEVER end as long as CASH can be passed under the table,with NO paper trail to follow.

[Ray Minich]

Those who do not study history, are destined to be clueless, when it repeats itself...

[Eric Jaeger]

And $12.5 Million is .000001 percent of the operating costs of those companies. As if they would notice

-eric

[Jerry Erickson]

12.5 mil sounds like a CEO Christmas bonus at clear channel.

[Marlin Smoot]

....This must be why the local Country station actually announced that they want listeners input on what they want to hear played. I found this peculiar. I plan on going to their web site and trying to do this."...

A couple of things at work here. The radio station want's your email address so they can market their station to you and the way they do that is to make you think you are "part of the programming"... this has nothing to do with payola and everything to do with marketing the radio station. Usually these marketing promotions have little or nothing to do with the actual programming decisions.

Remember, most stations are highly researched and they already know what the listeners want to hear as far as oldies and recurrents go. Even in smaller markets a station can buy a "safe list" of music to play that has been researched in other markets.

I can hear what's coming next: how do they know what I want to hear in my market (town or city) because we're different here" The truth of the matter is; research shows people want to hear the hits and they want to hear them a lot. That's why you hear the same songs over and over. Most radio stations only have about 350 to 450 songs total to play that are researched as the best testing songs, that means the entire catalog of songs a radio station has rotates in about 2.7 to 3.5 days. Then it starts over again.

I'm sure they value your imput but I doubt if your musicial selections will have much weight in programming decisions. I could be wrong.

However, if you find it fun to do, then by all means have fun with it. Sometimes you can make a difference.

[Kevin Hatton]

Thats how all the blues and rock crap gets played on "country radio". Give me XM Satellite. All the real country music you want.

[Alvin Blaine]

And $12.5 Million is .000001 percent of the operating costs of those companies. As if they would notice

-eric

And $12.5 Million is probably .000001 percent of how much they make off payola.
I don't think a small fine like that is going to stop them. Even with the fines they are making big money off payola.

Clear Channel Communications, CBS Radio, Entercom Communications and Citadel Broadcasting -- agreed to provide air time for local artists

Most of their stations are automated syndicated programs, so are they going to "provide air time for local artists"?
Do they really want me to believe that I can just show up at the station with my guitar and start playing on the air???

[b0b]

Do people still listen to music on the radio? If so, why?

[erik]

Hi b0b, yes, when I'm mobile I listen to music on the radio. In the car mostly am talk, but in my truck at work mostly fm because the electrical system interferes with am reception. Also, I do like some "new country", but also listen to top 40 oldies, or lite fm. Listening to new music also helps make reference points in your life. When I hear 80s retro top 40 it reminds me of the things I did back then, where I was, what job I had. It helps make memories. This is true of most people I would assume. I am also interested in hearing steel parts on new hits and often report about them here.

[Eric Jaeger]

I listen to the radio to find out what I don't know. At least I used to. Now I listen to XM on the road, and XM channels 12-16 generally keep me interested.

Without something like radio, how would you discover those things you weren't already looking for?

-eric

[David Mason]

Do people still listen to music on the radio? If so, why?

Every now and then, I decide that I should take part in the culture of the country that I'm living in so I turn on the radio or try to watch a hit TV comedy. I never can hold out very long, and it's happening less and less frequently as I creak & grump into my "golden years." Eventually, there is only going to be ONE song on country radio: "I'm, Really, Really Country."
ONE song on rock radio: "I'm Really, Really Rockin'."
ONE plot for cop shows: "serial killer kidnaps a 'team member.'"
ONE plot for sitcoms: "fat guy (with hot wife) worries that he's gay."
Surprise me? Please?

[Ray Minich]

One plot for the news... "{New Name Here} is in rehab...".

[Donny Hinson]

The negotiated settlement SHOULD END an investigation into the practice known as "payola," in which large record companies provide cash or other incentives to radio station employees in exchange for playing music by the companies' artists, usually at the expense of lesser-known musicians, officials said.

The caps are mine. I just thought it was rather "quaint" that one fine for wrong-doing would end further investigations. Hmm...what a bargain...just pay a fine now, and eliminate any future investigations! At least, that's what it sounds like they're saying?

[Jody Sanders]

What Bob said. Jody.

[Dave Mudgett]

Without something like radio, how would you discover those things you weren't already looking for?

I agree that I WANT to be able to discover some new and interesting things I wasn't already looking for. I think this was always the charm of radio from the beginning.

But I don't think I will EVER find anything new and interesting on Clear Channel and its ilk. Maybe I'm too cynical, but turning on broadcast radio just makes me furious at the media coup d'etat that has occurred in the last decade or two.