Remember payola? DJs spinning records in exchange for cash? Guess what ... It never went away. This week, some of the biggest names in commercial radio agreed, albeit tentatively, to pony up more than $12 million combined in response to allegations of payola. And there's talk that the potential deal would require them to set aside blocks of air time for indie acts ... some 4,000 hours in all ... and for FREE. No kickbacks allowed. F.C.C. Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein will fill us in. We'll find out what's in the deal, and if it will ever become reality. And, Marc Fisher will be back to look at what payola really means, how it works, and who benefits the most.
Blog Of The Nation
Along with this, news broke this week that some rather steep royalty fees targetting specifically smaller, internet-based radio, while letting the mega-corporations like ClearChannel, pay nothing. This is truly odd, as entities such as ClearChannel exist soley as profit-generating entities, and the smaller, internet-based folks are far less likely to be inspired by avarice.
Ah, but the payola story has a spin much more favorable to BigMedia, eh?
I believe the Dixie Chicks were payola-ized in Countryversial Music sort of way. Are the Dixie Chicks bigger than the sum of the music businesses payola body parts? Just wondering how far the long arms of the Payola scandal will go to achieve their intended "no voice" or "air time" goal.
It's interesting that the industry being investigated for the crime of payola was able to use payola to end the investigation that would potentially find them as felonious and then so fully processed as criminals.
This is just another shining example of money and the power enabled through our money-government system and it's influence buying the justice and policy that average Americans or peasants cannot afford to buy and of the cooperate worlds rule over all human beings.
Through the guise of this story the true government, a government for the rich and by the cooperation's, rather than by the people and for the people is evident.
At this point it doesn't really matter with Ipods and mixtapes and it being so easy to make Cds on your computer my generations isn't even bothering with the radio; especaily for the music I listen to. This has had an extremely negative impact on hip hop's perception in the public eye. We have always been critized for the common themes of money cars and women but its always been cleverly presented lyrically with metaphors and analagies. but what they play the radio is rap dumbed down.
I will keep tryin to call in
It seems to me the combination of recording software for the home computer, a functional home studio, and MySpace and YouTube, the small independent artist has the chance to "thumb their nose" at Big Business Radio. A great many people tune in, so to speak, to the music in cyberspace. This gives the small independent artist the chance to showcase their material and to create music for music's sake...not just to pad the bottom line for companies like Clear Channel. As a singer/songwriter (my genre is folk/bluegrass), I will have much better luck broadcasting my material on my website than spending a lot of money on a demo that may languish in a publishers office. I can also build my fan base in this way. I also believe the impact of MySpace has been noted...it was specifically mentioned by the commentators on today's show.
This is another example of how the citizens of this country allow ourselves to be "American Idol-ed". The consumers are just as much to blame as the government and the corporations that run it. When did our nation become filled with wimps who are so "helpless" to do anything about the things that affect them. Turn off your radio, go see live, local music, and insist that musicians must be more than manufactured goods.
Payola doesn't surprise me in the least. It???s not astonishing to me at all that DJs have always been making deals with record companies to bring in a bit of cash on the side. Having our music choices force fed to us is a way of life.
I'm with Lisa S. I rarely listen to the radio anymore. I much prefer to go to live concerts and support local artists who have talent of substance.
I've worked in the record business since 1985 at a major record company. Something we have to remember about radio is they don't care about music. They'd play the sound of a chicken coop if it would sell advertising. I know a VP of programming at Clear Channel in Atlanta that doesn't even LIKE music and admits it. Music is a means to an end. Record companies are ABOUT the music, or at least were. Record industry and radio industry have different goals. That is, they did, until around 1995 when Wall Street got overly involved in record companies and the bean counters took over. Look at what Time Warner did to the 30 year career of legendary Warner Bros Records leader Mo Ostin. Today's consumer reaction is to dump the record industry for forgetting the music, and their obsession with money, and to ignore radio for the same reason. Today we can get our music on the internet, on satellite, on our i-pods, on social web sites, podcasts, and even video games. Both radio and record industries now have little to do with music or art at their core and are now experiencing the fall out. "It's about the music" the legendary music people always said and knew. The Ostin's and Alpert and Moss's have been kicked out. Sure, CC may implement some weak corporate "indi music show" to deflect some criticism, but music fans will see through it and thumb their noses to what will probably be just another advertising engine.
The reason that the radio companies are doing this is because the vast majority of young people don't listen to radio anymore. 12 million dollars is nothing to them and it's well worth it if it convinces people that they might actually be able hear something novel on the radio.
For a time it was cheaper and easier to have a handful of super-rich deciders... but it doesn't work if no one is listening. This is self-preservation, & I doubt it will work for them.
"It's interesting that the industry ..."
Sent by Your mom | 2:31 PM ET | 03-07-2007"
So I am not the only one who finds this settlement ironic. If the FCC had a case against the 4 biggest radio companies, it should have prosecuted them and let the smaller companies make a settlement.
Also if part of the agreement is to insure more independant artist get played why did F.C.C. Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein siay that the FCC would not monitor the stations to see if this happens? The republicans know how to take care of big business!!!!
I agree with one of the commentors on the show. Payola could be great (as in the past)if it gave local artists access to the DJs and local stations. But if it becomes "conglomeratized" with 6 figure pay-offs it loses it's historic and progressive value.
I'm a NYer who's lived the last 6 six years in 2 major southern cities. I hate radio now, I can't stand to listen to the same thing over and over again, no matter what city I happen to be living in or visiting. I just read magazines, talk to people and buy music on i-tunes. They play so much Beyonce and JT, I don't even need to buy the albums!!!! NPR is all I ever listen to on the radio anymore. Corporate radio is destroying the music industry.
This is so aggravating. I'm an independent musician who has made his money with film and TV placements. It's evident that because of payola, radio has never been a possibility.
The only thing I really wanted to comment on here is how pathetic Johnathan Addlestien sounded when asked how they were going to enforce the ridiculous 'lip-service' side deal of getting indies on the radio. He said "I will be watching this." I? Unreal. He kept going back to what a great big deal this was.
FOr the moment, the FCC seems utterly pathetic to me.
ANOTHER THING: How could they possible settle? They said that they had mountains of evidence. If they really cared about the issue, WHY WOULDN'T they keep fighting to teach these HUGE companies a lesson? If the evidence is there, why would you be happy to say that nobody was found guilty?
Between the 12 million dollar pocket change punishment and the "no teeth" promise of indie air play, I feel completely helpless and upset. I have very little faith in our FCC. (but just don't curse on the airwaves....that's much more important than nurturing art, isn't it?)
I'm so truly disappointed.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.