Is Radio Payola Finally Finished?
from the does-it-really-matter? dept
Last year we had a story about how the practice of payola (where labels basically paid radio stations to pay certain songs) was still being used prominently in the radio business. It had changed over time to make sure it didn’t violate payola laws – but it still happened. While the system was created by the record labels, they didn’t realize how out of control (or at least, out of their control) the system would become, and now they want it to die. They’re looking to politicians in DC to effectively end the practice. However, no matter what Congress decides to do, it sounds like the practice of payola is dying on its own. Part of this is simply due to the music industry’s struggles. They’re looking for any ways to save money, and cutting back on payola schemes seems like a good plan. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to point out that (once again!) the music industry is missing a great opportunity. Why bother doing “pay-for-play” when they can get all the “airtime” they want on file sharing networks? I realize this is getting repetitive, but embracing the technology would solve plenty of their problems…
