Let’s Get Real About Payola

Yesterday, Entercom finally gave in and agreed to pay New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer $4.25 million to make his payola investigation go away. Several other big radio consolidators including Clear Channel and a few major record labels have already settled.

Anyone who has been or is presently in radio knows that there was and is various kinds of payola. The record industry denies it. Independent promoters have a habit of disappearing -- I heard of one going to Sicily and returning when the heat was off. Radio stations can't bring themselves to admit their complicity. They're in denial. Hey, President Clinton told us he&hellip