Music Industry Payola

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that payola, the act of paying a radio station in exchange for airplay, has been a heated controversy since the middle of the 1950s, when payola was a direct deposit into the hands of disc jockeys in exchange for airplay during the respective air shifts. The author points out that independent music promoters hired by record labels to encourage the airplay of certain singles within key markets including making deals with radio stations are nothing more than payola in modern dress; artists must agree to make in studio appearances and small concerts in return for airplay during key times, morning and afternoon drive time. The paper stresses that a key goal of the Federal Communications Commission is the exposure of local community-based music; but, in the modern payola-dominated market, local artists get virtually no airplay.

From the Paper:

"Program Directors field calls on a nearly non-stop basis from labels and promoters- the ones that get through are the ones who have something to offer. Generally, in order to by pass the anti-payola laws that are intact, the promoters offer "promotional materials" in which the station receives a certain amount of money to create a promotion around the song and/or artist- in return for a certain number of spins. One example is with the song "Baby's Gone" by Chris Emerson. Emerson, a virtually unknown artist, was picked up by an adult contemporary radio station in return for $1500 in promotional materials."

More papers on Music Industry Payola:

• Essay # 137399 : "Changes in the Canadian Music Industry"
• Persuasive Essay # 105103 : "Digital Downloading and its Impact on the Music Industry"
• Essay # 88119 : "Pricing Strategy in the Music Industry"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: