What is Payola?

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Payola in the music industry, which is when radio broadcasters are bribed in order for music to be played on the radio and get high air-time for an advertising method, came about in the '50s when independent labels were starting up. Radio play for an emerging artist meant the potential for success. No radio play meant no chance. Many of these new Rock’n’Roll artists were with small independent record companies that didn’t have the monetary means or connections for large scale advertising and publicity. Disc Jockeys, Program Directors, and/or Station managers were sometimes offered incentives to give a certain artist air-time. These incentives might include: cash, promotional vacation weekends, partial ownership in the song, the artist, or even the record company.

The District Attorney of New York initiated grand jury hearings related to charges of commercial bribery against various disc jockeys - including Alan Freed (Freed was eventually convicted in 1962 on 2 counts of commercial bribery)

By September 1960, the House committee recommended amendments to the Federal Communications Act that would prohibit payments of cash or gifts in exchange for airplay. Investigations announced that 207 rock DJ's in 42 states had accepted more than $263,000 in payola.

However, the people who were the bribers and who got the DJ's to play the songs, never got charged with anything.

[Source: Rock and Culture Course Notes]

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