Payola! (Or, How To Undermine Your Own Argument To Congress)

[p2p rules]

Music labels want Congress to force radio stations to pay up for the music they play, but radio stations argue that they actually provide necessary publicity for artists. Despite their public stances, music labels seem to agree - they just can't stop paying radio stations to promote certain songs.

The practice, called "payola," is perfectly legal so long as it's disclosed. But admitting that editorial judgment went out the window and that song choice is being made based on who brings the largest briefcase of cash to the station's business office is not a recipe for listener loyalty, so the companies that engage in it try to keep payola secret.

Today, the newest label to settle payola charges was Univision's one-time Latin music label, the Univision Music Group (UMG). According to a federal complaint, UMG engaged in payola from at least 2002 through 2006, and it did so as though in pure movie style, with people shuttling around the country by plane "carrying tens of thousands of dollars of cash" in briefcases.

arstechnica.com