Payola Persists
November 26, 2004
In 1960, legendary disc jockey Alan Freed was indicted for accepting music industry money in exchange for radio air time. The scandal sparked anti-"payola" legislation, but loopholes have persisted. Last month, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer launched an investigation into modern forms of pay-for-play by the major record labels. Brooke speaks with New Yorker columnist James Surowiecki about "spot buys" and the gaming of the Billboard charts.
