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oeokosko


House on Fire

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Just another consumer society industry
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In case you ever wondered why 'pop' music is so trashy...


 


Sony Agrees to $10M 'Payola' Settlement


By ERIN McCLAM

The Associated Press
Monday, July 25, 2005; 7:51 PM




NEW YORK -- Recording industry titan Sony BMG Music Entertainment agreed Monday to pay $10 million and stop bribing radio stations to feature its artists in what a state official called a more sophisticated generation of the payola scandals of decades ago.


The agreement springs from an investigation by New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who called the practice "pervasive" in the industry and suggested other music industry giants could face similar penalties.








Britney Spears, who is signed by Jive Records, performs in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 20, 2004. Sony BMG Music Entertainment, agreed Monday, July 25, 2005, to pay $10 million and to stop paying radio station employees to feature its artists to settle an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Jive Records is a Sony BMG Music Entertainment label. (AP Photo/Keystone,Dorothea Mueller)
Britney Spears, who is signed by Jive Records, performs in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 20, 2004. Sony BMG Music Entertainment, agreed Monday, July 25, 2005, to pay $10 million and to stop paying radio station employees to feature its artists to settle an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Jive Records is a Sony BMG Music Entertainment label. (AP Photo/Keystone,Dorothea Mueller) (Dorothea Mueller - AP)

Pay-for-play "is driving the industry, and it is wrong," Spitzer told reporters.


Sony BMG, whose various labels include hundreds of artists from Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett to Beyonce Knowles and the Dixie Chicks, said in a statement some of its employees had engaged in "wrong and improper" practices.


The company said it looked forward to "defining a new, higher standard in radio promotion," but did not say whether it had fired or disciplined any of those employees. A spokeswoman did not return a call for further comment.


A 1960 federal law and related state laws bar record companies from offering undisclosed financial incentives in exchange for airplay. The practice was called "payola," a contraction of "pay" and "Victrola," the old wind-up record player.


Asked why he did not bring criminal charges in the case, Spitzer noted the criminal laws governing pay-for-play are more specific and difficult to violate than the civil laws.


Companies in the recording industry depend heavily on airplay for their artists. It boosts sales by encouraging listeners to buy their music and helps them climb the charts, which are based on airplay.


...


Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501025.html



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Ya Congo
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_johanna_


Drag Me Down

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why am I not surprised?

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motema2004


Tonight

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The penalty is not enough! Good riddance, I hope it slows them down at least and some better music gets played. On the other hand, in the US, bad record companies got around this by just paying individual dj's household rent or buying them cars; still, YAY!!dump Sony!!

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oeokosko


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Well, listening to Orch. Negro Succes just now as I am, I'm thinking "Who needs Sony anyway?.."


BTW Motema2004, I just got Guitar Paradise of East Africa in the post today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The only reason I'm not listening to it yet is because I was so inspired by a compilation CD that paolo sent me (OK Jazz, Negro Succes, Lovy du Zaire, Veve, Trio Madjesi de Sosoliso), which I keep in my car, that the first thing I did when I got in just now was to put one of the Sonodisc late 60s/early 70s compilations on the player.  Oh, to be like Data and be able to listen to two, three, four or more pieces of music at the same time!!



-- Edited by oeokosko at 19:28, 2005-08-03

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Ya Congo
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motema2004


Tonight

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Guitar Paradise of East Africa must be exactly that!!What a title! Forum readers, East African (Kenyan mostly) old-style 60's/70's guitar is stylish, complicated, and lilting...and sometimes rockin', even! Oeo, one of my favorite songs is Shauri Yako by Orchestra Super Mazembe on the Giants of East Africa cd. Yeah, who needs Sony?

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WindBlower


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The world today, sad to say..

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May dark flowers fall from the heavens, tonight, May we ALL shine our Bright light.
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