Radio guys react to Spitzergate.

Two quite different reactions to the new payola scandal, which is just lifting off. Clear Channel, the biggest radio station owner, told radio trade FMQB:

"We are cooperating fully with Mr. Spitzer's office. Clear Channel has extremely strict internal policies against payola; so strict that we severed ties with independent promoters in early 2003 to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. We investigate any allegation of this nature. The allegations made today will be fully investigated and any wrongdoing will be met by swift and appropriate disciplinary action."
[full article here]

Corporate. Correct. Lawyerly. Since, of course, CC got its own subpoena. Dumping the indies, CC clearly believes, proves they've been payola-free for at least two years.

The other reaction is instructive to students of the radio business and its trade press. (There must be at least one other student besides me.) Today's Radio & Records site republishes a prominent radio executive's newsletter rant. Bill Figenshu, who recently left an executive position to start his own consultancy, writes one of those consultant-newsletter self-promotion pieces, trying for hard-hitting industry criticism (Like: too-low station marketing budgets force program directors into the arms of those villains--there they are again--the indie record promoters, who pay for advance info on what records the PDs are about to add to the station playlists. You getting this down, Eliot?) , while commiserating about all the bad-luck bad press. Hate it when that happens.

Mr. Figenshu is given the gift of several hundred unfiltered words in one of the leading trades, because, other than Clear Channel (above), no radio company is saying anything. When industry bigs start their new companies, the trades are very cooperative. Kind of like a book tour. Ought to get him a client or two.

I was looking for something to quote from his article, but radio guys aren't great writers, they just think they are. Read it here, and tell me if it doesn't sound like a commercial for a consultant to you.