As FCC Chairman Brendan Carr seeks answers from iHeartMedia about potential payola violations stemming from artist payments and airplay policies for the iHeartCountry Festival 2025, the largest radio operator in the US has issued an initial response.
Chair Carr sent iHeart CEO Bob Pittman a letter on February 24, citing an Enforcement Advisory warning broadcasters against requiring artists to perform for free or at a reduced rate in exchange for airplay. He stressed, “To the extent that radio industry executives believe that the FCC has looked the other way on ‘payola’ violations in recent years, I want to assure you that this FCC will not be doing that.”
iHeart must provide a list of festival performers, their compensation, and standard performance fees, as well as clarify if participation affects airplay. The FCC also seeks information on iHeart’s sponsorship disclosure policies and compliance training.
In a statement shared with Radio Ink, iHeartMedia commented:
We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr’s interest in ensuring the radio industry is compliant with all applicable laws and regulations and will be responding expeditiously to the specific questions posed in the Chairman’s letter about iHeart’s upcoming Country Festival.
The Commission’s recent Enforcement Advisory to the radio industry as a whole stated that manipulating airplay based on artist participation in station events without proper disclosure violates federal laws.
We look forward to demonstrating to the Commission how performing at the iHeartCountry Festival – or declining to do so – has no bearing on our stations’ airplay, and we do not make any overt or covert agreements about airplay with artists performing at our events.
The iHeartCountry Festival provides the same kind of promotion that that we see with artists on talk shows, late night television, the Super Bowl and in digital music performances and events: the promotional value to the artists is the event itself, and, in our case, is unrelated to our radio airplay. We’re very proud that over the years we’ve had artists ask us to be a part of the iHeartCountry Festival, and in fact we’ve had artists make repeat appearances over the years because it is an important event that enables them to reach our audiences and enhance their careers.
Payola violations can result in fines up to $10,000 and potential jail time. iHeart must submit its full report by March 6.
Mr Colletta and S2S sound like a good place to begin when looking for payola.
This moron Carr is simply proving his Fascist pedigree, in a pathetic attempt to impress the other Fascists in his circle–kinda’ like gaming who sports the largest schlong in the locker room. This is all this intellectually challenged ruling class, so adored by the typical Amerikan idiot voter, has to go on. Another analogy coming to mind is that of a wrecking crew of three-year olds, ravaging the nursery to destroy whatever hasn’t already been destroyed. Besides, how will the FCC possibly enforce anything, once their staff is decimated by Daddy X, in his own quest to prove–something or another. It all just works to exemplify the degree of *pathetic* this country has become. At least we’ll have Dear Leader calling the shots, for the rest of his life.
And see, not only is payola completely irrelevant as I mentioned in regard to Carr’s idiotic threat (which means nothing other than the fact that he has nothing better to do with his time), but this is where the whole concept of payola reaches a chicken-and-egg scenario. Are the concert acts getting more airplay because they’re doing the concert, or are they doing the concert because they’re just that popular? Without any actual written agreements to prove it was the former and not the latter, there’s no definitive way to prove that payola took place.
There has literally only been one person convicted or who pleaded guilty to anything close to payola, Alan Freed, and that had more to do with the fact that he was stealing royalty money from artists. Even then, he only got a slap on the wrist of a $300 fine and a suspended sentence. There has never been any other criminal conviction against or admission of guilt from ANYONE over payola. No, not even the 2000’s case; that was all settled in civil court.
This is all just so stupid.
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