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Payola Investigates Nation’s Top Radio Stations

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has the Federal Communications Commission questioning hundreds of radio stations in his pay-for-play payola investigation, writes Radio Ink. Nine of the country’s largest radio conglomerates have been subpoenaed in the payola investigation of artists and songs, which, according to AZ Central, Spitzer says got airtime because of payoffs by recording companies.

Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said this may be the ‘most wide spread and flagrant violation of FCC rules in the history of American broadcasting.’ Any broadcasters in violation could face criminal prosecution, sanctions, and even loss of their broadcasting licenses, reports ABC News.

The payola issue hit front pages in late July when Sony BMG Music Entertainment settled an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer by paying $10 million and saying it would stop paying radio station employees to feature its artists.