Re: Why Radio Sucks in the USA

k kiernan (mrfliz@interport.net)
Tue, 28 Jan 1997 20:15:35 -0500


Dave Steinhart wrote:

> Well, I was involved in college radio for several years, and it can be
> just as corrupt. Record companies offer music directors and station
> members backstage passes, special promotional items, autrographs, interviews
> that they wouldn't otherwise have access to, and so on, in order to play
> records
>
> Our music director never caved in to that crap,

did he return the backstage passes to shows of acts he would play?

> and furthermore, he would
> sell the major label promos that we would never play, and use the money to
> buy indie stuff that we would play (but the labels couldn't afford to send
> us promos). But not all college radio personnel have such high standards.
>

the selling of promos is both fraud and theft. the artist gets paid no
royalties from these sales. if you don't like what you get, then fine,
don't play it. donate all your promos to schools or libraries. local
children's centers can give them out as prizes to kids who read a
certain number of books, etc. but barring that, your karma's all wrong;
i've seen cases where there were more artist promos in circulation in
2nd hand stores than royalty paying copies.

btw, know the real reason those cool labels can't afford to send you
promos? they know your music director will turn around and sell them!
that's basically the only way to get taken off a promo distribution
list.

kevin "the opposite" k


> Dave