Sony Agrees to Stop Payola

dsginter writes "Sony BMG Music just reached agreement with New York Attorney General. Sony spokesman John McKay admitted that the practice was 'wrong and improper' but the company engaged in the activity anyway. They were fined $10 million and have agreed to obstain from the practice in the future. Is this the first step toward getting our airwaves back or is this just a slap on the wrist?"

$10m fine?

[Realistic_Dragon]

Makes me wonder how much they paid the Attorney General to keep the fine that low.

Re:FYI...

[Xtifr]

What are you talking about? "Obstain" is a perfectly cromulent word! :)

Actually, it may even be a more appropriate word in this case. If "obstain" is to "obstinance" as "abstain" is to "abstinence", well, I'm pretty sure the record industry will dig their heels in and keep paying out that ol' payola. It's been going on non-stop for half a century, and previous busts did little or nothing to halt the process. Sony may have agreed to abstain, but I betcha they'll actually obstain!

What? Record companies hypocritical?

[a_nonamiss]

I don't understand this. I thought that the record companies were supposed to be the shining beacons of morality! What with all their protecting the rights of the innocent and defenseless artists, they'd HAVE to be completely upright businessmen.

I guess the moral is that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Meanwhile, I'm going to start downloading music again. :)

Re:Companies as legal personae

[eclectro]

I suggest removing all copyrights on songs/artists that benefited from the payola crime

This implies that there is a congress that represents the public interests when it comes to copyright law.

This, as you know (or should know), simply is not the case.

Korea, man?

[wild_berry]

How's the e-mail thing working out for you, old chap?

Re:Of course it's a slap on the wrist!

[Anonymous Coward]

I thought I'd eye the article

You must be new here...

Re:FYI...

[amper]

I, for one, feel tremensly embiggened by our prepensity for the creation of new, more cromulent words.

Re:FYI...

[rsidd]

If "obstain" is to "obstinance" as "abstain" is to "abstinence"

I think you mean, as "abstain" is to "abstinacy".

Re:Indie promotion is a joke.

[Anonymous Coward]

And anyone that can tell me Lil' Jon is a musician with a straight face deserves a frickin Oscar.

YEEEAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

Re:No sting -- Their wrists were already armored

[BlueCodeWarrior]

Just use IMDB like everyone else. I'm feeling generous today though, so here you go... Narrator: A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one. Business woman on plane: Are there a lot of these kinds of accidents? Narrator: You wouldn't believe. Business woman on plane: Which car company do you work for? Narrator: A major one.

Re:Indie promotion is a joke.

[Anonymous Coward]

WHAT?!