payola
Airtime bribe money
Payola is the secret or illegal payment of money to someone in exchange for promoting a product or service, most famously associated with radio broadcasting, where record labels bribed disc jockeys to play certain songs.
The term emerged from scandals in the 1950s and combines "pay" with the ending of "Victrola," an early phonograph brand.
By extension, payola describes any undisclosed financial arrangement designed to secure favorable treatment or publicity.
Radio or TV broadcast
- playlistArranged media collection
- disc-jockeyBroadcast music selector
- rotationTurning on an axis
- plugolaCovert payment for publicity
promotion · charts · hits · singles · airtime · broadcasting · independent · indie
Illegal payment for services
- graftIllicit political gain
- under-the-tableSecret and unofficial
- palm-greasingBribing with money
- sweetenerAdditive reducing bitterness
backhander · inducement · envelope · grease · illicit · covert · clandestine · underhand
Formal examination of facts
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- 1950sDecade after WWII
- FCCBroadcast oversight agency
prosecution · disgrace · cover-up · whistleblower · revelation · fallout · headline · downfall
airplay
Radio or TV broadcast
- playlistArranged media collection
- disc-jockeyBroadcast music selector
- rotationTurning on an axis
plugola · promotion · charts · hits · singles · airtime · broadcasting · independent · indie · spins
kickback
Illegal payment for services
- graftIllicit political gain
- under-the-tableSecret and unofficial
- palm-greasingBribing with money
sweetener · backhander · inducement · envelope · grease · illicit · covert · clandestine · underhand · shady
investigation
Formal examination of facts
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- 1950sDecade after WWII
FCC · prosecution · disgrace · cover-up · whistleblower · revelation · fallout · headline · downfall · rock-and-roll
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
- criminal schemesconspiracy, collusion, racketeering, kickback scheme, assassination plot
- financial crimesbank fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, insurance fraud
- financial fraudsecurities fraud, bank fraud, accounting fraud, defalcation, embezzler
- official misconductmalfeasance, ethics violation, misconduct, misfeasance, nonfeasance
payolaethical marketing
Commerce conducted with integrity
integrity · fair play · transparency · incorruptibility · probity
payolamerit-based selection
Choosing by demonstrated ability
word-of-mouth · critical acclaim · artistic merit · artistic recognition
- color payoff
- mortgage payoffCompleting payment on home loan
- early payoffDebt settled before term
- payoff amountSum to clear debt
- payoff pitchesFull-count pitcher deliveries