payola

American  

[pey-oh-luh] / peɪˈoʊ lə /

noun

Informal.

1. a secret or private payment in return for the promotion of a product, service, etc., through the abuse of one's position, influence, or facilities.

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payola British  

/ peɪˈəʊlə /

noun

1. a bribe given to secure special treatment, esp to a disc jockey to promote a commercial product

2. the practice of paying or receiving such bribes

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Etymology

Origin of payola

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; pay ¹ + -ola

Explanation

When a radio station is paid money in exchange for frequently playing a certain song, that's payola. If you bribe your local disc jockey to feature your latest hip hop track on her morning show, it's payola. Any media exposure that's secretly paid for is considered payola, although it's most common in the music industry. Radio stations can be legally paid to play music, but that has to be made clear during the broadcast — otherwise, it's illegal. The word payola, from "pay off," has been around since the 1930s, and in 1959, the US Senate launched the Congressional Payola Investigations, making payola a legal term (and a misdemeanor).

Example Sentences

Payola was still very much around, although I refused to pay for play.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 12, 2023

The world that exists outside of Payola — the album's cultural, political, and economic context — is its driving force.

From The Verge • Jun. 23, 2015

Payola is a protest album, because Desaparecidos is a protest band.

From The Verge • Jun. 23, 2015

Clark testifies on April 29, 1960 at a House hearing, during an investigation of the "Payola" scandal in the music industry by the House payola investigators.

From Time • Apr. 18, 2012

"Payola is still the industry's little bastard," writes Roger Karshner, former vice president at Capitol, in his book The Music Machine.

From Time Magazine Archive