Payola - a brief lesson

I'm not sure whether there should be any fuss over this story about a music PR website paying music journalists directly to review music or not.

(From The Guardian)

Over the past few weeks dozens of music journalists have received emails with the subject heading: "We pay journalists to review bands". The email came from a new music PR agency, The Men From the Press, and is part of a bid to end the traditional mailout of free CDs for review and, controversially, put money directly into journalists' pockets.

Hacks simply have to log on to TMFTP's site, listen to music and write a brief comment on it. The idea has been welcomed by some bands struggling to pay for a publicist (the agency's founder, Dave Chisholm, promises bands to "get your music to the right journalists"), but it also raises questions about PR in the music business...

You mean: as opposed to paying music journalists to write press releases? You mean: as opposed to taking out adverts in publications, and expecting a favourable review or article in return? You mean: as opposed to sending music journalists tons of free CDs, secure in the knowledge that they'll get a good price for them on amazon? You mean: as opposed to plying music journalists with drinks or drugs or flying them to another country? You mean: as opposed to placing an advert for the music being reviewed right next to the star rating online at The Guardian or Pitchfork (or five million other sites). You mean: as opposed to supplying goods for an online shop based upon how favourable the review is?

I've even been asked directly by bands if I'd review them in exchange for money. I've had musicians offer to sleep with me - presumably in exchange for a good review, as I'm not exactly George Clooney. I've even had fans of musicians offer to sleep with me in exchange for a good review. Is that any worse than the above?

Fuck. Some folk just don't like to see hypocrisy exposed. It's right there in front of them. Stupid pricks.