Ethics question ...

If that's part of the ad deal, sure.

Radio is entertainment, and this is product placement. I don't see why there would be an ethical issue. These aren't journalists.

 

Ethics is radio is akin to business ethics in the last scene of Billy Madison. I'm sure that some stations do practice them, but at least where I am, the local sports radio (WEEI) is also the official station of the Red Sox, and gives out plugs constantly to a steakhouse owned by two co-hosts and another restaurant that delivers them food.

It switches to ESPN Radio at night, which is better, but since it's ESPN, there is near-constant hyping of their own programs.

 

there are strict laws that govern what radio hosts can accept and can't accept and what they have to identify on the air as paid advertising or trade

violations of the payola laws can result in massive fines from the FCC

http://www.fcc.gov/guides/payola-rules

 

Sounds like my case. I was the SE of a weekly, but also the play-by-play guy for high school sports. The one thing different was that the newspaper and radio station had the same owners. In fact, the newspaper sales staff sold radio ads as well, so I never felt wrong reading live ads since they were running in the paper as well.

 

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That's one of the more milder issues I had with them.

Of all the things I miss about not living in Boston, WEEI is probablly the thing I miss the least.

 

I'd wager it was a trade-out, with no money changing hands. It's amazing how much business radio stations — especially in small markets — do in trade.

 

Tell me about it...they tried to pay me partially that way one week. By giving me traded radio items. Um, no. Straight cash homey.

 

Not to threadjack, but I heard a paid ad for Fred/Steve's steakhouse on 98.5 the other day and chuckled.

 

Both are on WEEI much, much less nowadays, thankfully, so I imagine they feel a bit less loyalty. Well, that and they're getting a lot less free plugs.

 

The one around here that makes me laugh is on the Petros and Money show. Petros will segue into a commercial for Ford, that Money endorses. A little while later, Money will segue into a commercial for Chevy, which Petros endorses.
Petros: "If you were going to the game tomorrow, how would you get there? I bet you'd drive a Ford." And Money goes on about how wonderful the Ford dealer is.
Money: "Did you drive to the airport yesterday in your Chevy?" And Petros will talk about his Chevy dealer.

 

When I was doing a morning show, they did that with me when I asked for a raise after the ratings book hit. I got free dry cleaning for about two months, until the cleaners quit advertising.

That was a straight trade. It gets really shady when the business and station do a check swap. Business writes a check to the station for advertising, salesman (usually the sales manager) takes his commission, then has the station cut a check back to the business.