(July 28 - 7:46 a.m.) The story about Univision paying a $1 million fine for payola, prompted us to review a story from 1997 that appeared in New Times Los Angeles. Some highlights that made reference to potential payola conflicts:

“Many of the people who decide which records are played at KCRW are employed by companies that make records, usually in the A&R department or in connection with movie soundtracks.”

“Liza Richardson, who presides over the station’s middle-of-Friday-night music, also works as a consultant in the A&R department for Warner Bros in which she is matching pop stars and dj collaborators in spoken-word-and-music projects.”

“Jason Bentley has become the torchbearer for techno in L.A. and his career outside KCRW is vast and varied. Bentley cofounded the techno record label Quango Music Group. Madonna hired him as a vice president of A&R at her Maverick label.”

“When Tony Berg became vp at Geffen Records, head of the A&R department, he hired Chris Douridas.

“Tom Schnabel, KCRW’s music director from 1979-90 has produced CDs for Worldly Music/Trioka and Quango/Island and consults on the soundtracks for feature films.”

“Mike Morrison, former pd at KSCA who joined KCRW as weekend host of Weekend Becomes Eclectic, works for a consortium that includes veteran songwriter-producer Glen Ballard and composer David Foster. Morrison is helping Ballard and Foster put together a new record label and a music-oriented movie project.”

Ruth Seymour was general manager at the time. “Everyone here is a consultant for somebody. That’s what happens when your programs become influential,” said Ruth.

Dave Wielenga, writer of the large piece in New Times Los Angeles, posed the question:”Even station employees have begun to wonder – privately, of course – whether it’s appropriate for those who play records to also receive paychecks from record companies – circumstances that do seem to fly in the face of public radio’s mission. Is it ethical for the KCRW music programming staff to draw paychecks from companies in the entertainment industry?”

Jason Bentley told the interviewer that he doesn’t play any records that are on the label he works for.

Schnabel said, “Occasionally, I play a selection from a record I have produced, but I make it perfectly clear.”

Gary Calamar was a former clerk at Rhino Records and started at KCRW as a volunteer. “I don’t have any outside gigs, but I’m looking for some. I’d definitely like to be doing more to supplement my income. If you want to grow, you need to look for outside projects.”