<P> On Spotify, labels can pay for tracks to appear in user play - lists as "Sponsored Songs". It is possible to opt out of it using a setting . </P> <P> In Mexico, South America and some regions of the U.S. southern border, it is common to hear the sudden appearance of "new artists", mainly in folk radio stations, who are not known in the music industry, have no previous career and with no explanation of where they come from . These music groups and singers start to appear consistently on radio, television and public broadcasts with a strong promotion of their concerts . This happens for a fixed amount of time, and in the same sudden way they appear, they stop their promotion and disappear from the music scene, or change their stage name . Such artists are commonly manufactured by producers of dubious origin, who pay payola and do events in order to launder money from drug trafficking, prostitution or other illegal operations . </P> <P> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Communications Act of 1934 both have strict requirements and rules regarding the issue of payola . Both the FCC and the Act demand that "employees of broadcast stations, program producers, program suppliers and others who, in exchange for airing material, have accepted or agreed to receive payments, services or other valuable consideration must disclose this fact . Disclosure of compensation provides broadcasters the information they need to let their audiences know if material was paid for, and by whom ." But even with these requirements in place, big - time record companies have found loopholes to continue the practice legally . </P> <P> The reason why record companies have managed to find relatively big loopholes in an otherwise complex and strict document is because of the wording . According to the current regulations in place, it is still considered legal to pay to play a particular song on the radio . The only hitch is that the broadcaster has to reveal who paid . In addition, the disclosures must be from DJ to station manager to program director and upwards . The loose wording has created a loophole that makes it easier for wealthy record company officials to pay the DJs large sums of money to play certain songs a certain number of times at a given time during the day . The loophole has created a "grey market, one in which shady, quasi-legal deals take place, and independent artists lose out more often than not ." </P>

Who did ascap represent during the payola scandal