Payola probe turns from labels to radio

NEW YORK, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has shifted the focus of his ongoing payola probe from the music recording industry to the radio industry.

Spitzer said he has proof some of the country's largest radio groups have illegally taken money and other forms of compensation to play certain songs on the radio, ABC News reported.

"The behavior has been unethical, improper, illegal and a sanction of some severity clearly should be imposed," Spitzer told ABC News chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross.

Spitzer has subpoenaed Clear Channel, Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio), Entercom, Emmis, Citadel, Cumulus, Cox, Pamal and ABC Radio. Unlike previous payola scams involving deejays or program directors, this scandal involves top corporate executives, Spitzer said.

Documents obtained by the attorney general revealed payola links to songs by Jennifer Lopez, John Mayer, Jessica Simpson, Celine Dion, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Franz Ferdinand, Switchfoot, Michelle Branch and R.E.M., ABC reported.

Sony Music and the Warner Music Group paid out millions of dollars to settle their cases and agreed to stop pay-for-play practices -- and to assist Spitzer in the investigation.