Payola Bribery In The Record Business And Television

The Payola scandal and House of Representatives' investigation into the broadcasting industry, took place in 1959 and 1960. The inquiry closely followed the revelations that some tv quiz programs were rigged. One of America's entertainment icons, Dick Clark was questioned during the House subcommittee proceedings. Clark was required to divest himself of copyrights which he owned with record publishing firms. Payola led to the firing of disc jockeys in the United States. It raised the question of how much government control should impact radio and television programming.