Many indie promoters are genuine music lovers and have been credited with creating a buzz for compelling new musicians. Some have worked in a low-key fashion with non-comms for years. But in the commercial radio world, the indie system has devolved into a crude pay-for-play approach where literally every time a new song lands on an FM commercial radio playlist, the indie promoter who exclusively represents -- or "claims" --that station then sends off an invoice to the artist's record company. (Invoices vary between $800 and $3,000, depending on the market size of the radio station.) Indie promoters secure exclusivity over a station by paying radio management an annual upfront fee, usually in the low six-figure range. The system, often described as "toll collecting," where artists and labels have no choice but to pony up or risk losing crucial radio airplay, costs the record industry more than $100 million each year.
The fear now is that as public radio becomes more valuable to major record companies, some of these stations might succumb to this lucrative -- and corrupting -- pay-for-play system. According to programmers, Michele Clark, an aggressive indie who dominates the commercial Triple A format, is now trying to claim non-comms. For public stations in the largest markets, signing with an indie promoter might bring in $100,000 annually. And for no-frills non-comms that live and die on the success or failure of their annual pledge drives, money like that to market their stations is especially tempting.
Many public radio programmers vow that the tawdry pay-for-play system will never taint the left-hand, non-commercial spectrum of the dial. "There are people who will fight for independence and I hope to lead that charge," says Rita Houston, a music director at non-comm WFUV in New York. "There's no way FUV will ever go down that road. It's so against the philosophy of non-comms."
Warren at WXPN agrees: "The kinds of tactics labels and indies use with commercial stations to play records, that's not our world. Philosophically and morally, it's not the right thing for us to be doing. Part of our mission is helping artists quit their day job and become full-time artists and do it in an honest way. Artistic merit should be the basis for getting on the playlist, not a $5,000 incentive to play the record."
But already there are signs suggesting resistance may prove futile. Warren concedes that the pay-for-play practice could take hold at public radio, particularly if the dollar amounts that indies offer are increased. "Like commercial stations, non-comms have budgets and want to reach more people," he says. "I know non-comm programmers have been asked to be exclusive, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happens."
Critics complain it is already happening. "Look at Louisville, WFPK," says one small label executive, referring to an influential non-comm. "That station is completely owned and operated by Michele Clark. You can get songs played on that station, but to get [heavy rotation] you need to hire Michele."
Adds another staffer at one of the major non-comms that reports its playlist to R&R: "If Michele Clark is working a single, that's what WFPK is playing."
WFPK program director Dan Reed "vehemently disagrees" with this charge, and dismisses as "folly" the notion that record companies have to hire Clark to get their songs on his station. "She's the busiest indie out there, and she works all the good records. Just because she's working Ryan Adams, I'm not supposed to play it?"
Clark did not return calls seeking comment.
Reed, who once worked as a record promoter for Clark, insists his station has not been claimed exclusively, receives no payments from Clark, and doubts it ever will. "I don't need to do it, and it would bring the ire of lot of people in this business."
Next page: Already signs of indie success