hypebot’s got the scoop on the latest radio pay-for-play scam:

Just months after the major labels settled the NY payola probe, two Universal distributed labels (Blackground and the band Nickleback on Roadrunner) reportedly tried to influence chart positions by buying late night ads on NY radio that feature more than 60 seconds of the song. This practice which tricks computerized airplay reporting tools was specifically band[sic—banned] in the recent settlement.

Who were we, the ostensible owners of the public airwaves, to distrust that self-regulation works? Why charge the broadcasters rent when they’re doing us such favors?