payola: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, Journalistic, Critical
Quick answer
What does “payola” mean?
The practice of paying someone, typically a broadcaster or DJ, to promote a product (especially a commercial recording) without disclosing the payment to the audience.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The practice of paying someone, typically a broadcaster or DJ, to promote a product (especially a commercial recording) without disclosing the payment to the audience.
Any secret or unethical payment in exchange for promotion, favoritism, or endorsement, often in a business or political context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in and is most strongly associated with the American music industry scandals of the 1950s and 1960s. It is understood and used in British English but retains its primary cultural reference to the US context.
Connotations
Identically negative in both dialects, implying bribery and corruption.
Frequency
More frequent in American English, especially in historical/critical discussions of media ethics. In British English, it may be used more as a specific historical reference or a colorful synonym for bribery in promotional contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “payola” in a Sentence
accuse [someone] of payolabe involved in payolainvestigate [something] for payolathe payola surrounding [something]a payola scandalVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “payola” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not standard.
American English
- Not standard.
adverb
British English
- Not standard.
American English
- Not standard.
adjective
British English
- Not standard. Could use 'payola-related'.
American English
- Not standard. Could use 'payola-fueled'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically to describe unethical promotional deals between suppliers and influencers or buyers.
Academic
Used in media studies, ethics, and music history to discuss corruption in broadcasting and promotion.
Everyday
Rare. Used to express cynical suspicion that a product's popularity is bought, not earned.
Technical
A specific legal/regulatory term in communications law (e.g., FCC rules against payola).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “payola”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “payola”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “payola”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'He payola'd the DJ'). It is strictly a noun.
- Using it to describe any payment, rather than specifically a secret/unethical one for promotion.
- Confusing it with 'royalty' (a legitimate payment to artists).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In broadcasting, yes, if the payment is not disclosed to the audience. Laws like the US Communications Act prohibit it. In broader business contexts, it may be unethical or violate company policy rather than strictly illegal.
Sponsorship is a transparent, disclosed commercial arrangement. Payola is secret and presented as an objective endorsement, deceiving the audience.
Traditional cash-for-airplay payola is less common due to regulations, but the concept persists in debates about undisclosed payments to social media influencers, playlist curators, and bloggers.
It's a 20th-century American English portmanteau of 'pay' and the suffix '-ola' (from brand names like Victrola or Pianola, suggesting a machine). It originally referred to the 'payola' machine—the system of paying for play.
The practice of paying someone, typically a broadcaster or DJ, to promote a product (especially a commercial recording) without disclosing the payment to the audience.
Payola is usually informal, journalistic, critical in register.
Payola: in British English it is pronounced /peɪˈəʊlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /peɪˈoʊlə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's all payola.”
- “Smells like payola.”
- “The old payola game.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PAY + (Vic)TORIOLA (like a record player). You PAY to get your record played on the VICTROLA (an old record player brand).
Conceptual Metaphor
CORRUPTION IS A SECRET TRANSACTION / INFLUENCE IS A COMMODITY THAT CAN BE BOUGHT.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'payola' most historically and specifically accurate?