Re:Re: Herald article on DJs paid to promote diet product

[Dave Faneuf <tklaundry@juno.com>]

Dave Faneuf wrote:

>  I specifically remember because one of the weight loss
>companies came into Oldies when we were still on Winter Street and put
>out a huge spread in the conference room to try to get one of us to agree
>to go on their plan for free in exchange for product endorsements on the
>air.


Steve writes:
>This wasn't per chance Nutri-System?  It seemed like back in the 90s >they 
>were everywhere!  Every station had someone endorsing it on the air.  >Must 
>have given listeners the impression that everyone who worked in radio >was fat.


Dave answers:
I believe you might be right, there were so many of them back then that they just blended together, but I recall talk about "space food" and I think that was Nutri-Systems tm wasn't it?
In re-reading the article in the Boston Herald, I am a little bewildered by Sullivan's comments.  Now granted, I don't listen to his show but I got the distinct impression that in his spots for this weight loss program he told his listeners that he didn't know if it was working or not?  Is that accurate or is he engaged in some damage control spin?  Also, it was my understanding that these endorsements were ad libbed, has that changed or is there copy with something the can "jump out" at management reviewing it?  And just to add to these questions Sullivan says he stopped promoting the product because he couldn't claim to have lost weight because of the product, but three paragraphs later it points out that Infinity is among the broadcasters suing the company for 10-million dollars for non-payment of their bill.
I think there are some serious ethical issues at work here.
df