Joe Smith

[Donna Halper]

The wire services and newspapers issued a number of stories about the 
payola hearings in 1960.  I am looking at one from the NY Times (21 Feb 
1960, p. 68).  Among those named in this article-- and the quotes were 
taken from testimony before the congressional committee--  were Bob Clayton 
of WHDH-- who basically took nothing and was pretty much acknowledged in 
the biz as a major straight arrow type; Norman (sic) Prescott of WBZ (who 
admitted that he DID take payola-- about $10,000 worth), and Joe Smith of 
WILD, who finally said he got about $8,000 worth of merchandise and 
assorted gifts from various record companies, but said he never asked for 
it and told those who offered it that he didn't need it.  (According to the 
article, Smith was making a salary of $117 a week at the time...  The 
article is very specific about the stations each announcer was at, and it 
states several times that Smith worked at WILD.