Capital XTRA will not face any penalties after one of its DJs was found to be requesting payments of Ā£200 to play tracks on his show.
In February, DJ Tiiny (real name Frank Boakye-Yiadom) was fired from the radio station after it emerged he’d been asking for payments to premiere songs on his weekly Friday night programme. He broke UK broadcasting code by asking for money.
Media regulator Ofcom opened an investigation to establish whether Capital XTRA was responsible for its employee’s actions. The regulator has since ruled (April 12) that it should not face penalties and “considers the matter resolved”.
Global, the parent company of Capital and Capital XTRA, told Ofcom that the matter had then been investigated by its legal team, which found that no one else at the station had been “involved in, or aware of, the presenter’s activity”.
“In this instance, the presenter had gained financially from soliciting payment for playing specific music tracks on Capital Xtra,” the regulator wrote in its decision.
“However, Ofcom recognises that broadcasters can only minimise the risk of an employee or agent forming with a third party a commercial arrangement that may influence the selection or rotation of music for broadcast.”
Global noted that DJ Tiiny’s contract had specifically forbidden pay-for-play deals. It added that he had completed training from Capital Xtra that would have “reinforced his obligations” to adhere to the broadcasting code.
Record producer J Beatz Music accused DJ Tiiny of requesting payment in January when he shared a screenshot of an email response from the radio host.
“If you wish for [your] track to be premiered on my Friday night radio show, there would be a charge of Ā£200 for one track,” the email read.
So I did a mail out of my new track coming out and look at what this DJ is telling me!
Pay to play you know smh!
This DJ is on a big station and is asking for money to play songs what kinda Selecta is this?!?!? pic.twitter.com/f0lqIM3srI
— J Beatz (@jbeatzmusic) January 28, 2021
“This would also include keeping the track within my radio playlist for 2 weeks.”
DJ Tinny apologised in February after his firing, writing on Twitter that he takes “full responsibility” for his actions.
— DJTiiNY (@DJTiiNY) February 1, 2021
“I was given an incredible opportunity within radio and carelessly and irresponsibly took advantage of my position.
“I am very sorry to everyone this has affected and to those I have let down”.
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