Radio Station Sued Over On-Air Payola Comment

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (CN) – Its former music director has sued WAY-FM radio, claiming an employee defamed her on the air by accusing her of payola – “requiring artists to perform personal services for her in order to have their work aired on WAY.”     WAY employee Gary Wallace allegedly made the defamatory statement while interviewing “contemporary Christian” songwriter Jimmy Needham on WAY on July 25.      Plaintiff Stacey Whitmire says Wallace or WAY then posted the allegation on YouTube “where the accusation remains to this day.”     Whitmire has a previous lawsuit pending against WAY. She sued it in Federal Court, alleging wrongful firing, according to this complaint in Williamson County Court. Whitmire says she was wrongfully fired in April.