From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1960
Former ‘Payola’ Jock Abruptly Leaves Detroit Station
Detroit — Deejay Tom Clay, who figured prominently in the payola fracas last year, has left WQTE here. “It was a question of who was going to run the radio station,” explained WQTE owner-manager Ross Mulholland. “He didn’t fit in with station policy.”
However, Mullholland said he regretted Clay’s leaving because he was “probably the hardest working man in the business I’ve ever known” and rating on his 3 – 6 p.m. show had risen rapidly since Clay joined WQTE in June. The executive emphasized that “there was no hint of payola” behind Clay’s departure.
Station’s policy calls for management to program all disks, whereas Clay wanted to pick his own disk lineup, according to Mullholland. There was also a conflict over policy on record hops and remotes, Mullholland says, which Clay conducted recently on an extended basis. Clay’s time slot on WQTE has been taken over by Harv Morgan immediately upon Clay’s departure here. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; September 26, 1960)
Addendum (UPDATED; April 11, 2014): Tom Clay’s departure from WQTE, as this Billboard, September 26, 1960 article implied, was found to be in error. Tom Clay was actually still at WQTE through June, 1961, as was evident in a brief note found in the July 10, 1961 issue of Billboard —
‘ T O M C L A Y L E A V E S W Q T E ‘
DETROIT — Apologies to Tom Clay for our story of three months ago which he said he had left WQTE, Detroit. Clay, a good sport about the whole thing, writes, “You guys jumped the gun in your story. I didn’t leave three months ago.” However, he adds, he is leaving WQTE now. In a “swan song” newsletter to the trade — tagged “My Side Of The Story” — Clay has some fascinating info to report about his adventures with WQTE management, record hops, promotions, etc.
At any rate, the official story is that WQTE is switching to a “good music policy” and “name” deejays (Clay) that don’t fit into the picture. Clay is currently open to offers again, and free-lance record programmer Bill Gavin rumored in his newsletter last week that the jock may move into Alan Freed’s vacated 1-4 p.m. time slot at KDAY, Los Angeles. END
___
(– Billboard; July 10, 1961)
ALSO — MORE ON TOM CLAY (Billboard; September, 1960)
‘ C L A Y O P E N S O N P A Y O L A ‘
DETROIT — Tom Clay, (WQTE) Detroit, gives his views on payola in his recent newsletter and the results make for some fascinating reading. For example — referring to a recent Billboard story about payola –Clay opines: “So no they’re (record distributors and manufacturers) complaining they have to wine and dine and romance deejays — get them tickets to shows, etc. Don’t we even deserve this? Is this also forbidden? If taking a deejay to dinner is romancing us than they have a lot to learn about love.”
In another paragraph he (Clay) notes: “How do we actually stop money payments to jocks? You don’t. As long as you’re stupid enough to give it to them you’ll have takers. Why don’t you use your head instead of your money? Instead of complaining jocks are still on the take — do something. Put out more good records and fewer pieces of junk. Start promoting cleverly. Use every legit gimmick in the book. Get back some excitement.” END
___
(– Billboard; September 19, 1960)
