Gospel artistes who have the means should agree to part with cash if demanded from them by DJs and radio presenters before their songs are played, award-winning gospel radio show host Fifi Folson has advised.

He said if Ghanaian gospel artistes had their own platforms to promote their music, it would be a “fantastic” idea, but in the absence of that and given that most of the personalities who own the “bigger platforms” demand payola before giving songs airplay, artistes who have the money to push their songs via such mechanism should yield to such demands.

The issue of cash demands by DJs and radio presenters as a precondition to playing artistes’ compositions – known in showbiz as payola – has been controversial with many seeing it as unethical, given it does not give opportunity for new artistes with genuine talent and with good songs to come to the fore.

But Mr Folson, speaking on Gospel 360, a Sunday afternoon show on Accra100.5FM, on November 20 said although he had never made any monetary demands of any gospel singer, artistes needed to accept the reality that payola has “come to stay”, thus artistes who can afford it should simply “perform the custom”.

“…I also think that…those with good songs and have the money, if the bigger platforms demand payola from you, please pay, because they’ve got the platform to make you a star. I won’t take it, but elsewhere if they will take your money, because they have the platform, and you can pay, why not? Pay.”