Indy Radio: WTLC Sez Fired Personality Violated Payola Policy

'Khris Raye'

The owner of Indianapolis R&B station WTLC-FM 106.7 has accused a fired disc jockey of violating its policy on payola and choosing which artists receive airplay, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Maryland-based Radio One Inc. levied the allegation against Krishna Henderson-Hutchinson, who was known on WTLC as “First Lady Khris Raye.”

WTLC fired Henderson-Hutchinson last December. She filed a lawsuit in Marion Superior Court in June, alleging breach of contract and seeking at least two months of back pay.

Radio One had the case transferred to federal court in Indianapolis after it first appeared the former on-air personality was seeking more than $75,000 from the company.

But the complaint was remanded back to Marion County court recently, where Radio One  last month alleged that Henderson-Hutchinson violated the company’s “Payola, Plugola & Music Selection Compliance Policy,” which requires pre-approval before a song is added to the playlist.

“Henderson-Hutchinson engaged in an intimate personal relationship with a musical artist, whose songs (she) added to Radio One’s playlist and substantially increased on-air play without Radio One’s approval,” the company said in a recent filing.

The artist wasn't identified. The suit did not specifiy whether she received any compensation for arranging airplay for the artist.

An attorney for Henderson-Hutchinson has denied Radio One's allegations.

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