Entertainment
Ofcom investigates ex-Capital Extra DJ after he allegedly charged £200 to play songs
Ofcom has launched an investigation after it was alleged that a Capital Xtra DJ asked for payments of £200 to play songs on his weekly radio show.
The watchdog is looking into the actions of DJ Tiiny, after it was claimed he charged artists for exposure while presenting on the station.
An Ofcom spokeswoman said: ‘We are looking into whether this programme broke our rules regarding use of commercial agreements to select music on radio stations.’
One listener complained to Ofcom about the alleged pay-for-play deal, it said.
According to the code (section 10.5), no commercial arrangement that involves payment to the broadcaster may influence the selection or rotation of music for broadcast.
Reports previously emerged that DJ Tiiny had been dropped by the station after the allegations emerged in the press. His profile no longer appears on the Capital Xtra website.
DJ Tiiny, whose real name is Frank Boakye-Yiadom, had been broadcasting on Capital Xtra since 2018. He also previously toured with stars including Stormzy,
DJ Tiiny released an apology on Twitter in which he said he had learnt ‘a much needed lesson’.
He wrote: ‘I was given an incredible opportunity within radio and carelessly and irresponsibly took advantage of my position.
‘I take full responsibility for my actions and fully accept the consequences as a result. I am very sorry to everyone this has affected and to those I have let down.’
The claims initially emerged from a tweet by producer J Beatz, who posted a screengrab of an email purportedly written by the DJ and featuring a request for money.
Capital Xtra’s parent company Global declined to comment when approached by Metro.co.uk
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What is Ofcom and what does it cover?
Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day.
The watchdog makes sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.
Ofcom deals with most content on television, radio and video-on-demand services, including the BBC. However, if your complaint is about something you saw or heard in a BBC programme, you may need to complain to the BBC first.
Its rules for television and radio programmes are set out in the Broadcasting Code.
The rules in the Broadcasting Code also apply to the BBC iPlayer.
This Broadcasting Code is the rule book that broadcasters have to follow and it covers a number of areas, including; protecting the under-18s, protecting audiences from harmful and/or offensive material and ensuring that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
Audiences can complain to Ofcom if they believe a breach of the Broadcasting Code has been made.
Every time Ofcom receives a complaint from a viewer or listener, they assess it to see if it needs further investigation.
If Ofcom decide to investigate, they will include the case in a list of new investigations, published in the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin.
An investigation is a formal process which can take some time depending on the complexity of the issues involved.
Ofcom can also launch investigations in the absence of a complaint from a viewer or listener.
