Need Help: My Giveaway Tickets Were Sold by the Radio Station

[mw0604]

This is my first time on the board and so I hope I'm in the right board topic.

I have a question about something that doesn't quite sit right with me.  I'm promoting a band who will be giving a local concert.  The radio station owed my some "make-good" spots from a previous buy so I asked if they would run spots for this concert.  They said they would and asked if I had tickets to give them for on-air giveaways.  I gave them some tickets to give away and the next thing I know is they are selling them to listeners at a discounted rate.  I know radio stations have very strict rules about on-air giveaways.  Should I file a complaint?

[calguy]

It sounds like the station was being rather unscrupulous in this instance.  I say go for it.  The worst that could happen is that they'll never work with you again... Have you spoken the the general manager?  That would the first step...

[Just Another Idiot on the Radio]

Yuck.  Paraphrasing "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,"  that station's just like school in the summer - they got no class.   

Gotta pick your battles, praying it goes well for you.  I wonder about the legalities of this.  Did the station take the money, or did some unscrupulous staffer pocket the cash?

For next time, maybe you could: 

• Either have a written contract with the station that they sign, which says the tickets are "for giveaway only."
  
• Or get a red rubber stamp saying something like "not to be sold, for promotional giveaway purposes only"  and stamp each ticket in ink.