Gifts, trips and cash were used to pave the way for air time for certain songs at radio stations owned and operated by Entercom, the nation's fifth-largest chain, according to a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

Entercom denies the accusation. The company owns and operates more than 105 radio stations, including Seattle's KI RO-AM (710), KTTH-AM (770), KBSG-AM and FM (97.3) KNDD-FM (107.7), KMTT-FM (103.7), KISW-FM (99.9) and KQBZ-FM (100.7).

Entercom spokesman Adam Miller said the company plays by the rules.

"We have firm policies prohibiting payola and ... we enforce them," he said.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, claims it has evidence in documents and e-mails that executives discussed strategies for supplementing radio-station budgets with payola cash.

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