Eliot Spitzer, the New York attorney general, is close to a settlement with one of the world’s largest record companies to resolve accusations that it used improper tactics to influence radio programmers to play its songs, people involved in the discussions said last night.

The agreement between Mr. Spitzer and the record company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, one of four music conglomerates under investigation, is expected to be announced on Monday, these people said. They cautioned, however, that the talks were continuing and could still break down. The settlement is expected to establish a blueprint for agreements that Mr. Spitzer will probably seek with the other three major record companies, which have all received subpoenas.

Oops. Did you believe that a radio station plays music that the Program Director selects on some set of personal preferences? Or maybe even music that the DJ is allowed to select? That would be so 1970s, my friends…