A program director's true feelings about consultants

During the '90s, a few months after a radio station had stopped using consultants to program its music, I heard a program director say on-air that there was a Van Morrison song he'd always wanted to play on the air, "but the consultants, may they rest in pieces, wouldn't allow it."  With that, "Autumn Song" started playing.  I've wondered how many compelling songs haven't been played or have been played only sparingly because the listening audience isn't familiar with them or because they supposedly don't test well.  I've often thought, "That's circular reasoning.  The audience isn't familiar with these songs because they haven't been played.  They're compatible with the tracks we already play, though, so chances are, if you schedule them next to similar, well-known tracks that the audience likes, they'll come to like the new cuts, as well."  You'd think this would be common sense, but...