XM Removing Some Channels from DirecTV

**cbearnm** · 07-16-2008 02:35 PM

I really like Ron & Fez.
I really like O&A.
I (used to) really like Howard Stern.
I can't stand Bubba. I hated him when he was on XM. I would try it every month or so, but he never grew on me.

It's funny, but as others have posted, I think the O&A/Stern debate is much more important to their fans than the rest of the listeners. Sirius signing Stern was more about name recognition than anything else. It's debatable that it was a money maker. The price was just WAY too high. It was probably a break even proposition, but if XM signed him, Sirius would have failed.

Even if every O&A (or Stern) fan cancelled if their preference left, it would not be as big an effect as we would like to think. Both camps over estimate their value. I doubt that anything will change post merger as far as the Virus or Howard 101. But it's good board fodder.

**Geronimo** · 07-16-2008 02:56 PM

Personally I never understood the pro Sirius bias here. I dislike all the DJs and in cases wher e there are comparable channels XM seems to have a deeper playlist while Sirius concentrates on the best selling stuff within a genre.

But that bias is pretty pervasive here. While i have always disliked Stern (and I knew him in the mid 70s when he was on the campus Am station) he did raise Sirius' profile substantially and his signing coincides with the rapid growth in Sirius subs and i suspect that he would have a lot of pull at the new entity.

**Kevinw** · 07-16-2008 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by mwgiii

Uh....why would you pay for satellite radio? What you are describing is an I-Pod.

Nope with an ipod you are talking about DL music. At a dollar a song. I have xm in 3 cars for less than 20 dollars total. An Ipod does not compare for the variety or quantity at that price. Unless you do Illegal DL such as Limewire etc.
Sat, has way to much to offer with music, talk, comedy and sports.

**Kevinw** · 07-16-2008 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by goaliebob99

I just wish they would completly remove xm and just go with sirius. Sirius's lineup is way better than xm.

I dont know if Direct offfers all that is availble as a XM sub. but having both with my DISH sub. I can't ssay one is better. Margaritaville is good for Sirius but X-country is much better than Outlaw that Sirius has. Sirius has to many DJs for my taste.

**rfischer4073** · 07-16-2008 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by goaliebob99

I just wish they would completly remove xm and just go with sirius. Sirius's lineup is way better than xm.

XM's "The 60's on 6" blows away Sirius' 60's counterpart, in my opinion.

**Scroll** · 07-17-2008 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by skottey

Yeah... but they are both so far in the red that they face going under if they don't merge. I just think getting rid of O&A would be a horrible business decision.

Will probably go under either way. Hard to predict in this climate but tighter disposable income, the sinking stock market and tight credit can't be good for their plans.

**skottey** · 07-17-2008 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Scroll

Will probably go under either way. Hard to predict in this climate but tighter disposable income, the sinking stock market and tight credit can't be good for their plans.

True... but I think if they merge and then tank, somebody will buy them out. There is a lot of money invested in satellite radio to just dispose of it or sell off all the assets to pay creditors pennies on the dollar. They can make it as one with a lot of cash. Maybe Howard Stern should buy the damn thing all together. They are paying him way more than he is worth. If he bought it and signed off on his own contract, and kept doing his silly show, they might have a snowballs chance. Eventually, he'd make back more money than he needs again and have a real asset to pass onto his heirs, the one and only satellite radio in the nation. That is huge.

Either that or it may just die. Maybe satellite radio was before its time, such as Voom the provider.

**scotsmanron** · 07-19-2008 12:49 PM

I don't like losing "On the Rocks". Sigh.....

**aegrotatio** · 07-23-2008 03:12 PM

Those channels were also removed from the online channel lineup, too.

The only "Online Exclusives" left are Ngoma and World Zone.
The rest of the so-called Online Exclusives were replaced with several talk channels and Radio Disney.

One thing you might take into account is that XM knows exactly the number of people who listen online and the numbers just didn't add up.

If you miss "On the Rocks," I used to listen to it and XM Escape and they had almost exactly the same playlist except for the Rat Pack lounge act recordings. In fact "On the Rocks" advertised itself as "XM Channel 78" which is actually the XM Escape channel.