Thread: XM Sirius Announces "Best Of" Packages to be available 10/6

Today, the company announced the content line-up for SIRIUS XM's new "Best of Both" programming options. As part of "Best of Both" programming, most current XM customers will continue to receive their existing XM service, and be able to obtain select SIRIUS programming. Likewise, most current SIRIUS customers will continue to receive their existing SIRIUS service and be able to obtain select XM programming. In addition to their existing service, SIRIUS and XM subscribers will be able to purchase the following channels:

SIRIUS on XM
Howard 100
Howard 101
Martha Stewart Living Radio
SIRIUS NFL Radio *
SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
Playboy Radio

XM on SIRIUS
NBA *
NHL Home Ice *
Oprah & Friends
The Virus
Public Radio with Bob Edwards
College Sports *
PGA Tour




* Sports offerings will also include channels for play-by-play of NBA, NHL, NFL, and College Sports games.

Included on the "Best of" XM on SIRIUS will be such shows as Basketball and Beyond, hosted by Duke and Olympic basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski; Andretti Green, with driver Danica Patrick; 60/20, a sports magazine show by Luke Russert and James Carville; Indy Racing League car races; and games from the top college conferences, including the PAC 10, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East and ACC.

Karmazin stated, "We have been working closely with our content providers since the day the merger closed and have made significant progress in those discussions. The resulting "Best of Both" options we are outlining today represent another step towards fulfilling our promise of more choices and lower prices for our subscribers. We are very excited to begin offering existing and prospective listeners access to even more compelling programming and new packages."

"Best of Both" programming will be available to satellite radio consumers beginning October 6, 2008 on most existing satellite radios at a monthly cost of $16.99. Also, the company's full slate of new packages will be available to consumers on Oct. 6, including the opportunity to choose programming on an a la carte basis for the first time ever in subscription media.

I am a Sirius subscriber and I have to say I am very disappointed in what we will be receiving from XM. The only thing remotely interesting is the NHL. May have to seriously look at a dual radio ASAP to really get value.

To point out a few things, it should be $4 extra a month for each account to receive the cross-platform programming.

Sports channels include the live games.

MLB could be a possibility for Sirius, I think it is left off because there is six months before they need to worry about it for 2009. That said, they may use MLB to push dual-band radios next spring.

Personally, I'll pay $4 for NFL content, but may drop the extra service in Janurary if the other channels don't peak my interest.

I am an XM sub with 3 radios. I hope the college will expand on XM to include Sirius exclusives, primarly Univ of Michigan, which has always been a Sirius exclusive, despite XM's partnership with the Big 10.

Huh? Sirius already has the NBA.

You're right. I'm guessing the NBA belongs under the Sirius on XM group instead. This news was posted by a reliable source on xmfan.com earlier today.

Originally Posted by bkimbler

I am a Sirius subscriber and I have to say I am very disappointed in what we will be receiving from XM. The only thing remotely interesting is the NHL. May have to seriously look at a dual radio ASAP to really get value.

I'm an XM sub and I don't see anything interesting on the sirius best of, either. ah well, I'll keep running out my prepaid 4 years that averages to $10/month, I don't really need to upgrade to $16.99 anyway.

Additional music channels really just isn't possible right now. Both providers have almost maxed their bandwith out, and what they are adding is just talk/sports, mostly part time feeds, that they can balance easier and use much less bandwith compared to music.

I wouldn't be suprised to see lower ranked channels either go away or go down during peak sports evenings or weekends.

I will canceal my subscription when my quarterly runs out and say Hello to HD radio.