XM, Sirius to merge

[Chuck Nessa]

Mel is a dumb shit with a huge paycheck.

[catesta]

"'Great content costs money,' Karmazin reminded analysts Tuesday during a conference call to discuss quarterly earnings."

Great content? Howard Stern? Give me a break...

"'We ought to be doing a better job in selling Howard,' Karmazin said Tuesday."

Well, duh! You spend millions on crap and expect it to sell itself?

Look at what happened to CBS/Infinity radio after Stern left.

Look at the number of Sirius subscriptions added after signing Stern.

The fact this merger has still not been approved is a complete joke.

[GARussell]

Look at what happened to CBS/Infinity radio after Stern left.

Look at the number of Sirius subscriptions added after signing Stern.

The fact this merger has still not been approved is a complete joke.

I don't understand your point, catesta. What did happen to CBS/Infinity Radio after Stern left?

Haven't the millions of people who have signed on after Stern joined Sirius paid for his contract?

Didn't XM and Sirius agree to never merge when they received permission to use satellites originally?

[catesta]

Look at what happened to CBS/Infinity radio after Stern left.

Look at the number of Sirius subscriptions added after signing Stern.

The fact this merger has still not been approved is a complete joke.

I don't understand your point, catesta. What did happen to CBS/Infinity Radio after Stern left?

Haven't the millions of people who have signed on after Stern joined Sirius paid for his contract?

Didn't XM and Sirius agree to never merge when they received permission to use satellites originally?

Infinity tried to patch the holes with David Lee Roth and Adam Carolla, how did that work out?

How well did all that Free FM crap work?

Jack Radio?

Advertising revenue slipped and ratings nation wide took a shit.

I suppose the new subscriptions did cover Stern's contract. The total number of new subscriptions went way above what they predicted at a much quicker rate.

I don't know, did they agree never to merge?

Why would anyone really give a fuck if they did? What would you be worried about?

Fuck it. If you're going to let airlines, utlity companies, oil companies, newspaper publishers, regular old fucking radio stations, pharmacuetical companies, TV broadcast companies, and every other type of fucking business merge, why stop this from happening?

And don't give me the monopoly bullshit, because that is what it is, bullshit. Nobody is forced to or needs to sign up for satellite radio. Plus, anyone with the cash is free to start up another service, no?

What the bought congress people, the NAB and FCC would like to see them both fail. And what happens if one survives like was previously pointed out. Does that one have a monoploy? What next?

[catesta]

[Lazaro Vega]

I don't know, did they agree never to merge?

Why would anyone really give a fuck if they did?

end quote

Well, you know, we could reverse all that consolidation rather than give in to it. Fact is, yes, they agreed they wouldn't merge in order to provide competition in the marketplace. They were allowed in with that caveat. So now that it didn't work out the fuckers should fold their tent and go home, not come crawling for a bail out. Fact is if our radio station goes under, la la la hey hey goodbye. Why not with them? They failed -- see ya, wouldn't want to be ya. The reason local radio stations care is because the radio equivilant of Wal Mart just opened down the street with more bells and whistles and a larger audience base with which to poach what business underwriting we're all trying to court. So, let's give a big warm hug to the brash corporate welfare recipient and a big f.u. to the local guy. "My country tis of thee, sweet land of...."

[Lazaro Vega]

Frank Deford is more literate, knowledgeable, communicative, humourous and relevant than Stern's Ed McMan. Deford's essay on bowling the other day would be right up you alley their BooBeck.

Face it, we don't live in a world with Malcom X anymore -- the whole country is timid. So somebody has the urge to yell: wish he had something to say before he started in on that.

Clem has read so much he's become fictional. A fictional character without a clear ending. As in put up or shut up. Don't plead poverty sho us how you'd be a media mogel by doing it, by developing the mass audience you seem so intent on believing is just waiting to rally around your point of view.

Stop the diaper talk about NPR and get your own thing going or just sit down and crawl back into the black sauce bucket you've emerged from to stink up the place.

That is, prove you're not fictional. Establish a beach head in the rubble of mass communication, run with it, come to real life. Build it so they will come, and come again.

Or slink away.

[Lazaro Vega]

My point is: get in the game. Stop thowing tomatos and do something. Establish an on-line radio station. That's "easy." Let's see if you're able to do whatever it is you're talking about. Don't write at me, write a grant, pull some Marxist coat-tails. Let's see how well you're able to maintain your edge or "standards" or vision or whatever it is when you're more than 1's and 0's. And, sure, read. Whatever. I'm teaching myself to play trumpet and "read" music in an effort to pony up as a music presenter. That's what I'm doing.

What are you doing besides appearing to be above? Are you smart enough to write a grant, get a station on the air, deal with music publishing laws, bandwidth, budgets, people in your audience, a staff (ah! people skills!) and do you have the wind to sustain it? If you can't, after all the shit you've thrown at people who have at least tried, then wear that beanie.

I say stop posting here until you invite us all to listen to your station. Spend all the time you'd otherwise dedicate to writing here to writing the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, or the Ford Foundation, or whoever of your Marxist brethern you know and can pitch, to convince them that your vision for better media programming is needed. And then make it real. Be real. Not fictional.

And if that is just too much, get yourself on "Air America" or "Pacifica" or whatever media outlet you'd deign appeal to and let's hear that.

Because if you're all that you're gonna fuck everyone up. Mary fukin Heart is going to want you on HER show because there's a new flava in the world of media: ideas.

Clem is going to bring us Idea Radio. That could be your show. Pitch it. Make a place for yourself.

Then come back and put up the link to your thing and we'll see how you do.

The world is waiting for the sunrise.

[catesta]

I don't know, did they agree never to merge?

Why would anyone really give a fuck if they did?

end quote

Well, you know, we could reverse all that consolidation rather than give in to it. Fact is, yes, they agreed they wouldn't merge in order to provide competition in the marketplace. They were allowed in with that caveat. So now that it didn't work out the fuckers should fold their tent and go home, not come crawling for a bail out. Fact is if our radio station goes under, la la la hey hey goodbye. Why not with them? They failed -- see ya, wouldn't want to be ya. The reason local radio stations care is because the radio equivilant of Wal Mart just opened down the street with more bells and whistles and a larger audience base with which to poach what business underwriting we're all trying to court. So, let's give a big warm hug to the brash corporate welfare recipient and a big f.u. to the local guy. "My country tis of thee, sweet land of...."

Lazaro, there still is competition. What, satellite is not competing with terrestrial radio and all the new technology coming out?

Remember, you have to pay to hear it, so you have a choice.

Seems as if there was a time when the feds would not have allowed Clear Channel or Viacom to own multiple stations in the same market. But guess what, companies like that dominate the business today all greenlighted by the feds. How about companies that own TV networks, radio stations, and newspapers all in the same city?

Why is it that Sirius and XM are becoming the example to "reverse all that consolidation".

The feds never seemed to be all broken up about Exxon, Mobil, Texaco, Chevron and those other fucking companies joining forces.

The fact of the matter is nothing is being reversed, mergers are happening every day with approval from both dems and republicans and happening in far less time it has taken this thing and there still is no fucking decision.

What if your station was privately owned on the verge of going under and say Clear Channel wanted to purchase it. Anything wrong with that? Nobody would say boo.

It's not as if XM and Sirius went knocking on the door for a hand out. They simply are looking to become one company on their own dime.

Sorry but this comes down to nothing more than the big media companies and the NAB flexing their lobbyist muscle in front of congress, the FCC and SEC.

Edited February 28, 2008 by catesta

[Lazaro Vega]

Points taken. However when the sat stations went up and they were given their frequencies part of the deal was that there would be competition between like media. When there's only two such operations and one fails, the original deal is off. They're doing all they can to skirt that now, which is also a big reason why this is being held up.

[catesta]

Points taken. However when the sat stations went up and they were given their frequencies part of the deal was that there would be competition between like media. When there's only two such operations and one fails, the original deal is off. They're doing all they can to skirt that now, which is also a big reason why this is being held up.

That was more than 10 years ago. Times change, technology has changed, competition has changed for all.

Besides, how long does it take to make a decision? They've had at least four hearings and it has been over one year. These are radio companies we're talking about, not electricity producers, or two companies holding patents on a similar cancer cure medication.

It all seems very transparent and ridiculous.

[Guest Bill Barton]

pull your mouth off of NPR's manpussy (trying to cover all bases), Bill Barton , or is that a little too tough for your "public" (sic) radio types? i don't follow XM at all but i'd put the best Sirius stuff-- of which i've only a little-- against the goddamn narcotic ersatz liberal pop cult shit the NPR mothership sprays into the bowl. the "funny," i.e. sick thing about it is a large # of witless jackoffs are gulled into thinking it IS something, like, "different," leaving a vast % (if not all) not demanding more, or that you fend for ya'll fucking selves, spare us the "pubic" LIES once & for all.

& yes, i'll jump in for Catesta-- i'll even jump on the hood of his truck & tell him to get me THREE slices from that joint on Fresh Pond, you know the one-- & say Kramer or Cramer or however the hell you spell it (the dude that YELLS a lot) on Stern for 20 minutes is better than two fucking years of Frank Deford or esp. John Feinstein or-- ooooh-- better yet--

what jackoffs did ya'll have talking about "The Oscars" this year, or "The Super Bowl," or ...

NAB dupes are CHEAP whores, that's the sickest thing of all.

(if Bill Barton is not affiliated with a NPR affiliated pubic radio station, i will revise this accordingly.)

i.e. "never merge": how many of ya'll have driven through, say, OKLAHOMA, & seen the various markings of former Indian land?

now compare that to this & give us a goddamn break.

next year in Iraq! (shout to dumpy mama if he sees this)

No, I'm not affiliated with an NPR station. I don't even listen to NPR. KPLU bores my ass off, to put it bluntly.

KBCS where I do my show is a community-licensee, independent station. And my opinions are mine alone and shouldn't be connected to the station in any way, shape or form. I'm a volunteer doing a two-hour-per-week show of creative improvised music.

I stand by what I said about Howard Stern. It's garbage pure and simple. And it's pretty damned hilarious when this dude is saying they need to promote it better. They figured the brain-dead misogynists who listened to Howard on commercial radio were automatically going to fork over the bucks for a satellite subscription? C'mon!!!!! Give me a break.

[marcello]

Frankly, anyone who broadcasting this music, especially with interesting content and forethought like Laz, should be given all praise and encouragement.

The fans, radio, club and concert promoters have to support each other or they'll go the way of the Indian tribes, who fought between themselves so much they were easy to conquer.

[catesta]

I stand by what I said about Howard Stern. It's garbage pure and simple. And it's pretty damned hilarious when this dude is saying they need to promote it better. They figured the brain-dead misogynists who listened to Howard on commercial radio were automatically going to fork over the bucks for a satellite subscription? C'mon!!!!! Give me a break.

I moved right over when Stern left for Sirius, just like many others did. I don't consider myself brain-dead and am definitely no misogynist. Anyone who throws out that label has obviously never really listened to the show, at least not in the last 15-20 or so years.

[Brad]

I have XM. Enjoy listening to Jazz and believe it or not Wynton's educational shows. Also like having CNN on the radio as well as Baseball on XM, which is non stop baseball all year around. However, I still listen to my regulary AM/FM stations as well.

[Lazaro Vega]

They're vacuuming up confetti from my 25th anniversary party upstairs -- March 1, 1983 to March 1, 2008: 25 years of Jazz From Blue Lake.

Ehlda Don wrote: "He won't say it & maybe-- really-- doesn't believe it but i suspect, deep down, he knows too NPR is 90% + dogshit AND the whole system from them to FCC worship is vile, venal, demeaning & a fucking emabarassment to man, woman, child alike. "

Well, yeah, the FCC is a politicized governmental agency with a terrible history over the last several years; RIAA isn't helping music on the internet with their business first amendations to the DMCA, and NPR news is not what it once was but I would not say it is dogshit. Compared to what? Fox News is dogshit. They set the stink mud in the treads of the sneaker level, but that is probably so far off your radar you don't put NPR in perspective with it.

Though Blue Lake should be more daring in classical music programming I'll take exception to the idea that coming to work everyday to program jazz on the radio is something I've sold my soul to do. Duke's entire 1965 Black Brown and Beige tonight at 10. Though you're sure to find something wrong with ending Black History Month with A Tone Parallel to the American Negro, because it is old or not "today's" rap, convince me sticking with the Maestro is a sell out.

Yesterday someone who now programs jazz in Atlanta mentioned the first time they ever heard "Ascension" was on Jazz From Blue Lake. That is a good thing (that they heard it at all in mass media).

Nothing more to add. Yes the Sat Radio services are offering a more interesting mix of music than nearly all of commercial radio (I know a guy in Denver who does a good show, so the "nearly").

Bomb throwing anarchists away!!!!!

Edited February 29, 2008 by Lazaro Vega

[Guest Bill Barton]

I stand by what I said about Howard Stern. It's garbage pure and simple. And it's pretty damned hilarious when this dude is saying they need to promote it better. They figured the brain-dead misogynists who listened to Howard on commercial radio were automatically going to fork over the bucks for a satellite subscription? C'mon!!!!! Give me a break.

I moved right over when Stern left for Sirius, just like many others did. I don't consider myself brain-dead and am definitely no misogynist. Anyone who throws out that label has obviously never really listened to the show, at least not in the last 15-20 or so years.

Back when I still had cable I listened (and watched - it was the video feed version) a few times out of curiosity and it was considerably less than 15 to 20 years ago. It's not my cup of tea. Stern and his producers have every right to do whatever it is they do, you have every right to listen if you dig it, and I have every right to ignore it. And it still strikes me as misogynist claptrap.

ok then, Bill Barton-- a NICE guy, we all agree-- is a free man (apology for the misassociation) & sometimes wrong, or just uninformed thinker. Catesta, you'll laff, there's a white guy indie rapper, Aesop Rock, who i was down on for a while but he's actually really good & maybe brilliant, like the next step-- in white way, which is all he can be-- from Nas & Rakim-- very dense lyricism, abstract stortytelling, all sorts of shit. anyway, tho' he can "battle rap" he's not at all "gangster" & somehow, bc he had a disheveled look, some girls liked him too & therefore he's a bit more popular-- at least among those who still BUY cds-- then his black equivalent, & is considered, ya' know, "concious," sort of. turns out, he's from Northport or someuch on the Island & even after moving to San Francisco a cpl years ago w/his wife... HIS FAVORITE RADIO SHOW: not Bill Barton's, or Lazaro's. (teh elder don's? maybe.)

TM baby: nobody is DISCOURAGING Laz, the more the merrier, really (tho' his station should look up, into The Wisemen), but the NPR oligarchy, NAB nonsense is TOTALLY fatuous. He won't say it & maybe-- really-- doesn't believe it but i suspect, deep down, he knows too NPR is 90% + dogshit AND the whole system from them to FCC worship is vile, venal, demeaning & a fucking emabarassment to man, woman, child alike.

but oh! our precious "funding"! oh! our precious "license"!

sidenote, Bill Barton: do you understand how & why a man like Ol' Dirty Bastard was & is still beloved, by men & women alike, if not, perhaps, every one of his alleged 13 baby mamas?

motherfuck Frank Deford too, again, until HE pays back out of pocket all the public $$$ he's actually made paper from being a professional jock sniffer for stunted development types who love a man in uniform but won't cop to why.

LASTLY Laz & Barton, LASTLY-- ya'll should DECRY gov't interference in this nonsense when x/y/z is going on in the world & even if it was New Utopia... who gives a shit?

you wanna bust balls, gimme YOUR fucking frequency back. oh, but "the people" have been trained to "like" it? hi, i'm Michelle Norris...

get real or get over being anything at all.

What the hell does any of this have to do with XM/Sirius or anything I said? I never said I thought government interference was a good thing. The FCC should stay the hell out of the way and I'm as puzzled as the next guy over why they should have any kind of authority over this.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Bill Barton

[Guest Bill Barton]

I stand by what I said about Howard Stern. It's garbage pure and simple. And it's pretty damned hilarious when this dude is saying they need to promote it better. They figured the brain-dead misogynists who listened to Howard on commercial radio were automatically going to fork over the bucks for a satellite subscription? C'mon!!!!! Give me a break.

I moved right over when Stern left for Sirius, just like many others did. I don't consider myself brain-dead and am definitely no misogynist. Anyone who throws out that label has obviously never really listened to the show, at least not in the last 15-20 or so years.

P.S. My apologies if you took what I said about Howard and his minions as a personal attack. It wasn't meant that way.

[analogak]

"they're going at it as hard as they caaaannnn...."

[GA Russell]

The fact this merger has still not been approved is a complete joke.

Didn't XM and Sirius agree to never merge when they received permission to use satellites originally?

I don't know, did they agree never to merge?

Why would anyone really give a fuck if they did? What would you be worried about?

catesta, as a customer of Sirius, what I would be worried about (since you asked) is that the price would go up and the quality of the service would go down.

Here is an example of the price going up without competition:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/12/lack-of...-prices-upward/

Lack of competition sends Blu-ray player prices upward

Posted Mar 12th 2008 9:43PM

Late last month, we actually posed the question of buying a Blu-ray player now (being that the format war is over and all), or waiting things out until prices sink and Profile 2.0 players flood the market. Aside from the PlayStation 3 -- which is actually priced fairly reasonably if you were in the hunt for a new console anyway -- it seems as though HD DVD's exit has actually caused Blu-ray player prices to creep back upwards. Granted, this is about as far from surprising as it gets -- after all, it's nothing short of supply and demand working its magic. Still, it wasn't too long ago that we saw Toshiba actively putting pressure on the Blu camp to reduce prices in order to stay competitive, and now that said pressure has vanished, stickers on the whole have headed north. Ah well, it's not like the consumer didn't ask for this, um, right?

[Chuck Nessa]

Is this another obit?

[BeBop]

Looks like they got Justice department approval.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/080324/xm_sirius_antitrust.html

[catesta]

It only took a little more than a year.

[GA Russell]

Here's what Breitbart has to say:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8...;show_article=1

[Dave James]

"The Justice Department said the combination would lead to "substantial" cost saving steps such as consolidating the line of radios they offer. It said those savings would "most likely to be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices."

Boy these guys really do live in a dream world. I think the very best any current subscriber might hope for is no cost increase. I'm guessing just about the first thing the newly minted SXM will attempt to do is justify higher price points based on expanded programming. Just wait and see.

Up over and out.