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Sirius/XM Drops One of Its NPR Channels

G

Gregg

Disappointing news for NPR listeners using Sirius/XM. NPR Now Channel 123 has been dropped from the channel line up. We now only have NPR Talk Channel 122.

The reason, according to Sirius/XM, is that one channel basically duplicated the other. Many of the same programs aired on both channels but at different times. But I liked that feature. When one NPR channel was running something like Fresh Air, the other was running a news or talk program.

It was only a few years ago when Sirius also dumped the Public Radio International channel, which carried a number of programs we think of as NPR but are really independently produced, such as Dr. Zorba Pastor, produced by Wisconsin Public Radio, or Selected Shorts produced by WNYC NYC. So over the last few years we've gone from three to two to one U.S. public radio channel. (The Sirius/XM statement reminds us we still have BBC, CBC and an international public radio channel.)

Now Diane Rehm is no longer carried live at 10am ET. You can catch her second hour at 3pm and her full two-hour show runs at 9pm only. When there were two NPR channels, she was on live at 10am (she takes phone calls) and got three more runs over the next 24 hours. On weekends, a number of show are gone completely, such as Splendid Table and You Bet Your Garden.

I wrote an e-mail protesting but I got a standard response. "NPR listeners no longer have to switch between stations to hear their favorite shows." Can you imagine a dumber P.R. spin? I don't have to switch back and forth anymore!


Gregg
[email protected]
 
Thanks for picking up this topic! I am infuriated that Sirius dropped the 2nd NPR channel! I listen to NPR almost exclusively, and appreciated the ability to jump from one channel to another. In fact, I was hoping that they would add another NPR channel, so I would have even more options.

And the 'reason' stated is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Somewhat similar to the IRS telling you that "In order to make your banking easier, and to allow you to make fewer deposits to your accounts, we will not be sending you your tax refund this year". And we are supposed to say, "Gee, thanks Sirius, for reducing your service to us"?

I'll be writing to them myself, shortly, but have little hope. After all, they have a monopoly right? The free market only works if you have a choice, and it looks like we don't.

Bev Cook
 
I'll certainly sign the on-line petition. Might I suggest another approach? Even in this era of e-mails, I think sending a brief letter or post card may also get attention. In this case, I'm sending post cards to

Mel Karmazin
Chief Executive Officer

Scott Greenstein
President

Listening to Howard Stern, it seems Greenstein makes the day-to-day decisions on programming. Karmazin oversees everything. I'd guess neither executive actually reads his own mail but if a secretary notices a hand-written letter or post card, she might mention it to her boss.

As I said above, I don't think either of these guys has any special affinity for Public Radio and they'd assume two NPR channels are redundant. But maybe snail mail might get to them.

The address is

SiriusXM
1221 Avenue of The Americas
New York, NY 10020
 
That sucks. I was wondering why I no longer heard Whadya Know live on Saturday nights. None of the local public radio stations carry it or "World Cafe." WFSU carries Midnight Special at 8pm (!) after PHC, followed by West Coast Live which by then is no longer live. WCL always struck me as a pale imitation of Whadya Know. But hey, Gov. Voldemort Scott gutted state funding for public radio and TV... more begathons, fewer good shows...
When I got my first satellite radio in '06, I picked Sirius mainly because it had NPR and the BBC, not because they had just hired Howard. If the local station played a special begathon edition of PHC or Car Talk or Diane Rehm, I could tune to Sirius' NPR feed to catch the current shows. (No Morning Edition or ATC, though.)
 
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