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SiriusXM Changing Direction

I think the service not being included as often with new cars is a bigger issue, but both are important. How does Sirius get new subscribers other than when people buy a car? Are that many people actually getting the service for the first time via a streaming only subscription or by installing their own radio in their car? I doubt it.

While they are getting fewer new subscribers, they are also making it more difficult for their existing subscribers to enjoy the service. Buy a new car without SXM and your most loyal subscribers that enjoy the service will stream you on the phone, but others will drop off. The casual SXM subscriber who got it since it came with their previous car won’t be streaming from their phone in their new car. The CarPlay user experience is inferior in every way compared to listening via satellite.
I bought a 2024 Chevy Malibu in December, and to my surprise, no SiriusXM. I have it in my Impala and on my phone, but I will listen to Mixcloud in the Malibu, because at least that app plays more of what I prefer to listen to.
 
I bought a 2024 Chevy Malibu in December, and to my surprise, no SiriusXM. I have it in my Impala and on my phone, but I will listen to Mixcloud in the Malibu, because at least that app plays more of what I prefer to listen to.

I was looking at Hondas about five years ago before finally buying a Nissan, and the Civics I looked at didn’t have SXM. Seems like they had HD (at least on FM) but no SXM, and the CarPlay was primitive. The lack of a real CarPlay interface was ultimately the deal breaker for me.

I also have a 2009 CR-V, and it has SXM, though it was around before CarPlay. Before I got the 2009 CR-V, I had a 2010 until a kid ran a red light and slammed into me at an intersection, which totaled the car. It also had SXM, and, unlike the 2009 model, had an outlet you could plug into your phone charger, which would run the phone through the auxiliary input.

I added an aftermarket CarPlay to the CR-V that I can run through the auxiliary input line. My partner liked the Car Screen so much I bought her a Carpuride interface for her 2012 Altima.
 
I don't understand carmakers not including every possible option. It can't be that complicated or cost that much.

GM pushes their ridiculous subscription fee for OnStar so maybe it's to their benefit to not offer SXM.
 
I bought a 2024 Chevy Malibu in December, and to my surprise, no SiriusXM.

Hmm. It's listed on the Sirius site as being available in all Malibu models. Perhaps it was removed by the dealer for some reason.

 
I don't understand carmakers not including every possible option. It can't be that complicated or cost that much.

GM pushes their ridiculous subscription fee for OnStar so maybe it's to their benefit to not offer SXM.
SiriusXM has always paid car manufacturers for each and every installed radio. And car manufacturers happily took the money to put in the chips to support SXM. I'm sure SXM wanted to eventually stop paying for each car sold, but the demand for SiriusXM was never enough that manufacturers felt they HAD to include it. I'd imagine lost sales because "this car doesn't have SiriusXM" are few and far between. It's the same reason they want to stop including AM radio in cars. Doesn't cost them much, but NOT having to include it costs them zero and increases profit margins.
 
I don't understand carmakers not including every possible option. It can't be that complicated or cost that much.

GM pushes their ridiculous subscription fee for OnStar so maybe it's to their benefit to not offer SXM.
Only certain GM Cars come with XM!
No, the base 2024 Chevy Malibu (LS trim) does not come standard with SiriusXM satellite radio. SiriusXM is typically included in higher trim levels like the 1LT and 2LT.

Here's a breakdown of SiriusXM availability in the 2024 Chevy Malibu:

  • Base Model (LS): Does not include SiriusXM as a standard feature.
  • 1LT Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
  • 2LT Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
  • RS Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
 
RAMP is reporting more staff cuts at SiriusXM:

 
I'm hearing more Mike Terry and none of the "celebrity" DJ's on Prime Country lately (which is a good thing, IMO.) Not sure if that's related to the cuts.
 
Sirius XM dropped their hip-hop channel (#42) named after the rapper Drake. Apparently the deal with him to provide content has run its course. That alone could save hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars.
 
Sirius XM dropped their hip-hop channel (#42) named after the rapper Drake. Apparently the deal with him to provide content has run its course. That alone could save hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars.
Is it possible that SXM has been paying millions of dollars a year to celebrities just to slap their names on a channel? That seems way too much even for "curated" channels like Carrie Underwood's and Chris Stapleton's, let alone those that just bear a famous entertainers name, like Smokey Robinson's Soul Town? And if SXM is paying a penny to the estates of dead people like B.B. King and Tom Petty at this point in the game, their executives are truly living in a fantasy world.
 
Is it possible that SXM has been paying millions of dollars a year to celebrities just to slap their names on a channel? That seems way too much even for "curated" channels like Carrie Underwood's and Chris Stapleton's, let alone those that just bear a famous entertainers name, like Smokey Robinson's Soul Town? And if SXM is paying a penny to the estates of dead people like B.B. King and Tom Petty at this point in the game, their executives are truly living in a fantasy world.
In some cases, the artist or their label pays to have the channel done. Each case is different, I believe.
 
Sirius says their ad-supported music service will launch by the end of the year:

If this ad supported tier is strictly online, that should be OK.
But if SiriusXM will also implement this on the satellite system, it could provide subscribers with less value. As bandwidth on the satellites is finite, either some of the existing commercial free channels will start carrying ads, or audio quality will be reduced if additional channels that carry commercials are brought in.
In the early days of satellite radio, when Sirius and XM were separate services, the latter initially had commercials on some of their music channels, in exchange for a lower subscription fee than their competitor. That did not last very long.
 
Only certain GM Cars come with XM!
No, the base 2024 Chevy Malibu (LS trim) does not come standard with SiriusXM satellite radio. SiriusXM is typically included in higher trim levels like the 1LT and 2LT.

Here's a breakdown of SiriusXM availability in the 2024 Chevy Malibu:

  • Base Model (LS): Does not include SiriusXM as a standard feature.
  • 1LT Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
  • 2LT Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
  • RS Trim: SiriusXM is a standard feature.
I have an RS.
 
Sirius XM dropped their hip-hop channel (#42) named after the rapper Drake. Apparently the deal with him to provide content has run its course. That alone could save hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars.
Sound 42 was one of my favorite channels.
 
If this ad supported tier is strictly online, that should be OK.
But if SiriusXM will also implement this on the satellite system, it could provide subscribers with less value. As bandwidth on the satellites is finite, either some of the existing commercial free channels will start carrying ads, or audio quality will be reduced if additional channels that carry commercials are brought in.
In the early days of satellite radio, when Sirius and XM were separate services, the latter initially had commercials on some of their music channels, in exchange for a lower subscription fee than their competitor. That did not last very long.
If I remember correctly, the commercial based service only works with streaming and 360L receivers (which rely on mobile broadband in tandem with the satellites).
 
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