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XM and Sirius Music Changes Next Week

There is a lot of talk about changes with no real confirmation. The ads in the newspapers (USA Today and New York Post - apparently) got this started. There was a posting on the Rolling Stones blog about this. Then someone over on xmfan.com posted the list that you see at the start of this thread. The date of 11/12/2008 was also mentioned somewhere along the way. Some of the DJs on Sirius and XM have reportedly said something about changes coming, but the audio I heard only mentioned a Sirius channel moving to another spot on the dial.

This may all be absolutely correct. Come Wednesday, I may need a road map to figure out where all the channels are. But right now I'm not buying it. A change this big should be heavily advertised to the 18 million Sirius/XM subscribers long before it happens. Failure to do so would result in needless customer complaints. Until I hear something really official (like a news release or posting on their website) I'm not going to believe this.
 
tested said:
A change this big should be heavily advertised to the 18 million Sirius/XM subscribers long before it happens. Failure to do so would result in needless customer complaints. Until I hear something really official (like a news release or posting on their website) I'm not going to believe this.
Click to expand...

You're forgetting who is running the show now: Uncle Mel, from terrestrial radio. As was mentioned in another thread (here or elsewhere, I forget), "radio stations don't advertise their format flips because it would make people angry". Mel's just following the terrestrial playbook. What he seems to be forgetting is that we're not freeloaders, we're paying customers. We deserve to know ahead of time what changes to expect, not flowery hints at what might be from message boards and cryptic clues on the music channels!

I'm gonna give the new channels a chance, but Mel has thwarted my "plan B". If the music stinks, I was gonna cancel and use the DirecTV feed to get O&A and some of the music... But it now appears that they and Oprah are off DirecTV's XM feed come the 12th. Since I'd actually like to keep O&A and Ron and Fez (noon to 3) looks like I'm stuck as a paying customer. :mad:
 
The weekly email from XM that came out yesterday said NOTHING about any channel changes. If the changes are to be effective, then this email is useless. We deserve a little advance notice, only if it is a day or so
 
I find it's far easier t simply make the changes and on the day of those changes, let folks figure it out and use the screens to tell them where channels are/aren't. Sirius has never been big on notifying folks when they have made major channel changes and from the looks of this change, it's far easier to simply do it, than make a big stink about doing it. And frankly, most all of the changes will be minor for Sirius subscribers. But then again it will be bigger for XM subscribers, but I don't think Sirius cares as much about them as "XM" subxcribedrs. They'll conform once the change is made and between screen announcements it will all make sense. And if they don't like it, they can cancel. No loss. A few will, but it's such a minor group that is alrady expected that no one at the new Sirius cares.
 
I'm happy The Village, The Loft, 40's on 4, Willie's Place, Real Jazz, et al. survived...but sad to see Fine Tuning, XM Cafe, X Country, Fred, et al. removed.

I think when folk and deep acoustic leave, then I'll probably consider dropping sat radio.
 
Ah yes...our way or the highway. Choice is such a horrible, unnecessary thing... ;)
 
excuse me walter you are forgetting about one group of people who cannot see the screens at all! there are a large number of totally blind people who subscribe to the services and deserve to know what changes are happening! also the truckers who are driving down the highway cannot afford to take their eyes off the road to look at a screen and get into an accident!
Walter Graff said:
I find it's far easier t simply make the changes and on the day of those changes, let folks figure it out and use the screens to tell them where channels are/aren't. Sirius has never been big on notifying folks when they have made major channel changes and from the looks of this change, it's far easier to simply do it, than make a big stink about doing it. And frankly, most all of the changes will be minor for Sirius subscribers. But then again it will be bigger for XM subscribers, but I don't think Sirius cares as much about them as "XM" subxcribedrs. They'll conform once the change is made and between screen announcements it will all make sense. And if they don't like it, they can cancel. No loss. A few will, but it's such a minor group that is alrady expected that no one at the new Sirius cares.
Click to expand...
 
I'm sure all the blind and all the truckers will survive the new lineup just fine just as everyone did last time Sirius made changes. Seems only the fanboys here who have little to do will suffer.
 
Will the XM Radio Online have these changes like getting radio margaritaville? I would love it since I listen to XM Radio Online. I hate the sound quality fron the radio margaritaville website.
 
Walter Graff said:
I'm sure all the blind and all the truckers will survive the new lineup just fine just as everyone did last time Sirius made changes. Seems only the fanboys here who have little to do will suffer.
Click to expand...

The fanboys are the ones paying the bills. It can be argued casual listeners won't be shelling out $13/month for their AC and country crap channels they can get for free OTA.

Also, I've only been with XM for a few years but I don't recall ever losing 7 channels at once, many of which I enjoy. :mad:
 
If you read my posts here and elsewhere, you'll know that I've been very skeptical of whether or not these changes are taking place tomorrow. I have said that I need proof from the company before I'll believe it. That proof came yesterday during the company's 3Q earnings conference call:

http://seekingalpha.com/article/105...rnings-call-transcript?page=-1&find=wednesday

Quoting Mel Karmazin:

"This Wednesday we will be improving our programming lineup by providing XM subscribers with some of the great content that SIRIUS has and vice versa. As we rationalize our programming offering, not only will consumers benefit from the improved lineup on both platforms, but we will be producing significantly fewer channels and the elimination of duplicated programming will result in the company saving millions of dollars every year.

Subscribers will continue to receive the same number of channels, only now there will be even more desirable channels and with no additional costs. As a result of the merger, our even better content offering should help SIRIUS XM to reduce churn, improve conversion rates, as well as attract new subscribers."
 
"It can be argued casual listeners won't be shelling out $13/month for their AC and country crap channels they can get for free OTA."

SIrius is not like OTA channels. It's an entire new band of channels. No one buys it for one channel. Some here seem to like a few channels and say that is the reason they like it but 99.9% of people who have Sirius have it because it is an entire dial of great channels, with different niches, formats, made like radio used to be... with good programming and no advertisements.

"Also, I've only been with XM for a few years but I don't recall ever losing 7 channels at once, many of which I enjoy. "


You are less loosing channels and more having redundant channels eliminated. You haven't even heard it and already you are judging it. Give it time. You'll find that Sirius has far better programming that XM did, and this new Sirius radio will sound even better than the old. So many here complain about things before they actually heard them. Obviously sat radio works or you'd simply go back to listening to old style radio, but you can't. You like what sat has to offer. So give it time, listen to what is being offered. All stations like Fred, etc already exist and are just as good if not better on Sirius. And if you don't like it AFTER you heard it, then you can simply cancel and go back to listening to unlistenable terrestrial radio. No one will miss you if you don't like sat radio and leave, but before you do, try it first.
 
Minus money with the two subs I have. So not getting anything other than the enjoyment of Sirius. I love sat radio. Can't listen to terrestrial anymore, other than to hear a spot or two I produced on terrestrial to make sure they sound good. Then its back to sat radio for me... and my wife who has here whole day mapped out when it comes to listening. Now if everyone guessing, and assuming would just sit back and wait, you'll find the new Sirius even better than the old, and XM folks will like Sirius a lot better.
 
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