• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy, Etc.

D

dampier

Past is prologue. Air America Radio's fill-ins and the 'throwaway' shows that get few clearances are now also facing replacement on XM's Air America Radio channel 167. This is surprising, considering the exclusive deal AAR has with XM, and the amount of work they did getting the interlopers off the channel (Schultz in Rhodes timeslot and the very presence of Alan Colmes on Air America's channel being egregious examples.)

Now, XM has announced it is rejecting Thom Hartmann's 12-3pm show, because they were underwhelmed with the quality of the show, and have announced they are putting Ed Schultz on in that slot instead. They are also eyeing dumping the Young Turks, perhaps for Bill Press, and if they can swing it, the biggest coup of all would be Stephanie Miller running from 9-12 ET in lieu of Sam Seder.

It seems AAR either has lost their leverage with XM in the bankruptcy or doesn't have the power to stop XM's program changes. Of course, the better answer here is to open more channels up to even more choices in talk programming, but for now, no Thom Hartmann, except in repeats.

Also, Mike Malloy is back on XM March 1st. No channel number announced yet.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

And you heard all of this where?

The reasons I've heard re: Schultz being moved to 167 is that XM has been trying to find a live slot for Schultz for the past two years, and this was the only way. They're also trying to work out something with Hartmann.

As for rejecting something for being 'boring', we're talking XM here. They run an outrageous amount of 'boring' programming on many of their channels.

I know you're injecting some of your own opinion here, but Hartmann's 'dull' show has been picked up in some pretty big markets lately (live) and in the past few months, on stations where he replaced Franken, ratings went up drastically.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

FightingIrish said:
As for rejecting something for being 'boring', we're talking XM here. They run an outrageous amount of 'boring' programming on many of their channels.

I know you're injecting some of your own opinion here, but Hartmann's 'dull' show has been picked up in some pretty big markets lately (live) and in the past few months, on stations where he replaced Franken, ratings went up drastically.
Click to expand...

That may be true, but XM only has a limited amount of talk channels, and only ONE 'progressive' band. Already feelings have been hurt in the 'progressive' talk arenas over XM's programming decisions, with some hosts going after each other with real venom! I don't think Schultz will be having Seder or Franken over for dinner anytime soon ;)

All XM is doing is a little radio Darwinism. Face it, 'Hartmann' couldn't hold Ed's jock. He may be an improvement on Franken, but that's not saying much.

If they bring Miller on, I would rejoice!
 
You're missing the story on this one. Obviously, the so-called "deal" that AAR had with XM either never existed, or if it did exist, it is no longer in effect. If this is the case, XM has the right to put whoever they want in on their "left" channel. Even though I prefer Hartmann over Schultz I can understand why they went that way.

The other issue is the expected merger of Sirius and XM. If the merger goes through, the merged venture will probably only have one left channel. If XM offers the best in syndicated programming this will enable to Sirius to get out their contracts with awful left wing hosts like Lynn Samuels and Alex Bennett.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

With the merger, it won't matter. They'd have enough room for 2 libtalk streams, if there is enough national programming left to fill them both when the programming starts being consolidated, that is.
 
Hartmann's 'dull' show has been picked up in some pretty big markets lately (live) and in the past few months, on stations where he replaced Franken, ratings went up drastically.

Saying that Hartmann's show isn't as boring as Franken's show is like saying that Moe was smarter than Curly.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

Phillip Dampier said:
Past is prologue. Air America Radio's fill-ins and the 'throwaway' shows that get few clearances are now also facing replacement on XM's Air America Radio channel 167. This is surprising, considering the exclusive deal AAR has with XM, and the amount of work they did getting the interlopers off the channel (Schultz in Rhodes timeslot and the very presence of Alan Colmes on Air America's channel being egregious examples.)

Now, XM has announced it is rejecting Thom Hartmann's 12-3pm show, because they were underwhelmed with the quality of the show, and have announced they are putting Ed Schultz on in that slot instead. They are also eyeing dumping the Young Turks, perhaps for Bill Press, and if they can swing it, the biggest coup of all would be Stephanie Miller running from 9-12 ET in lieu of Sam Seder.

It seems AAR either has lost their leverage with XM in the bankruptcy or doesn't have the power to stop XM's program changes. Of course, the better answer here is to open more channels up to even more choices in talk programming, but for now, no Thom Hartmann, except in repeats.

Also, Mike Malloy is back on XM March 1st. No channel number announced yet.
Click to expand...

Would be a natural for some of those to return/go to XM since they were previous libtalk stars on former rival SIRIUS and are therefore going to end up on both services anyway
 
Re: PREDICTION: Sirius/XM merger won't happen.

barooosk said:
I'll bet you five bucks that the deal does go through
Click to expand...

It all depends on if XM/Sirius offer enough bribe money to the government thugs. (In this case, the FCC.)
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

My opinion of the Sirius/XM merger? Let 'em.

Well, what about competition?

Let's face it - neither will be able to succeed in the long run by themselves. Sure, satellite radio has been growing at a substantial pace, but there's new technology on the horizon that will hurt them terribly - namely WiFi.

As major cities and metropolitan areas are starting to set up wireless networks (L.A. just announced their own initiative) and portable streaming audio devices are starting to hit the market, terrestrial and satellite radio will encounter some very serious competition. People that want to hear commercial-free music with vast playlists will have an obscene amount of choices. Want to hear Air America? That will be possible. The new Apple iPhone will be able to do just that.

Currently, portable WiFi is possible, but a bit clumsy and rather expensive. But as we know, technology is currently moving at a ridiculously fast pace, and bandwidth/storage prices are coming down heavily. Once the technology makes it to cars, it will be a serious force that will send shivers down the spines of many in the industry. I think it will hurt terrestrial/satellite broadcasters even more than the iPod.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

WiFi in cars wouldn't necessarily have to kill a combined Sirius/XM. Since they already stream online for subscribers and have somewhat established brand identities, I could see them shifting their focus to selling online access to their content with the satellites being used as a fallback for remote locations that have not and will not have WiFi nodes in place.

Of course, if they miss the opportunity and another company beats them to the punch, they'd most likely be toast.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

clichemoth said:
WiFi in cars wouldn't necessarily have to kill a combined Sirius/XM. Since they already stream online for subscribers and have somewhat established brand identities, I could see them shifting their focus to selling online access to their content with the satellites being used as a fallback for remote locations that have not and will not have WiFi nodes in place.

Of course, if they miss the opportunity and another company beats them to the punch, they'd most likely be toast.
Click to expand...

Why would you need an expensive, expansive operation like XM or Sirius when you'd have every Jerry, Joe, and Chuck, running similar streams of obscure music out of their basements?
 
Re: PREDICTION: Sirius/XM merger won't happen.

FTL_Ian said:
barooosk said:
I'll bet you five bucks that the deal does go through
Click to expand...

It all depends on if XM/Sirius offer enough bribe money to the government thugs. (In this case, the FCC.)
Click to expand...
Yup. The FCC, as a college instructor told our class years ago, is a "captured" agency.
That means the ones it's s'posed to regulate is the ones who get their way.

200 stations in one market? Sure. Own them. What do we care.
Want to use the same calls in three markets? No problem.
Do what you want to do- FCC to broadcasters who pay (I'm sorry, lobby) the commissioners.

End result: lousy and mediocre terrestrial programming.
 
Re: XM Starts Dumping Some AAR Shows for Alternative Libtalk - Schultz, Malloy,

Of course. Politics is about rewarding friends and punishing enemies. The solution is not "reform" or more laws but to abolish the agency entirely and allow courts and arbitrators to settle disputes. Allow the market to handle spectrum instead of govt bureaucrats.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom