If you’re an old Sirius or former XM subscriber who lost one or more of your favorite channels after the two satellite radio companies merged earlier this year, CEO Mel Karmazin has a message for you: Tough luck, it’s for the greater good.
Karmazin told reporters at the Reuters Media Summit in New York that the two companies had taken the best of breed in each music channel genre from either Sirius or XM as part of a $400 million cost saving drive.
“We’re going to pick the best channels,” said Karmazin. “We’ve gotten hundreds of people who hated it and claimed they were going to cancel. So we’ve analyzed all the cancellations since the rationalization…It’s hard for me to understand what they don’t like.”
“If we took the most aggressive number of people who cancelled and we take that (away) the $120 a year (they pay) it doesn’t get to a $1 million as compared to the significant amount of cost savings as a company that needs to make money,” said Karmazin.
Our colleague Franklin Paul said he was upset with the loss of his favorite classic hip-hop channel, The Rhyme. So Karmazin made his best pitch to an old school B-boy.
“We have other hip hop channels,” coaxed Karmazin.
“You as a subscriber, though you may miss your channel, you need to make sure we make money because you want us to be around so we can invest in programming and we can provide you with all these services,” said Karmazin.
In other words, deal with it.
(Photo: Reuters)
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Forgot to mention:
Commercials for Sirius radios does not equal “commercial free.”
Commercials for plan upgrades does not equal “commercial free.”
Promos for other channels I don’t care about does not equal “commercial free.”
Just shut up and play music.
- Posted by One more thingGlad to know they don’t miss my 3 XM and 1 Sirius radios. You don’t make money charging people for what they can stream free from their phone, the web, or hear on AM/FM. You provide something they’re willing to pay for.
- Posted by Former SubscriberHe’s completely out of touch or just a liar. The reason we haven’t canceled is because they gave us all three months free not to cancel! Surely someone has told him that!
I hate satrad now. When my free months run out I’m canceling for sure. Now that I’ve read what an ass the CEO is, I’m more determined than ever to cancel. How much lower can the stock go? Let’s find out!
- Posted by Jeffrey ChromeI live in the Austin area and subscribed to XM primarily to listen to X Country. Although the Austin area has lots of good country music stations with decent playlists, X Country seemed to be able to combine the best of Austin with country artists from the rest of the country. In short, I really liked X Country.
Now that X Country has been replaced by “something” called Outlaw Country, I won’t be keeping my subscription. Outlaw Country just plain sucks – even with its supposed Austin-based host. If I want to listen to endless phony hillbilly chatter from a radio host, I’ll listen to the local channels for free. Karmazin can take his “best of breed” and go screw himself.
- Posted by Luke WarmPlanet Jazz,XM Cafe,The Lab, Fine Tuneing,and Beyond Jazz are all gone.I could listen to any of those stations for hours without getting tired of them. The only station that comes close to comparing to any of those is Watercolors and it is just “OK”. I havem’t canceld yet because I am prepaid through May.
- Posted by John JungenAnybody that says “it’s hard for me to understand what they don’t like” concerning this, is Clear Channel-ly out of touch. Siriusly, dude.
- Posted by Magnified BlazarI have 2 subs and 20,000 shares of stock bought at 3.71 is worth .1522 today because of Mel he should be fired and a new board elected.I am nor renewing my subs and selling my stock because SIRIXM is dead and will go BANKRUPT because of Mel.
- Posted by LeRoyKarmazin is out of touch when it comes to music. He may know the management and dollar figures that make a company work, possibly make money? But when mel makes note “We’re going to pick the best channels” How do they eliminate “Beyond Jazz and replace a fusion jazz channel with Broadway singing? Maybe Mel doesn;t know that Jazz has a large crossover and the replacement channels he offeren in Jazz do not compare to terestrial Jazz or even free online streamed Jazz stations. I subscribed to XM mainly for the Jazz and purposely to avoid having to listen to Stern.
I am now an HD radio person in the car and streaming 100’s of more jazz stations than Satellite could offer…all 100% Free!
- Posted by AdamMost of these negative articles are coming from either irrational folks or by people associated with conventional radio who aim to put a dent in the armor of Satellite radio. This is a business that must run as a business not to appeased every Tom, Dick and Harry. Don’t you think the management of Sirius objective is to see their company florish. My god they have the stage set for a complete take over of the radio media. How foolish can anyone be to think otherwise. I have personally been surveyed on my preferences. I’m surprised to hear that some weren’t. Their web site gives you the chance to do just that. That is why most of these negative remarks are made by people who’s main objective is to subtifuge the company. Let’s not be fooled by their ambitions. Ask yourself one question. Is 12.95/month worth it to have a choice not to listen to conventional radio. You are getting a lot for this price. Just the talk shows are worth it. I have paid for my subscription for the rest of my life by listening to financial and political advise which has afforded a great deal of money. Just one stock alone that was brought to my attention “FWLT” has made me money on two different occassions within the past 3 months. I am riding it again just because of all the good financial and political content that is available on Sirius. So let’s get real and as Mel says “DEAL WITH IT”. Let’s win the War and foget about the battles … to all of you Sponge Bobs out there… Get Real
- Posted by Mr. Sirius[...] “best of breed” channel to replace them. “We’re going to pick the best channels,” Karmazin told event attendees. “We’ve gotten hundreds of people who hated it and claimed they were going to cancel. So [...]
- Posted by Karmazin: Ask Not What Sirius Can Do for You; Ask What You Can Do For Sirius | John Paczkowski | Digital Daily | AllThingsD