Clear Channel Spreads it's Evil

[PhoenixRising]

I was listening to XM, when what did my ears hear? COMMERCIALS! On the COMMERCIAL FREE MUSIC CHANNELS!!! What was going on? So I called XM, and was told, that CLEAR CHANNEL, the evil empire of Radio, had bought four channels on XM, and through a court order, had won the right to air commercials on their four channels.

XM, in turn, created some more commercial free stations, but I know what has happened here. The cancer has been started. When cable TV was in it's infancy, the thing about it was, commercial free TV (HBO and the like). Then came MTV, and commercials, and now, we have all these channels that air commercials, and we pay for the service as well, via satellite or cable. We pay for commercials. How nice.

The people at XM tried to tell me that won't happen there, but yeah, right, came to mind. The ad flood gates are open. It's just a matter of time, until other XM station owners do the same thing. Won't be long until you pay $19.95 a month for 'basic' XM, and if you want commercial free music, that will be an extra charge. Mark my words. It will happen.

[from Margaritaville...]

What a pisser! If they do that to Sirius, I'm gonna get REALLY angry. I go out of my way to avoid or reduce my exposure to the commercial bombardment that pervades our daily lives. Commercial-free format is the reason I subscribe to Sirius and I hope that cancer does not spread here...

[PhoenixRising]

Originally Posted by Alan Margosian

What a pisser! If they do that to Sirius, I'm gonna get REALLY angry. I go out of my way to avoid or reduce my exposure to the commercial bombardment that pervades our daily lives. Commercial-free format is the reason I subscribe to Sirius and I hope that cancer does not spread here...

IF Sirius is smart, they play this up 'We are the only satellite service with 100% commercial free music stations...'

And, then, after they have hooked a bunch more subscribers, they do the same thing as XM.

It's begun, you know. It has. I am sort of surprised it took this long. Both services are losing money, so it makes sense. But man, I still hate this. I pay for the commercial free music. It's what got me to XM in the first place.

[FineExampl]

Bottom line, this HAS to happen. There's no way they could pay their bills if they didn't have sponsors. NOW, if they can each limit the commercials to sponsored channels than i can see that work.

The guru of Sirius is the same guy that was working for Viacom back in the day (mel karmazin??) and comes from a radio background and will most definitely bring advertisers. Then again, XM has had SOME commercials since i bought it. O&A have had some commercials, but the commercial breaks are never more than a minute or two. O&A claim it's more for a pee break or a coffee, i can believe it. If these companies give a damn, limit the music channels to being commercial free or something. News, sports, talk, etc. Advertise on those channels if need be.

It's the nature of the beast sadly. A commercial commodity cannot survive in this economy without increasing revenue any way it can.

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by FineExampl

It's the nature of the beast sadly. A commercial commodity cannot survive in this economy without increasing revenue any way it can.

listen to this man. he has the words "revenue enhancement" in his title.

back on topic, well that just plain SUCKS. though i work in marketing, i am not a fan of a lot of advertising. every weekend when i watch SNL, i gripe about how the show seems to be 50% commecials...and 50% bad skits.

but john does have a point. nothing's "free" anymore. i am even starting to hear "commercial-like" things on NPR and it chaps my hide.

but remember, we always have a choice. if you don't like what XM is doing, first of all, cancel. and second, make sure you tell them WHY! too many people (not aiming this at you, TJ) don't take action. we allow ourselves to sit there with cold food, bad service, inferior products, etc. and just think "oh, i just don't have the time and energy to write a letter/complain to the manager". i say DO IT.

and yes, i am queen of the "angry letter". and sometimes, you actually get results.

[nagal]

Originally Posted by callisto9

but remember, we always have a choice. if you don't like what XM is doing, first of all, cancel. and second, make sure you tell them WHY!

This is exactly what I am going to do. I can live without XM.

[iScott]

Big Brother is looming it's ugly head once again.

[blockphi]

Yet another reason why I am glad I got rid of XM and put a CD head unit in my car. When the XL channels started to edit their content, I could smell the begining of the end....

[Maggadog]

This may be the wrong place, but has anyone heard rumors that XM is going to buy out Sirius? Or perhaps it's the other way round?

[JuggBug]

OMG! I heard this the other day too......it caught me off guard at first....then I remembered HEY! THIS IS XM!!!!!!!!!!! Why is there all of this talking meat on my radio?! I just got my bill from them too...I think I might tell 'em to shove it up their !

[Moviequill]

if they need revenue they just have to trim Howard Stern's budget by 10% and they could probably go ad free for a year just on him. They need to look internal ad cut costs, not make us suffer. The whole attraction to satellite is commercial free

[digitalputty]

Oh great. Stupid Clear Channel monopoly crapsticks. That is why I dont listen to the radio - not even satellite. Since, the music I like, and want to hear is just on my MP3 player. I dont have to sit through CRAP I dont like (including commercials). I havent listened to the radio since ... March 2003 (when I still had the Focus). And even then I hardly listened - mostly used CD's.

I am tired of all the corporations and what they are doing - as I sit here and drink my Starschmucks. ARGH!

[marvins_dad]

Originally Posted by Maggadog

This may be the wrong place, but has anyone heard rumors that XM is going to buy out Sirius? Or perhaps it's the other way round?

Other way around...CEO of Sirius asked if they would like to purchase XM and take over. As an answer he said yeah, but it wasn't in the buisiness plans to do such a thing. He had no interest in a merger...but sounded interested in Sirus purchasing XM.

Woo-Hoo! Howard Stern and the only 100% commercial free music! Guess I lucked out!

Bummer dude - and you recently had the choice to move to the dark side with the new Camry.

Like Momma always said, "Clear Channel is the Debil!"

[pdoel]

That does suck. Clear Channel is the root of all evil.

I don't mind the commercials during the talk stations, I realize the necessity there. But the whole purpose of satellite is the commercial free music channels.

If they start playing commercials on all of those, what's the purpose of paying the monthly fee?

[kcfoxie]

This is why I have always said XM was a waste of money: it won't be commercial free for long. What? 6 years now? Less? It's sad, this is why I like my MP3s: I chose what I listen to and when, I don't need a DJ to pick it for me. And you do hear the same sets, tho played less often than FM.

[from Margaritaville...]

If they've been advertising commercial free music to sell subscriptions, then I suppose that this will leave them open to defend a class action lawsuit from their subscriber base.

[PhoenixRising]

Originally Posted by Alan Margosian

If they've been advertising commercial free music to sell subscriptions, then I suppose that this will leave them open to defend a class action lawsuit from their subscriber base.

What they promise, is 69 stations of commercial free music.

Used to be 120.

How much longer till it's 20?

Yeah, I should have gone with the Sirius when I had the chance. Thing is, I might be able to still. Since all I did was move my XM account I had for the Scion to the Camry.

In the Camry, it's just a matter of a different tuner; no massive changing of the head unit.

[pdoel]

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

Yeah, I should have gone with the Sirius when I had the chance. Thing is, I might be able to still. Since all I did was move my XM account I had for the Scion to the Camry.

Come to the dark side, young Jedi.

[from Margaritaville...]

I just got through firing off a missive to Sirius about the events that have befallen the subscriber base of XM. I made it clear my extreme displeasure of this event. I advised Sirius, in advance, of my demand for a pro-rated refund of my pre-paid subscription costs and that I will also demand a full cash reimbursment for the costs I have incurred for all pertaining equipment and the accessories that I have purchased should this become a reality for the Sirius subscriber base as well. I also let them know that I would expect XM to be named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit with the entire XM subscriber base as plaintiffs...

[Herbie3Rivers]

I hear commercials all the time on the comedy channels of XM, but ya know what I do when they come on? Change the channel. That's the easiest thing to do if you don't want to hear them.