Re: [Swprograms] La plus ca change...

[jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Yeah, unfortunately with Mel "the Genius" in charge schlock will 
always trump quality.  However, let's not be too pessimistic about all 
this.  There are significant differences between the satellite radio 
business and the cable (and even satellite) television business that 
will inevitably drive decisions.  Radio--as we are all fond of saying 
here--is also a much different medium than television.  

For one thing, subscription radio by its very nature will always be of 
interest to a distinct minority of users (especially when compared 
with subscription television).  It's going to have to appeal to niche 
users willing to part with some treasure every month.  That's a rather 
tall order.  Terrestrial radio will always cater and appeal to the 
mainstream listener and they can get that for free.  Even the most 
dense of Americans will figure this out for themselves (if they 
haven't already).

If Mel doesn't figure it out soon, even he'll be out the door.  The 
key to his (and his merged company's) survival, after all is said and 
done, is a sustained rise in the share price.  Mel's mass market 
approach hasn't accomplished this.  (Quite the reverse has happened in 
point of fact.)  Smart leaders change course when confronted with 
failure.  Maybe Mel is sincere when he says there will be more and 
better diverse choices in programming because, in truth, that's the 
only path to success.

I'm already on record as fearing that we're just creating a version of 
Clear Channel on steroids; but that is a worst case scenario and--
fortunately--best and worst case scenarios never actually emerge 
whole.  It's always somewhere in the middle.  Let's hope that middle 
ultimately leans more in our preferred direction.

John Figliozzi

----- Original Message -----
From: Lee Reynolds <kd1sq@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, March 22, 2007 2:09 am
Subject: [Swprograms] La plus ca change...
To: swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Re. Richard's posting -
> 
> "Once merged, a-la-carte packages would be offered that provide 
> variouschannel mixes at rates less than $12.95/month.  Such 
> packages "...will
> include an attractive mix of music, news, informational, sports,
> children's, and religious programming...."
> >snip<
> Wonder if a "public radio bouquet" would be offered?"
> 
> Want to bet that you'll find they're rapidly going down the cable 
> TV road as
> regards packages?
> 
> I bet when the time comes you'll find 'packages' that consist of 
> one or two
> highly desirable channels interlarded with unlistenable crap - the 
> audio-only
> analogs of cable packages that force you to accept 30 channels of 
> cubic ziconia
> programming for each channel that is actually wanted.
> 
> I think that we'll soon be seeing the radio equivalents of garbage 
> like QVC and
> HSN paying Siruis/XM to be carried by them and their streams 
> placed in
> subscriber packages.
> 
> Because of this additional revenue stream Sirius/XM will *not* be 
> allowing the
> peasantry to buy by the individual channel.
> 
> It was fun while it lasted but the mediocre *always* drives out 
> the good in
> present day society.
> 
> Lee
> _______________________________________________
> Swprograms mailing list
> Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms
> 
> To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@hard-core-
> dx.com?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.
> 
_______________________________________________
Swprograms mailing list
Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms

To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.