Clear Channel music on XM

Bandit 5160

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Oct 31, 2008
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I will be switching to an XM radio in a week. What are these channels like? I have some idea based on their descriptions, but I do have some questions. First, let me get this straight:

KISS- like Pop 2K
Nashville!- like The Highway
Mix- like The Pulse/ The Blend
Rock@Random- like Classic Vinyl/ Classic Rewind

Now:
1) What kind of music does The Pink Channel play (it says "adult contemporary", which has always been a vague category to me)
2) How many commercials do they air in a typical hour?
3) How long are the commercial blocks?

It seems as if these would be worth a listen at times. You can always switch stations during the commercials!
 

goreds2

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Oct 14, 2008
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I would say you are correct on comparing the XM21 KISS, XM11 Nashville, XM22 MIX and XM161 Rock@RANDOM channels.

I do like the MIX and Rock@RANDOM channels. As you mentioned, I just change channels once a commerical comes on.

Here is PINK channel XM24 information from the XM site: (I usually only listen if my TUNESELECT takes me there)

Pink: Great Music, Great Cause!


Put your radio on shuffle with Hit music from the 80's, 90's and beyond on the World's First Channel for the Cure. In addition to the unique mix of music, The Pink Channel is dedicated to supporting life saving research at City of Hope and the fight against all cancers that affect women.

I am not sure but I would say the Clear Channels take 3 to 4 commerical breaks per hour. I am guessing again they are in 1 or 2 minute blocks. I don't think they are long breaks like "regular radio".

Check them out.
 

flap_jackson

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Nov 10, 2008
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The sound quality isn't as good as the regular channels, but they're good to listen to in small doses, because I think they have a bit better selection. The ads are pretty bad however. But I'd say a typical ad block ranges from 2-3 minutes, with about 2-3 blocks per hour. And of course, this hour of great music is brought to you buy Radio Shack! Buy stuff, do stuff! :woohoo:
 

Bandit 5160

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Oct 31, 2008
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20 on 20 will likely pretty much be becoming Hits 1. Not only that, but I doubt XM will drop Clear Channel. Just like all the Sirius-XM single artist stuff, they probably bring in cash.
 

DAB

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Oct 9, 2008
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20 on 20 will likely pretty much be becoming Hits 1. Not only that, but I doubt XM will drop Clear Channel. Just like all the Sirius-XM single artist stuff, they probably bring in cash.

Actually the CC channels brought in an initial investment for so much bandwidth, but it doesn't generate monthly or even yearly income for Sirius XM, so I think once that investment contract expires, unless they (CC) make another investment, they will be gone! It is my understanding that they do have an option to do that.
 

goreds2

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Oct 14, 2008
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I am not sure when the Clear Channel contract expires but here is how they got associated with XM.

In June 1999 XM received a $250 million investment in the form of convertible debt from General Motors, DirecTV, Inc., Clear Channel Communications, Inc., and three investment firms.

The above was posted in the older article below which is very interesting how XM started with it's history etc.

XM Satellite Radio: Information from Answers.com
 

macfanatic010

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Nov 8, 2008
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IMO, KISS sounds more like Top 20 on 20 with a hint of Pop2K thrown in instead of sounding entirely like Pop2K.

Pop2K's playlist covers 00-09 and has a slight lean towards current hits whereas KISS is a current hits station with a slight lean towards some relatively old stuff (1-2 years tops.) They don't go as far back as Pop2K.
 

Bandit 5160

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Oct 31, 2008
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IMO, KISS sounds more like Top 20 on 20 with a hint of Pop2K thrown in instead of sounding entirely like Pop2K.

Pop2K's playlist covers 00-09 and has a slight lean towards current hits whereas KISS is a current hits station with a slight lean towards some relatively old stuff (1-2 years tops.) They don't go as far back as Pop2K.

Yes, I am starting to see that now. In fact, on a couple of occasions, I've noticed that 20 on 20 and KISS were playing the exact same song!
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
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It was always my understanding that the CC contract expires at the later of:
1) last summer
2) CC notice of termination.

In other words, the bandwidth considerations are at CC option when they choose to lose it.

XM does receive a percentage of the advertising revenue.
 

Kryptonite

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Oct 21, 2008
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Here's what I don't understand:

Clear Channel has a certain number of channels they program on XM.
Upon insertion of commericals, XM started up identical channels that they control. These "XM comparisons" are 100% commercial free.
If i'm paying for music, wouldn't I want it to be commerical free?

Why not just block the CC channels and exclusively listen to the 100% commerical-free alternatives?

I mean, if I have a choice of a movie on TNT, or the same movie on HBO, i'd take the HBO option.

I guess what i'm trying to ask is "What is so enthralling about the CC channels? It seems to me that people are generally choosing them over the 100% commercial-free options?"

It doesn't bother me that people listen to the CC channels, but I guess i'd just like to know why, especially when a commercial-free option is right there.

Maybe commercials just bother me in some way that they don't bother other people. :confused:
 

macfanatic010

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Nov 8, 2008
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@kryptonite,

i know for me, I treat the Clear Channel stations as if it were a secondary feed. If I am listening to 20 on 20 and a song pops up that I don't like, chances are I'll flip over to KISS just to see if they have a song on that I like more. Usually, I'll be on the Clear Channel station until they start playing commercials, which is when I would flip back to the "main" feed. In this case, 20 on 20.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
27,230
13,833
168
Toronto, ON
Here's what I don't understand:

Clear Channel has a certain number of channels they program on XM.
Upon insertion of commericals, XM started up identical channels that they control. These "XM comparisons" are 100% commercial free.
If i'm paying for music, wouldn't I want it to be commerical free?

Why not just block the CC channels and exclusively listen to the 100% commerical-free alternatives?

I mean, if I have a choice of a movie on TNT, or the same movie on HBO, i'd take the HBO option.

I guess what i'm trying to ask is "What is so enthralling about the CC channels? It seems to me that people are generally choosing them over the 100% commercial-free options?"

It doesn't bother me that people listen to the CC channels, but I guess i'd just like to know why, especially when a commercial-free option is right there.

Maybe commercials just bother me in some way that they don't bother other people. :confused:


The replacement channels were programmed in the same catagory when they created copies. However, some have diverged. Also CC programmers are not XM programmers so the stations sounded different from the start. And CC changes formats over time, XM did not.

For examples: The Mix is now a mix of 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. The replacement is The Pulse which is 90s and 00s only.

Pink was Sunny which was replaced by Escape. Pink now plays 80s middle of the road music while Escape remained easy listening.

Rock@Random was not duplicated because it originally was a radio station simulcast on XM. Now it is a newly formatted station without a copy.
 

Bandit 5160

Member
Oct 31, 2008
323
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Here's what I don't understand:

Clear Channel has a certain number of channels they program on XM.
Upon insertion of commericals, XM started up identical channels that they control. These "XM comparisons" are 100% commercial free.
If i'm paying for music, wouldn't I want it to be commerical free?

Why not just block the CC channels and exclusively listen to the 100% commerical-free alternatives?

I mean, if I have a choice of a movie on TNT, or the same movie on HBO, i'd take the HBO option.

I guess what i'm trying to ask is "What is so enthralling about the CC channels? It seems to me that people are generally choosing them over the 100% commercial-free options?"

It doesn't bother me that people listen to the CC channels, but I guess i'd just like to know why, especially when a commercial-free option is right there.

Maybe commercials just bother me in some way that they don't bother other people. :confused:

Well, if I'm scanning the list of what's on my radio at the time and I notice a song I like, I'll listen. I don't really care what channel it happens to be on.