Is Sat Radio going to die soon?

[dougm0]

Hey guys... first post here.... you might know me as musicguy2k3 over at SBS or dougm0 at XM411 or cincyguy2k4 at satguys.us. Trying to standardize names.

Anyway.... after looking at SBS and the 2 XM forums lately... is it just me or are the posts WAYYYYY down. It really seems like the format is losing interest...and quickly.

I ask this question here because I see several of the long timers that have been quiet (including myself) on the other forums over here.

Personally I was hoping for XM's Dance and some of their Rock to live on at Sirius. Seems like only thing Mel is interested in are the channels with commercials and not much more.

I understand that cuts had to be made. Its a merger and thats a no brainer. With that said, I had hoped that Sirius would have merged some of the value of XM into Sirus....instead of taking XM subs on a crash course into Sirius Music 101.

5 years ago I had knew massively more people with SatRad then I do now. Only reason im still around in it is because of my lifetime sub on Sirius. My SL2 is used more for podcasts now than Sirius.

What do you think......SatRad going the way of such great ideas such as the 8 Track, Quadrophonic sound, and AM Stereo?

 

[Sirius Rich]

There are 20 million satellite radio subscribers today and probaly 50 million listeners. SatRad ain't going anywhere but up.

Welcome to the hottest forum on the internets!!!:bigthumbup:

 

[satrad65]

It will never be what it was in the first few years (kinda like free-form FM back in the 70s); but I am hoping some of the niche channels survive. Looks like we will know shortly what direction XMSirius is going (I'm hoping for some surprises, but don't expect any)

 

[acap]

No. Satellite Radio isn't going anywhere. Sure there might be a lot of things happening like the XM people getting laid off, but it wont go anywhere.

 

[ctkatz]

satrad is not going to die because the stuff on terrestrial radio still sucks.

 

[The Butler]

Sat radio as a content provider is top notch. I not sure the delivery method is long term.

 

[syphix]

Satellite radio will still be around...even if someone else comes in and buys it and changes it into something we barely recognize.

 

[Wayne Edwards]

the internets!

Love that!

 

[jef]

Anyway.... after looking at SBS and the 2 XM forums lately... is it just me or are the posts WAYYYYY down. It really seems like the format is losing interest...and quickly.

I think it just means that people are losing interest in the internet

Seriously, though, the lack of activity at SBS is related to the troubles with the board, not any lack of interest in SatRad.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I think satrad is no longer the cool thing for reporters to babble over. But most who have it love it. It won't be lack of interest that kills it if it dies. It will be business decisions or lack thereof.

 

[secrecyguy]

I love satellite radio but seeing how things are and how the stocks are, satellite radio is on the way out rather we like it or not.

They haven't made any profits whatsoever.

I don't know if there's much they can do to save it. But I guess we will find out what their plans next year.

My prediction is, satellite radio will not be around after 2014. We have to face reality here.

If it happens, I may end up using Internet radio or my iPod.

 

[DAB]

Where do you get this 2014 date? I think if Sat Radio makes it to 2014, it will be clear sailing. If this thing is going to fail it will do it within the next 2 years. However, I think right now this merged company is having a shake out in order to get as many synergies as quickly as possible. The fact that the economy did a fast down turn and auto sales are down has certainly made this even more tough. But if they get through the next 2 years, I see nothing but clear sailing ahead. The stock is down, but there are clear reason as to why, who's to say the company won't go private? I don't see it from a negative few that the writing is on the wall, I don't buy that.

 

[MichaelC]

I think satellite radio will survive. However, I foresee it going through a series of ownership changes until the right owner comes along who has the foresight to make the company take off. It's no different than a television network....when they start out a person wonders if it'll make it.....gets sold many times, but then an owner hits on something with it, and it's a hit.

 

[secrecyguy]

Where do you get this 2014 date? I think if Sat Radio makes it to 2014, it will be clear sailing. If this thing is going to fail it will do it within the next 2 years.

Actually, that's my prediction. That's why I said 2014. But who knows, it may be gone sooner than that.

However, I think right now this merged company is having a shake out in order to get as many synergies as quickly as possible. The fact that the economy did a fast down turn and auto sales are down has certainly made this even more tough. But if they get through the next 2 years, I see nothing but clear sailing ahead.

We will see. Maybe a miracle will happen and they will be able to survive pass 2014.

The stock is down, but there are clear reason as to why, who's to say the company won't go private?

If they go private than that will be a huge mistake!

I don't see it from a negative few that the writing is on the wall, I don't buy that.

All I have to say is we have to face reality here.

 

[secrecyguy]

I think satellite radio will survive. However, I foresee it going through a series of ownership changes until the right owner comes along who has the foresight to make the company take off. It's no different than a television network....when they start out a person wonders if it'll make it.....gets sold many times, but then an owner hits on something with it, and it's a hit.

I hope you are right!

 

[MikeV]

As a content delivery mechanism, satellite is where it's at. You can cover the entire country with the signal, and because the signal is being broadcast from thousands of miles above Earth, it's highly resilient to things that we here on the ground have to deal with, especially natural disasters.

Because of the infrastructure already in place, satellite radio will remain for many years to come. It may not have the same programming that it has now, but there's no doubt in my mind that if Sirius XM were to fail in the marketplace, someone would come along and pick up the pieces, and change it as they see fit to try and make it successful again.

And we also know of the various telematics/data services that Sirius XM provides, bringing additional revenue streams beyond the audio entertainment we all use on a daily basis. As a data broadcast mechanism, satellite is especially well-suited for the job, especially when the desire is to reach every vehicle anywhere in the country.

So I feel that while changes will come and go, overall satellite radio will stand the test of time, in one way or another.

 

[ClubSteeler]

If this company can't turn a profit, they'll get bought out and someone will.

Look at it this way, having this spectrum alone is priceless. Add to that the sats already launched, a distrution system able to broadcast to everywhere in America and slightly beyond, already have a 20M subscriber base.

If Sirius bankrupted, they'd get scooped up in a millisecond.

I'm not sure is some of you realize just have valuable owning this SDARs spectrum is. The world is going wireless and the usable spectrum is full.

 

[limegrass69]

I think satellite radio as a delivery platform is here to stay. It would not surprise me if perhaps the make up of the service changed somewhat.

Maybe they'll originate less programming, and deliver more of programming of other providers (sort of like the Clear Channel deal on XM).
Maybe there will be a "free" ad-sponsored tier of programming that runs along side the subscription, commercial-free programming.
Maybe you'll need to pay to get the sports content.

One thing is for sure...once the cost cutting is done, Sirius will be on the prowl to find new creative ways to raise revenue. I would not eliminate any possibility from the process. Their subscription prices are locked down for a while as a condition of the merger.

 

[DAB]

Actually, that's my prediction. That's why I said 2014. But who knows, it may be gone sooner than that.

We will see. Maybe a miracle will happen and they will be able to survive pass 2014.

If they go private than that will be a huge mistake!

All I have to say is we have to face reality here.

Okay, so just a guess on your part. But that makes no sense to me, because if they make it to that point, what would happen that would cause them to suddenly fail at that point? I would think if they make it past the next 2 years they are good to go.

The going private thing probably is not in their best interest, but if that is the only way they can survive, they'll do it. Besides going private isn't instant death it is all in who owns it and how deep their pockets are.

Reality is subjective on ones perception. Some see the glass half full while other see it half empty. Clearly you are in the latter category and I am in the first one. Folks have been screaming doom and gloom about SIRIUS since the beginning. In fact they should have gone out of business 5 years ago according to some. All I am saying is don't count them out just yet. The company is down, but just merged and will push and fight to get where it needs to be. Just because neither of them have been profitable yet, still doesn't mean its over.

 

[limegrass69]

My name is DAB and I am a DRC addict.

The first step toward a cure is admitting that you have a problem.