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Cro Cop

To speed clearance of the Sirius/XM merger, Mel Karmizan promised today that Sirius/XM customers would not be forced to "receive or pay for" what they deemed offensive content. He's obviously referring to the Howard Stern Show.

The only way to do this would be to charge a basic fee for music and sports and a premium for Howard/Bubba/Ferrel. Karmizan has wanted to do this for a while and now the merger gives him the ammunition to do it.

Check out today's Wall Street Journal front page. Sorry no link (subscription required).

BisonHead

Dammit!

OmC

Fuck that.

D12

i don't buy it. what he's gonna start telling us current subscripers to pay MORE, fuck that shit

KurtCocaine

Fuck that,

www.demonoid.com :hw:

spankysxxx

Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it.

BoneHead64

If Howard doesn't start doing a live Friday show who the hell would pay a premium?

robinseggplant

Quote: Originally posted by spankysxxx
Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it.

Bingo.

Hardin Thicke

Quote: Originally posted by spankysxxx
Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it.

maybe the same kinda deal.

emtfromny1

not sure if I am buying that

jewbasher

Once they merge they know they have us by the balls. I don't see why anyone on this board is happy about the merger. I can't remember a merger in history where the consumer has came out ahead. If they would have let direcTV and Dish merge we would be paying the same price as cable for our Satalite service.

You people should always know that competition is the best thing for the consumer. I wish someone could actually tell me how the merger would be a good thing with the exception of hopefully getting O&A canned and the MLB(wgas). Baseball is boring enough on TV!

danielkim818

Well.. if what he says a basic cost for regular music Sirius is 8.99 I would think adding talk radio 3.00 is fine for me.. maybe another 3 for sports and News If you want it... I can go with that.

Silly Nelson

[QUOTE=spankysxxx]Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it. [/QUOTE

REQUEST TO GET and PAY EXTRA FOR can be two different things. If I am not mistaken, you didn't have to pay extra for playboy after requesting it.

I would have no problem if new subscribers who wanted Sirius but not Howard got a lower subscription rate.

Mental Floss

That's bullshit. Hopefully they will reduce the regular subscription w/o premium channels and keep the full service the same.

Goochenbrau

Quote: Originally posted by Cro Cop
To speed clearance of the Sirius/XM merger, Mel Karmizan promised today that Sirius/XM customers would not be forced to "receive or pay for" what they deemed offensive content. He's obviously referring to the Howard Stern Show.

The only way to do this would be to charge a basic fee for music and sports and a premium for Howard/Bubba/Ferrel. Karmizan has wanted to do this for a while and now the merger gives him the ammunition to do it.

Check out today's Wall Street Journal front page. Sorry no link (subscription required).

I saw that article this morning. I think you are misinterpreting it. Instead of paying extra, I think he means you can block out what you dont want; therefore, you are not paying for it.

Just my interpretation.

Quote: I can't remember a merger in history where the consumer has came out ahead.

Wow, you are stupid. Given your screen name, Ill bet you are still in high school. So Ill let it slide.

onyxgeo

It's amazing to me how different people only "hear" what they want to hear. Please read this article and stop spreading rumors.

Quote: In a March 20 story, The Associated Press reported that Mel Karmazin, chief executive of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., told a Senate antitrust panel that a merger of Sirius and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. would result in lower subscriber rates for basic service. Karmazin subsequently clarified that he meant lower monthly rates would be available for reduced services. Subscriber rates for basic service would not change.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17708098/

Dick Fitzwell

A "premium", the four day week and the vacation time will not fly with MANY fans. I think that a premium will force many people out and drop the number of subs.

BobboTheGreat

i am NOT paying more money to sirius
so it seems good old mel just wanted an excuse to charge more money

Gindaloonatic

urge to kill dissipating :D

otherone4life

why do you listen to a guy with 61 posts and a lot of speculation? That's complete bullshit. What Mel also said (as did XM) is that existing contracts would be honored ..I pay my 12.95 for SIRI and SIRI only and that's the way it's going to stay. 61 post PEST fuck off

Johnny Fart-o

Cro cop is a dumb fag. Not Mirko Filipovic but this MMA newb loser.

Mr. Karmazin, testifying before the Senate antitrust subcommittee, said listeners could get risqué programming blocked -- and their bills would be discounted. "There would be a cost reduction to their bill in a more a la carte way," said Mr. Karmazin.

Dick Fitzwell

Quote: Originally posted by otherone4life
why do you listen to a guy with 61 posts and a lot of speculation? That's complete bullshit. What Mel also said (as did XM) is that existing contracts would be honored ..I pay my 12.95 for SIRI and SIRI only and that's the way it's going to stay. 61 post PEST fuck off

Since when is your monthly subscription a contract??

Spazzmatazz

Quote: Originally posted by Cro Cop
T Sorry no link (subscription required).

So paste the fucking story in here moron, sir.
I said sir, because you're a cop. Which has absolutely nothing at all to do with respect.
The "sir" thing seems to sate you people.

Vickroy

You can request any channel be blocked. One flat fee for everything and block what you don't want.

Doesn't necesarily mean paying a premium for Howard.

Gindaloonatic

Quote: Originally posted by Spazzmatazz
I said sir, because you're a cop.

:jj:

Bababaloney

You're reading WAY too much into the comment.

There is already channel blocking otions at BOTH Sirius and XM.
My guess is that's what he was talking about.

Now, if (and it would be a BIG IF) he was talking about some kind of premium charge, the price for a basic subscription would be reduced to probably around $9.95 and then an extra $3 for Howard.

At the end of the day.... NO INCREASE!!!!!!

Take it to the bank.

Froggy

I wonder if Mel will arrange for Riley to return, and then give us a credit for his show because Riley is risk programming.

rogny

GREAT! :mad: IM ALREADY PAYING $28 A MONTH TO HOWARD BETWEEN HTV AND SIRIUS! ONE WILL HAVE TO GO! :mad:

Spazzmatazz

Quote: Originally posted by Gindaloonatic
:jj:

What's so funny? I was told years ago that's how the game was to be played.
I haven't lost so far...
Well other than a few weeks here and there.

DestroVega

Stern was adamant coming over he would not charge more, if he does, I will not cancel, since I had sirius before, but I will now download the shows only. I mean, enough is enough.... no Fridays, lots of time off..... I'm fine with it, but now another fee slapped on... it has to end somewhere.

dmillin

If that happens i'm canceling... its not the extra money but the fact that that keep going back on their word... first no commercials (then constant plugs for howard tv) then howard says no extra fee and then they charge an extra fee.

Its getting to be re-god-dam-diculous.

waY2Kool

if sub rates go up one bloody cent - i'm bailing.

squidlips

Quote: Originally posted by Johnny Fart-o

Mr. Karmazin, testifying before the Senate antitrust subcommittee, said listeners could get risqué programming blocked -- and their bills would be discounted. "There would be a cost reduction to their bill in a more a la carte way," said Mr. Karmazin.

This makes more sense to me. Good post.

Froggy

I wonder: suppose I consider JokeHunt to be risque, but Howard is ok: do I still get a discount? What qualifies as risque? Who decides?

Bababaloney

Quote: Originally posted by DestroVega
Stern was adamant coming over he would not charge more, if he does, I will not cancel, since I had sirius before, but I will now download the shows only. I mean, enough is enough.... no Fridays, lots of time off..... I'm fine with it, but now another fee slapped on... it has to end somewhere.

Waaaaaaaaaa.... Someone who knows NOTHING about what's going on just told me I might have to pay more.... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Bababaloney

Quote: Originally posted by dmillin
If that happens i'm canceling... its not the extra money but the fact that that keep going back on their word... first no commercials (then constant plugs for howard tv) then howard says no extra fee and then they charge an extra fee.

Its getting to be re-god-dam-diculous.

First off, NO ONE said there would be any extra charges!!!!!!
Jeeeezzzz!!!!!

Secondly...

WAAAAAAAAAAAA....
Howard talks about HTV.... WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

BTW, Howard NEVER said that there would be NO commercials on his Sirius show....
Good Grief!!!!!

Why don't you just go and fucking cancel NOW you "hater"????

Bababaloney

Quote: Originally posted by waY2Kool
if sub rates go up one bloody cent - i'm bailing.

We'll miss you more than you know...

Cya

loralovesartie

fuck that shit. Howard's the only think I listen to on sirius...the music channels suck...not enough variety...4 hip hop channels WTF???

I'm out if they charge xtra for Howard...I'll get the shows elsewhere

generalzod

I am not paying one penny more than I am already paying. So if they raise the price---Im out!

otherone4life

interesting that the "critics" are all <100 posts ...can you spell P-E-S-T

megamanfre

I will be very disappointed if they charged for extra content. I think XM did that with Playboy and Oppie and Anthony didnt they? I wouldnt mind if they did with any of the offensive content what they did with Playboy on Sirius, and make you request it, WITHOUT charging more money.

Im starting to get the feeling that the lifetime subscribers are gonna get royally screwed in the end, and that we will have ended up paying for just 5 years, and not a lifetime. If thats the case, then Im gonna be pretty pissed, and hope that another medium comes out.

If Im forced to pay monthly, and if Im forced to pay for Stern, then hed better start doing shows 5 days a week, instead of the 4 day crap. At least they now have Bubba on in the morning now. Lets hope they dont screw him over, and give him a shit deal at the end of his contract. The guy deserves so much more, and it seems like they just keep shitting on him.

sweetquads

I would be happy to pay a little more to have MLB and NFL. So what, if it is more it would be like a couple of dollars more, if that. You tip more than that for your mocha's

dharmabum

I find all the right wing republic channels extremely offensive.

Spazzmatazz

Yeah I heard it's gonna be $1200 a month. And this post was started by a cop. And they would like you to think marijuana is bad.
But some cops smoke dope, huh officer? :cool:

joyceface

Sorry, I don't agree that what Karmazin said means paying an extra charge for Howard.

Goochenbrau

Quote: Originally posted by rogny
GREAT! :mad: IM ALREADY PAYING $28 A MONTH TO HOWARD BETWEEN HTV AND SIRIUS! ONE WILL HAVE TO GO! :mad:

I KNOW DOOD!!11 IM SO OUT OF HERE :rpo:

STLSteve

Quote: Originally posted by megamanfre
I will be very disappointed if they charged for extra content. I think XM did that with Playboy and Oppie and Anthony didnt they? I wouldnt mind if they did with any of the offensive content what they did with Playboy on Sirius, and make you request it, WITHOUT charging more money.

Im starting to get the feeling that the lifetime subscribers are gonna get royally screwed in the end, and that we will have ended up paying for just 5 years, and not a lifetime. If thats the case, then Im gonna be pretty pissed, and hope that another medium comes out.

If Im forced to pay monthly, and if Im forced to pay for Stern, then hed better start doing shows 5 days a week, instead of the 4 day crap. At least they now have Bubba on in the morning now. Lets hope they dont screw him over, and give him a shit deal at the end of his contract. The guy deserves so much more, and it seems like they just keep shitting on him.

I think lifetime subs will make out like bandits. If they lump everything together, you will probably be grandfathered in. That's what XM did for their 4-year subs when they rolled everything together and raised the price to $12.95. No new charges - until the contracts were up.

TLD

misleading thread title :rolleyes:

TLD

Quote: Originally posted by Cro Cop
To speed clearance of the Sirius/XM merger, Mel Karmizan promised today that Sirius/XM customers would not be forced to "receive or pay for" what they deemed offensive content.

You already have to opt in for Howard.

QueenBee

Quote: Originally posted by loralovesartie
fuck that shit. Howard's the only think I listen to on sirius...the music channels suck...not enough variety...4 hip hop channels WTF???

I'm out if they charge xtra for Howard...I'll get the shows elsewhere

Amen sister!

However, I think Mel was implying that subscribers who block 'offensive' content would pay a reduced rate.

Frankly, that's nonsense. Why don't they (the subscribers) just block the channel and call it a day? Or treat Howard's channel like the Playboy channel...ask and ye shall receive.

Seriously, I'm offended the crap channels on my cable lineup. I never watch them but I still pay the same rate as if I did. Why can't they do the same with satellite radio?!

skylarbrie

i told you so

JKGroups

THEY ARE NOT CHARGING FOR HOWARD AS A PREMIUM
THEY WILL OFFER A LOWER-TIER

WTF can't people read

tonyjunior

YOUR FUCKIN CRAZY HE MEANS THEY CAN BLOCK OUT OFFENSIVE CHANNELS IF THEY WISH THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA FOR HOWARD YOU FUCKIN JERKOFF

craig2425

Quote: Originally posted by danielkim818
Well.. if what he says a basic cost for regular music Sirius is 8.99 I would think adding talk radio 3.00 is fine for me.. maybe another 3 for sports and News If you want it... I can go with that.

its good if i only have to pay 3.00 for stern.cause i dont give a shit about the other channels

TJGOnee

looks like illegal downloading will be the only option...

Lord Galen

I would just like to announce that not all n00bs are so fucking stupid. It's OBVIOUS that Mel is talking about allowing people to block channels (which they can ALREADY do). There's no "Premium" pricing in the works. Jesus fucking Christ.... :rolleyes:

TJGOnee

Quote: Originally posted by TLD
You already have to opt in for Howard.

Just curious, how so?

Pussah2

If this is true, i hope mel dies of ball cancer. fuck him and his merger

TLD

Quote: Originally posted by TJGOnee
Just curious, how so?

when you sign up

TJGOnee

Quote: Originally posted by TLD
when you sign up

i see what you mean... I thought that Sirius had instituted something along the lines of how you have to opt to have Playboy activated... I thought it was something new since I signed up last year. Good point.. signing up is basically opting in for Howard

Cro Cop

Get a clue guys. Mel now has to say you don't have to pay for Howard. How will that be structured for the business. OK, maybe they're going to try and be fair to all the current subscribers: 9.95 for a basic membership and 12.95 for "offensive material." That's called a premium package in my book.

In the past, Sirius was a flat fee for everything. Now there will be tiered memberships. Cable does it all the time. It's a good business model. I'll probably pay for it. But don't be an idiot. This is exactly what Karmizan wanted.

mobsmith

Why do people bitch about Howard working 4 days a week? Remember, someone here did the math and Howard doing 4 shows a week is still more radio than when he did 5 days a week at kroq ;)

otherone4life

Read the below ..totally blows this moron out of the water

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio say they will offer a plan with fewer channels at a lower monthly price after the companies combine.
Sirius, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, says that efficiencies resulting from the merger will allow the combined entity to provide customers with programming choices on a more á la carte basis at discounted prices. After the deal closes, which is expected to happen by year's end, customers may elect to receive fewer channels at a monthly price lower than $12.95, the existing price for each provider's plan.

Other options will include substantially similar programming at the current $12.95 per month price, or even more channels, including some of the "best of both" networks, at a modest premium to the cost of one service and "considerably less" than the cost of subscribing to both services, Sirius says in its regulatory filing.

"Consumers will also be able to block adult-themed channels and receive a price credit for those channels," the SEC filing says. "Subscribers could continue to use their existing radios or eventually purchase new radios capable of receiving all of the content of both services when they become available."

The price for each service, and what a combined company would charge customers, has been a hot topic ever since D.C.-based XM (NASDAQ: XMSR - News) and New York-based Sirius (NASDAQ: SIRI - News) said last month that they would merge into a $13 billion business.

The deal faces tough scrutiny among U.S. regulators, as both the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission will review the proposed transaction. Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin, who would be CEO of the combined company, told U.S. lawmakers this week that the company isn't planning to raise its prices.

Karmazin and leaders of XM have been saying that the merger of the two companies would provide more content without harming competition because satellite radio is only a small part of a highly competitive and growing landscape for audio entertainment.

"A greater variety of choices could perhaps broaden the audience," says Jim Goss, an analyst with Barrington Research in Chicago. "The pricing issue is complicated. And it's certainly not the only issue."

Published March 21, 2007 by the Washington Business Journal

2baggs

thats bullshit i got sirius to listen to howard and now iam going to have to pay more!!!

FUCK YOU MEL!!!!!!

bguy8

I think that what Mel means is that we will continue to pay the same while those who do not want Howard, Raw Dog, etc will pay less than current rate.

sonicdescent

baseless speculation is alive and well..and even worse, about half of you bite every time.

LongShoreman

Quote: Originally posted by Cro Cop
The only way to do this would be to charge a basic fee for music and sports and a premium for Howard/Bubba/Ferrel. Karmizan has wanted to do this for a while and now the merger gives him the ammunition to do it.

110% wrong. They can do like they did for the Playboy channel, you have to ask to recieve it, no other charge required.

Madipuppy

Whatever it costs for Howard is worth it

spankysxxx

Quote: Originally posted by jewbasher
Once they merge they know they have us by the balls. I don't see why anyone on this board is happy about the merger. I can't remember a merger in history where the consumer has came out ahead. If they would have let direcTV and Dish merge we would be paying the same price as cable for our Satalite service.

You people should always know that competition is the best thing for the consumer. I wish someone could actually tell me how the merger would be a good thing with the exception of hopefully getting O&A canned and the MLB(wgas). Baseball is boring enough on TV!

I don't think you'll read too many posts by those of us that are low on the totem pole that are happy about it. We all know that it dillutes the share price overall by incurring debt and aquiring a business in decline. No offense Mutt but it is a bullshit statement that the two "satellite" companies are a "merger of equals".

If I owned Sirius stock the only play for me would be to short and get out. Short and get out. The financials are no bueno, XM is a dieing whale, and Howard sounds pessimistic and lacks the enthusiasm he expressed in the final months of free fm. That's a short play folks and I'm not the only one.

Let's all watch the share price and record setting volume the moment Sirius announces a price increase or declares Howard a premium service.

VicMackey

We're 5 pages into this and morons are still thinking they're going to have to pay more.

bababooey2uall

He already said that no one would have to pay more to get what they are already receiving right now for that price. So chill.

OHIOFAN69

Big question is will howard talk or clarify this topic tomorrow, if now someone has to call in and ask!!!

sinistar

:jj: the only people that want this to happen are the stockholders.

They hope there $3.25 stock turns in to $10.

After that happens they will sell and bitch like the rest of us.

jvt1976

If you don't think you'll be paying more than 12.95/month for what you have now you're all crazy. When Comcast and other cable companies started consolidating did anyone see a price decrease? Hell no. Cable prices have gone up steadily for years and without competition sat. prices will rise. And if there are tiered pricing do you actually think they'll let you get Howard by itself. Does your cable company let you just purchase HBO. Any tiered pricing that's lower than 12.95 will be basic (just music most likely). To get Howard you'll most likely have to get the most expensive tier. They are not going to give away their most valueble channel without forcing you to accept a bunch of channels you don't want. Sirius is here to make money not make Howard's fans happy.

Howard always says .43/day is nothing to pay for this content. You don't see him saying the same thing about .58/day?

carhead999

Since they are planning on broadcasting both Sirus and XM, you will still be able to pay your 12.95 for one or the other. More, if you want both.

oblio98

I have a "lifetime" subscription, which I got when Howard moved over. (I cancelled my XM subscription at the same time :D)

Here's how a lifetime subscriber should look at this:

1) No Merger - SAFE: They can't fuck with us (well, not without a fight!)

2) Merger - OH-OH!: They could really ream us by saying "You have lifetime SIRIUS "basic". The package has changed. The premium and XM stuff is now at another level. YOU PAY MORE!

As much as I like the idea of the merger, it gives them a "reason" to hammer the lifetime subscribers. They might not, but then again................................

trixdis

Associated Press

"Customers may elect to receive fewer channels at a monthly price lower than $12.95; substantially similar programming at the existing $12.95 price; or more channels, including some of the 'best of both' networks, at a modest premium to the cost of one service," Sirius said in the Securities and Exchange Commission document.

open for interpretation but it sounds like Howard and some of the other high profile shows could make the subscription a little more.

phaed

this suprises you morons? next, you'll be suprised when he raises subscription rates. quit being sheep that follow howard's every word. this merger is bad juju.

monkeytodd

Again,
refer to channel 198 the Playboy channel...
you had to "request" it

trixdis

Quote: Originally posted by monkeytodd
Again,
refer to channel 198 the Playboy channel...
you had to "request" it

It is a little different this time. The alacart pricing is a move to garner FCC approval. See below:

Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin told legislators on Tuesday that his company has proposed giving customers a price break if they choose to block channels with adult content. He did not say how much or what would qualify as adult content, calling it a more "�_ la carte" model of service.

That revelation came in response to a question from Senate Antitrust Subcommittee ranking minority member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) during an oversight hearing Tuesday on the proposed merger between Sirius and XM, one of a series of hearings on the deal.

Hatch said he was concerned about protecting children from some of the "aberrant" content on satellite radio.

Karmazin said that in a license-related filing with the FCC, the company had just proposed providing a "cost reduction" to anyone who chooses not to receive adult content. He did not elaborate on what the filing was, but it appears to be the official filing on the merger. A source said it was being filed on Tuesday.

Senator Sam Brownback, who helped boost indecency fines, said he was also concerned about adult content on radio. Brownback cited Playboy Radio and its Sexy Stories and Night Calls programs, among others, as satellite radio content he had concerns about.

Karmazin said he believed that not all content that is available on satellite radio had to be acceptable to children.

Karmazin said he would not agree to adopt broadcast-style indecency regulations or harbors, though he said he might if there were ever a clear definition of what the government did or didn't want. Give me a speed limit, he said, and I'll follow it. Hatch appeared to agree that it was tough to hold any media to a vague standard.

Brownback asked whether Karmazin would agree not to carry "pornographic" material on the merged service. Karmazin said no. He added that he was not interested in airing obscenities but he did not know what Brownback would define as pornography, and that he remained a strong defender of the First Amendment.

Brownback said that a monopoly not willing to limit that content was a "problem."

An FCC spokesman said that the FCC would consider any proposals by the company, but would not comment specifically on the block and rebate proposal. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has long called for tiered or �_ la carte models for pay service to allow parents to better control their children's access to adult content.

"No matter what Mel Karmazin promises," said National Association of Broadcasters spokesman Dennis Wharton, "there is nothing that gets around the fact that this is a govenrment-sanctioned moonoply that he is seeking and it should be rejected."

Bababaloney

Quote: Originally posted by phaed
this suprises you morons? next, you'll be suprised when he raises subscription rates. quit being sheep that follow howard's every word. this merger is bad juju.

Isn't there an O&A replay you could be listening to right now, you fucking pest?

The FACTS here show that the merger is the ONLY way for the sat. radio industry to survive.
It's a niche business and can't support two services.

Rommal

Please give me a reason to cancel my subsribtion

T@H

ummm...what about the "opt in" for Playboy radio?...they will just do the same thing with Stern...Obviously you have no clue what you are talking about...

ricky

I understand the premium charge for adult content. The "effort" to ask for it is what makes it exempt from the FCC vultures.

However, the price could be $1.00 a month, right? The legal issue is not the AMOUNT of fee itself, but rather that a fee exists.

trixdis

Quote: Originally posted by ricky
I understand the premium charge for adult content. The "effort" to ask for it is what makes it exempt from the FCC vultures.

However, the price could be $1.00 a month, right? The legal issue is not the AMOUNT of fee itself, but rather that a fee exists.

You are correct. The fee could be just a token fee to appease the FCC board member that is uptight about it. It could also be a more substancial fee but I doubt that would happen.

Blackcloud

Umm, well, there was a previous thread posted about a lower subscription rate for "basic" service...this means that if there was a premium charge for howard it could cost the same as now....or even lower. who knows.

monkeytodd

Brownback... fucking Brownback
WHY does that guy have any pull!!!!??????

I feel like blowin my mind up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GayTony

Quote: Originally posted by jvt1976
If you don't think you'll be paying more than 12.95/month for what you have now you're all crazy. When Comcast and other cable companies started consolidating did anyone see a price decrease? Hell no. Cable prices have gone up steadily for years and without competition sat. prices will rise. And if there are tiered pricing do you actually think they'll let you get Howard by itself. Does your cable company let you just purchase HBO. Any tiered pricing that's lower than 12.95 will be basic (just music most likely). To get Howard you'll most likely have to get the most expensive tier. They are not going to give away their most valueble channel without forcing you to accept a bunch of channels you don't want. Sirius is here to make money not make Howard's fans happy.

Howard always says .43/day is nothing to pay for this content. You don't see him saying the same thing about .58/day?

:rolleyes: a poor stab at multhood..."ala carte" certainly suggests tiered service, but satrad is not cable. you will not see The Howard Stern Show priced higher than $12.95/mo anytime during this current contract...afterwards anything is possible. however, i would expect the fee for Stern to lessen afterwards, afterall satrad is just a subset of the "audio content delivery" market.

go back to Viacom...:hw:

bos

somebody think of the children!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! race war!

phaed

ask bell how fun it is to be a monopoly, and have the FCC regulate you. they can tell you how little profit you are allowed to make within a year. they can control your subscription rates. they can dictate what features the equipment you sell have. they enter judgement of their "morality" into what can and cannot be transmitted. they can do whatever the fuck they want.

a merger will give more control to the FCC over satellite radio than it ever dreamed over FM. howard is selling out, against everything he's been fighting in his life to win.

it doesn't matter if you, or howard, or sirius consider the xm/sirius merger a "monopoly". the FCC will treat it as such, even if they don't call it that. they won't let the merger happen without regulation.

Loosh

Quote: Originally posted by KurtCocaine
Fuck that,

www.demonoid.com :hw:

yo hook up a code

huntr

fucking troll ass motherfucker.....

dont feed the fuckin troll ...

nunpuncher

i just dont get half the people here
if mel charges 3 dollars more to get howard that is 10 cents a day
if your fan enough to post here pay the dime and shut the fuck up
you are getting twice as much show now in 4 days than ever in free radio
and if you plan to cancel if this happens just quit posting here now and do us all a favor
if you were a real fan you would pay 30 dollars a month just for howard

ydpubs

I told you so. I never trusted Mel. This announcement does not surprize me AT ALL. I hope this merger TANKS.

choppers

im out

xciceroguy

Quote: Originally posted by Silly Nelson
[QUOTE=spankysxxx]Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it. [/QUOTE

REQUEST TO GET and PAY EXTRA FOR can be two different things. If I am not mistaken, you didn't have to pay extra for playboy after requesting it.

I would have no problem if new subscribers who wanted Sirius but not Howard got a lower subscription rate.

Yes..........thats what Mel meant. These other idiots got it all wrong.

dartfrogger

I don't think Howard would ever go for charging us more than what we are already paying. I agree with others and would guess that their will be a "Sirius Lite" subscription, or you must let them know that you want Howard when you sign up. I think everyone is pissing their pants about nothing.

reddog6862001

Sirius CEO Offers
Remedies to Boost
XM Deal Prospects
By COREY BOLES
March 21, 2007; Page D9

WASHINGTON -- Sirius Satellite Radio Chief Executive Mel Karmazin, trying to appease skeptical lawmakers, said if the government approves his company's proposed merger with rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings, customers wouldn't have to receive or pay for channels they believe are offensive.

Mr. Karmazin, testifying before the Senate antitrust subcommittee, said listeners could get risqué programming blocked -- and their bills would be discounted. "There would be a cost reduction to their bill in a more a la carte way," said Mr. Karmazin. "If somebody doesn't want it, not only are they not getting it, but they're not subsidizing it either."

The assertion is an about-face for Mr. Karmazin, who had insisted that such channel-by-channel pricing can't be accomplished with today's technology.

That change might not be enough to convince some lawmakers that a merged satellite radio company is a good idea for consumers. Sen. Herb Kohl (D., Wis.), chairman of the Senate antitrust subcommittee, said the merger could prove to be a "fabulous monopoly" for the companies' shareholders, but a "real bad deal" for customers.

Mr. Kohl said that traditional radio doesn't come close to competing with "the impressive array of program offerings of satellite radio," and gadgets such as Apple's iPods "are either too new, too expensive, or too different from satellite to be included in the same market definition."

But the questioning became most intense as Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah and Sam Brownback of Kansas challenged Mr. Karmazin on risqué programming. Sen. Brownback, who is running for president, demanded to know Mr. Karmazin's position on whether a merged company would continue offering "pornographic" programming. Sirius shock jock Howard Stern was singled out.

Mr. Karmazin said he wouldn't be willing to pull any material because some found it offensive. Both XM and Sirius allow subscribers to block channels, and XM even alerts parents to programming they might find objectionable. But neither company offers discounts for blocked programming.

The notion that an a la carte-like service is possible on satellite radio could ratchet up pressure on the cable-television industry to consider something similar. The proposal will likely find an avid supporter in Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, a strong advocate of a la carte programming.

The merger needs approval from the Justice Department's antitrust division and the FCC. The companies filed a detailed merger plan with the FCC yesterday, and a Sirius spokesman said it would be publicly released this morning.

Audio Wrestling

Quote: Originally posted by spankysxxx
Maybe. Remember when Playboy came on the scene you had to request it to get it.

If anything this should bring the "basic" charge for Sirius down and leave the cost within a buck of what is is now for those who want "premium." If Howard becomes a large separate charge the subscriber base will start to shrink quick. Sirius and XM are still at a point where they stand to make more money in the long run by making the service cheap now. If Mel raises the cost after already saying he wouldn't when he was on the show it will not go over very well with Sirius' largest subscriber base... us.

tedeso

I'd pay 2 or 3 times what i pay now good times

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