Sirius Xm News

Here are a few answers to common questions I have been reading around the net concerning the merger between Sirius and XM. Though not 100% official these answers are taken straight from press releases and interviews Mel Karmazin has done post merger.

What are the new pricing plans? Will my Monthly Bill go up now?

If you do not listen to Howard Stern (Premium Channel) there are $6.99-9.99 pricing plans, so you will actually save money on your monthly bill. You can add on optional premium channels but as long as you don’t get into any XM programing your bill will never go above the current price of $12.95. I repeat as long as you don’t add on any XM programing your bill will never go above $12.95.

So to sum up above if you are paying $12.95 now, do nothing. You will have the same programing and same price as you always had as a Sirius Subscriber.

Can I get XM channels yet? When will I be able to get XM programming?

As of right now you can not get XM channels on your Sirius Radio. There are plans for an Al La Cart system but for right now your reciever can not get transmissions from the XM Satellites. Mel said that new radios are already designed but they are not going to be available until they start mass production.

What you will be able to get is a “Best of XM” package that consists of 11 XM Channels wich will brodcast over Sirius’s current satellites. So you will not need a new radio but there will most likely be a price involved with this service. Also what 11 channels are being offered is not known at the moment.

How long before I can get MLB Radio on my current Sirius Radio? I want it now, why is it taking so long?

The MLB will not be available to Sirius right away. There are currently licensing issues that need to be worked out with no deffinate time table. The MLB will not let Sirius brodcast. So your best option is to contact the MLB and not Sirius. The same goes for NASCAR on XM.

What about Howard Stern? I’m on XM and I’ve been waiting for this day to happen, when can I hear him?

Howard Stern will be available to XM subscribers this Fall. No specific date was given yet but it could be as close as September. It’s also unclear if both Howard 100 and 101 will be included also he will not be a part of the “Best of Sirius” package since it’s considered premium content.

What about my current receiver? Do I need to buy a new one?

No not unless you need a new one. You existing WILL NOT BECOME OBSOLETE. You will still be able to enjoy Sirius or XM as you have been in the past.

What about my Lifetime Subscription?

You will still have your lifetime subscription. How it will work with different Sirius/XM packages is not known.

What about my Favorite channels? Are they going to remove channels? How will they do this?

They will be slowly merging channels from XM into Sirius programming. This means that some of your favorite channels may get replaced. If XM has a better Hip-Hop channel it may replace one of Siriu’s, but if Sirius has a better performing Country channel it will stay and replace one from XM.

No official word but the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s channels will most likely be merged and be the same on both Sirius and XM.

I have a Factory XM radio in my car with DVD Monitors, can I convert the XM Radio and Screens to Sirius Backseat TV?

NO

That is it for now, as I gather more Questions I will post them. The main question I’m trying to find out right now is how Internet Streaming will work with the newly merged companies.

Just a small update.

Pretty interesting talk, but still nothing that we already don’t know about.

Link here http://www.marksfriggin.com/news.htm#wed

I will throw some audio up later if I can find it.

According to an interview in In Touch Weekly, Stern told the magazine that the wedding will take place in the Hamptons in August with their families and then a second wedding in October most likely for Friends.

Stern is quoted as saying “We’re Ready!”

As for Beth O’s Dress “Georgina Chapman from Marchesa is designing my gown. She’s sketching as we speak… I hope!”

Any Artie Lange fan’s can order his new book “Too Fat to Fish” on Amazon.com right now.

The Autobiography/Memoir is due to be released on November 11th 2008. It’s only $24.95 and if you can’t read they also have an Audio Book Version.

This should be an interesting book considering Artie is a great story teller.

artie lange

artie lange too fat to fish

too fat to fish

Howard Stern

Arbitron has released ratings for satellite radio for the fall of 2007 and Howard Stern’s Sirius
channels are still the most-listened to stations on either service. The
survey found that over half a million listeners had signed up for
satellite radio since the Spring 2007 survey. As one would expect, the NFL on Sirius and holiday-related stations saw an increase in listenership in the fall as opposed to the spring survey.

[Via:FMQB]

Howard 100 news has confirmed Artie Lange will be back on the show Monday morning.

There is also Audio of Artie at a gig saying the same thing. The question is, will he be back for good or is he just coming back to say goodbye to everyone and finally leave the show?

Guess we will have to tune in Monday to figure everything out. I’m sure this is one of the most anticipated Howard Stern shows in a long time.

Here is the Video to the Artie Audio

Skip to 1:30 to hear it.

Stay Tuned for more info on Monday.

Technorati Tags: artie lange, returns to howard stern show, howard 100 news

Artie Lange walked out of the studio after an argument and subsequent outburst at his personal assistant on the air today.

Artie was spotted disputing with his assistant in the hallways off the
air. When it was brought up to Stern, he asked the assistant Teddy to
come into the studio and discuss the situation on the air.

Lange began to express his disdain for his assistant of nearly two
years because of recent money issues. Teddy retorted by implying
there’s more to the job than meets the eye.

As the argument continued, Lange became enraged and physically
lashed out at Teddy, but the physical confrontation was apparently
defused by other members in the studio.

When Lange returned, he said Teddy would be “dead” had he reached him and he would be in jail.

Stern then expressed his feelings on the situation, saying he cannot condone Lange’s actions.

Artie then offered his resignation; Stern accepted, but told Lange to
leave and cool off. Just before Lange left he told Stern: “I’m not a
good person … I gotta leave … I love you”

More to come as we get more info.

The Bad thing is that we will not figure things out for a week since Stern no longer works Fridays and next week is a vacation.

Thanks to http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2008/04/artie_lange_walks_off_the_howa.html
for the great write up.

Also check out http://www.sternfannetwork.com for discussion.

Technorati Tags: artie quits, artie lange, howard stern

What does the National Council of Negro Women have to do with a Satellite Radio Merger?

This is just getting out of hand.

The National Council of Negro Women submitted a letter to the FCC yesterday stating the following:

On behalf of the NCNW an organization representing over four million African-American women
worldwide and dedicated to championing civil rights and equality for all people, I must convey to the
FCC and you the Council’s strong and considered concern that the proposed transaction between
Sirius Satellite Radio and Xm Satellite Radio Holdings pose clear, present and unmitigated
threat to decency and greater diversity of media ownership.

Ok…what does any of this have to do with anything? No one is forcing you to listen to Satellite
Radio? Isn’t this the same as Pay Per View TV or Stations like HBO? This is just a bunch of
nonsense. They are just looking for attention.

It gets better:

One only has to evaluate the current programming now offered by Sirius and XM to recognize that our concerns and fears are well founded, Programming such as Howard Stern, Opie and Anthony, and Bubba the Love Sponge - which help to perpetuate racist and sexist stereotypes in our culture - drive the business of both companies.

Jesus, don’t fucking listen to it if you don’t like it. There are Hundreds of other stations to listen to.
You do know there is an Oprah Station?

A Sirius - XM satellite radio monopoly will focus it (sic) resources on only its most profitable audiences, with more of the same lowest-common-denominator programming of the Howard Stern variety.

And it keeps going on and on…….and on….

You can read the Full PDF letter here:
Link

Here is the NCNW website
http://www.ncnw.org/

We need more people in Favor of this Merger to contact the FCC and let them know our stance. How much longer will this drag on for?

Technorati Tags: sirius xm merger, satellite radio, howard stern, opie and anthony, bubba the love sponge, NCNW, FCC, merger news