Fred Jacobs over at Jacobs Media has posted about Opie & Anthony's move to broadcasting on both terrestrial and satellite radio.
It's confusing because the post sets the tone by bashing O&A, followed with the beaten-horse question of "why would anyone pay for O&A if they can listen for free?" - only to end with a sort of back-handed praise of their jump back to terrestrial... I think.
Now, I need to call attention to the fact that he's citing numbers from February (a full 14 months after O&A joined satellite radio) based on a webpoll of terrestrial radio stations. How many satellite radio listeners are visiting terrestrial radio websites? Wouldn't listeners of Stern still be checking terrestrial radio stations at that time? Wouldn't that make this "poll" skewed based on timing?
But aside that, I'm still confused as to his final stance on the move. Yes, he thinks XM won't benefit from this (I disagree), but... is he seeing it as a benefit to terrestrial instead?
I think the last line of hist post says a bit:
"And allowing personalities to get away to XM and Sirius may not grow their businesses - but it will most certainly hurt ours."
So, he obviously sees sat radio as a threat to his business.
The survey he mentions is from february, well before O&A made the big move. We all know that xm's marketing sucks, especially with O&A, so that 4% must have been from word of mouth from existing subscribers -- at 6mil subscribers, that still quite a bit of users.
I would be interested to see what that number is now or in a month or two.
The problem is - and it's not really a 'problem' if you're a fan of the show - is that O&A are pretty adept at working around the FCC guidelines. So it's almost like you're getting the same level of quality as on XM (my opinion anyway). And most of the old terrestrial listeners never bothered to sign up with XM, so they never knew what they were missing anyway...
So yeah, why *would* people pay for satellite?
Well, here's why I do: replays, replays, replays. I listen when and how I please, and with my nifty new Napster software I omit all the commercials in one shot, and it's ad-free listening for the entire show. Of course I get an extra two hours of the program as well. Whatever I miss during the week I can catch up on over the weekend, and the normally XM-less wife can listen along & laugh as well.
I signed up with XM for O&A, but I've come to appreciate the entire service for what it offers. I suppose I'm in the minority, however. The majority of O&A listeners are cheap f**ks. (j/k) Howard found that out the hard way too - the hardcore fans will follow you anywhere, but not everyone can afford the hardware investment & the monthly subscription...
this jag off needs to hyperlink in a different way other than bold red print. it's like he's having a mini-stroke every few moments.
And some of those links are pretty asinine too - example, the one with the 'gift basket' (that should have been sent to CBS & Stern by O&A) links to a site with novelty fake dog poop...
Umm...huh?
The man clearly comprehends which side his bread is [currently] buttered on.
There is simply no way the O&A move to terrestrial does anything but helps XM. After all, by all accounts, O&A had minimal listenership at XM -- it can only get better.
And O&A have done a great job, thus far, at promoting XM and funneling interested parties there. Frequently they reference an item on the terrestrial show and say, "We'll save this for the XM show, but here's a taste".
Add to that the fact XM is being paid for the syndication, and it is really a no-lose situation for XM.
As i said before when the contract with XM is up...good bye O&A, they will switch back.
6.5m x 4% =260k. hell lets double it 9%= 520k...
BAWHAHAHAHAH..the virus is...ummm...laughable
I'm hoping XM has a plan. A plan to give O&A a year (maybe two) on terrestrial, as to garner a larger audience. Then yank O&A back to exclusive on XM.
Pete, i hate you. having said that, your post about why you pay for satellite radio is right on the fucking money. I have the same opinion about what i listen to on sirius. stern 24/7 anytime. and if your blown away by your favorite talk shows, its only the beginning of 100's of channels of good shit. Not to mention the incredible technology that comes out faster than new computers.
I honestly don't get the people that don't get satellite. acting like nothing on it is worth paying for. meanwhile they haven't listened to a bit of either xm or sirius.
Jacobs looks like he's ready to stroke a big black one in that pic.
Just wondering why the fact Sirius nearly doubled xm in subs last quarter was glossed over on this site? Dont be a fanboy Ryan
>> Just wondering why the fact Sirius nearly doubled xm in subs last quarter was glossed over on this site? Dont be a fanboy Ryan >>
Huh? I think you'll find plenty of articles about that here - this happens to be a post linking to an article about O&A and their terrestrial/satellite deal.
>> Pete, i hate you. having said that, your post about why you pay for satellite radio is right on the fucking money >>
Thanks, I think. ;-)
"Howard found that out the hard way too - the hardcore fans will follow you anywhere, but not everyone can afford the hardware investment & the monthly subscription"
How is it the "hardway"? He pretty much paid for himself in 6 months from the "hardcores". But yes, you're right, people have no idea how great SatRad is for everything else but [fill in your favorite morningshow].
>> How is it the "hardway"? >>
I simply meant that once his initial surge of hardcore fans was done subscribing, there was a drop off, meaning a good-sized portion of his audience from his terrestrial *stayed* with terrestrial.
He even complained about it on the air, from what I recall reading about online...
O&A almost had to work backwards, since they were in limbo for two years...