Rumors have emerged that Sirius XM Radio Inc. may be holding two additional rounds of layoffs for programmers and talent, according to a report from Taylor on Radio-Info.If true, the layoffs would be in addition to the latest round of cuts which downsized staffers, mostly from the XM side.
Meanwhile, many channel programmers and talent are still onboard, at least until the November 5th date which has been widely reported, most notably in The Washington Post.
The November 5th date coincides with what Orbitcast heard would be the debut of the newly merged channel lineup. The question on many listeners' minds is which channels will stay, and which will go. If the timing is correct, we have less than 3 weeks before we find out for sure.
Additionally, Taylor on Radio-Info is reporting rumors that non-compete agreements are being offered to cut employees in exchange for a full severance package. It's hard to say if this is true or not, because during times of downsizing rumors tend to multiply like rats.
Stay tuned.
[Radio-Info]
Meanwhile, many channel programmers and talent are still onboard, at least until the November 5th date which has been widely reported, most notably in The Washington Post.
The November 5th date coincides with what Orbitcast heard would be the debut of the newly merged channel lineup. The question on many listeners' minds is which channels will stay, and which will go. If the timing is correct, we have less than 3 weeks before we find out for sure.
Additionally, Taylor on Radio-Info is reporting rumors that non-compete agreements are being offered to cut employees in exchange for a full severance package. It's hard to say if this is true or not, because during times of downsizing rumors tend to multiply like rats.
Stay tuned.
[Radio-Info]
I'm not surprised as it is a slowly dying company, within 5 years there will be no one working there.
Interesting that all this falls on the day after the election.
Non-compete agreements are, in general and at XM, standard in exchange for a full severance package, along with a restriction on bad-mouthing the company.
The question before us is what constitutes competition for the purpose of the XM-Sirius agreement. In days past it was obvious. If I were a freshy-uneXMployed Xemployee, I'd be nervous wrt Mel's position that sat radio competes with FM, the Internet and other entertainment options!
That sucks. There are stuff on both channels I like. I understand the common channels but why trash the unique stuff?
And of course we know which services unique stuff goes compared with the other.
Why the fuck would they bother with an interoperable radio? I certainly won't buy one. I certainly won't be maintaining as much hardware as I have now if they are all identical.
And if they are making everything the same they better allow me to do my car XM radio as a family plan sub to my SL2 lifetime. I will call and make it so on Nov 5th if this is true.
I think we have to wait and see exactly what is going to happen before we can jump to any conclusions. We know that siriusXm will work its way down to one company. It makes sense that the company working toward becoming one would have same content on both services. Its one service now.
The best thing they can do is offer as many channels as possible of non duplicated content as one service. This is going to cause job cuts due to duplicate positions. I hate it for those getting laid off but we knew it was coming.
Out of the box programming is dead--I am sure a few channels like Fine Tuning will survive, but every "main" format will be an FM consultant driven singles channels.
What they need to do now is make sure the sound quality is deserving of our dollars. This is a selling point they have totally missed the boat on--They better get this in order on 11/5--and make the necessary channel cuts of under performing channels.
ultraviolet353: “What they need to do now is make sure the sound quality is deserving of our dollars.”
LOL – Check out the Sirius-produced "AC/DC Radio" on XM 53. It's so compressed and over-processed that the average FM station sounds cleaner! I’m afraid we’re in for more of that as Sirius takes control of the XM programming. It was good while it lasted…
o&A are out
You guys, the more channels they axe, the more bandwidth for every channel.
I think I have said it before, but if Squizz goes off the air, I will have a Helix for sale. And I'll be taking my pro-rated refund for my prepaid service. I've been an XM sub for 5+ years and I dislike Sirius more than ever now that they are trying to invade my radio.
So let's get this straight...
Prior to the merger we had 2 companies who each were struggling and weren't making any money.
Now they merge, and instead of having a great combined company with even more programming choices, it's basically going to be a single company with a channel lineup like the ones each of the 2 companies had before, just with more subscribers.
So if they couldn't make money before, what makes they think they'll survive doing it this way. This is just a super-sized Sirius now with double the number of subs and not much else.
"Prior to the merger we had 2 companies who each were struggling and weren't making any money.
Now they merge, and instead of having a great combined company with even more programming choices, it's basically going to be a single company with a channel lineup like the ones each of the 2 companies had before, just with more subscribers."
Who are still struggling and not making any money because no one wants to pay for radio. There are many factors involved, not in the least of which is that the people who want satellite radio, have it. Had satellite radio come along in 1991 instead of 2001 (around the same time as iPods) I think it'd be a very different story and satellite radio would be the standard. Instead of the laughing stock it is now with so many other 'free' choices out there.
i worked for sirius radio for a few years in the sales department. those leaving in that area should thank their stars!!! it is a nightmare to work in sales under mel when he promises wall street 100 million in ad revenue.. the guy is a joke and a con artist!!! take it from me.. they scam their employees too!!! about 10-15 sales people have left in two years because it is a living nightmare having to do 5 face to face sales calls per day not to mention the fear and intimidation... and yes, screaming...
they will all find better jobs than this shithole.
By merging, one company has gained the other's subs, but not their (entire) operating costs. This downsizing will, obviously, be more profitable than otherwise.
I'm just wondering which of my XM channels, which I have only recently discovered, will disappear. Will Watercolors continue, anybody?
i remember on sites like clubxm and xm411 people joked about a merger back in 2002 and we all laughed now that its happend its a no laughing matter :(
we will never have the original xm back :(
http://investor.sirius.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=950123-08-12948
i want to know about this!!
http://investor.sirius.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=950123-08-12948
i want to know about this!!
I understand why some diehard XM subs would be upset over this move. But why did XM's management allow this to happen. It seems to me that they rolled over and played dead. And in the aftermath, talented people lost jobs. No different than any other company. Sirius was smarter in a sense. In this world, leaner and meaner rules the day. I will be keeping my XM sub no matter what. It sure beats the hell out of FM radio.
radio-info.com reports Marlin Taylor, the venerable programmer of Escape 78 (and considered by many to be one of the pioneers of Easy Listening/Beautiful Music) has been let go.
Escape is *the* reason I subscribe to XM.
Looks like I'm going to be using my iPod alot more often, and cancelling a subscription.
"By merging, one company has gained the other's subs, but not their (entire) operating costs. This downsizing will, obviously, be more profitable than otherwise."
They have temporarily bought the XM subs. Based on the comments on these boards, and these are the most passionate listeners, SiriusXM are going to lose a lot of these dubs. I know they like to say "18 million" but there's way less than half that. Cutting out the parking lot subs makes a dent but fact is most of us have more than 1 radio. I have 4 XM and 1 Sirius. That's 5 subs they count yet I'm only one person. And the second I can dump the music channels, they're gone and I'll go all talk. I have Sirius. I know I don't like the music channels. I won't stick around for it. So sad but the churn is about to go through the roof, Mel & Co will cash out and SDARS will be gone.
If you're a stockholder and supported this I hope you lose your house and your entire life savings.
Pfreak - I hope karma bites you in the ass for your ignorant rant. As many people that are suffering out there today and you wish people ill will for investing in a stock that at one time was the golden child of wall street? grow up loser.
joeblow
really 5 sales calls in a day. That is what a sales person does. Sounds a lot better than my aost 10. And face to face calls are a lot easier than phone calls.
As for adding my xm radio to my Sirius account that better happen soon.
Satellite radio is now dead. Get over it. We all saw this coming. Mel has made a career of lying and he remains consistent.
Hi Kevin! Maybe you should have been a better salesperson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pig2D0cwFdg
Not a Rickroll, Promise! :D
Great commentary for us (whining) XM Radio fans: http://www.michiguide.com/archives2008/2008/10/on-the-radio-god-help-satellit.html
Sirius/XM...
"Good luck bro"
mondopd- great article. Some pros and cons to think about. But how can I take the guy seriously? He has an AOL email address.
Do you guys know how annoying you sound? You sound like children who dint get the toy they want. You dont like it, leave. Very simple. You guys are the minority that sit here and dissect what the front offices of siriusxm do. The normal human is happy they can get everythingthey want from one company.
As a Sirius subscriber I was hoping to see more XM employees to move over. Both have a lot of talent and it seems to me Mel is keeping more Sirius then XM. There are a lot of XM ideas that are far superior to Sirius ideas of progamming and promotional. I hope some of this comes over and refreshes Sirius.
Art Vuolo, Jr. is pretty well-respected amongst the terrestrial radio crowd. Go here: http://vuolovideo.com/profile.html
I know Art is a good guy but being held in high regard by "the terrestrial radio crowd" isn't sayin' much these days.
It's that crowd that's infiltrated both Sirius and XM and has sucked the life out of satellite radio's programming.
I don't know if being "well-respected amongst the terrestrial radio crowd" is a badge of honor these days but Art is a good guy from what I hear.
The terrestrial radio crowd infiltrated XM and Sirius programming a few years ago and the result has been a downward spiral that last week decimated the superior XM.