According to a post by Fred Richards on the New York Radio Message Board, Sirius is reportedly cutting costs by eliminating DJs on Sirius Gold (ch 5) "and two other feeds."
"If this is how Sirius is managing the cost of doing business, they estentially become a satellite-based iPod/MP3 player. And I don't get to choose the songs I listen to," added Phil Seely "I hope that this doesn't start happening across the street at XM, or the real bonus of satellite starts to lose it's value."
This appears to be a continuing sign that Sirius is cutting costs in personnel, following the recent letting go of Penny Crone of Howard 100 News. Whether or not this is a strategy to "go Jockless" as claimed is unknown... I'd hope not. But comparing this to the hiring of celebrity talent isn't really a valid argument.
Celebrity names get the subscribers through the door; on-air talent keeps them there.
Good. Less DJ's to talk over the beginning and end of every song. DJ's have a place on SatRad, but some of the Sirius DJs are really annoying for people who enjoy listening to music on music channels.
BTW...I love talk programming, just not mixed into music channels.
Also, how many iPods can give you live news, sports, talk, and comedy? Oh yeah, none.
never listen to rhe channnel.
I'm a Sirius subscriber and I hate the fact that these damn DJ's talk over the beginning of the song on the channels I listen too. These DJ's actually think anyone listening for music cares what they have to say. I feel like I'm listening to terrestrial radio without the commercials. Does XM do this too? Sirius should fire all on air DJ's because they are awful and add nothing. Not only will it save money it will retain listeners.
I think they are being moved to the who gives a shit channel.
Some DJ's add personality and some behind the music blurps but I do not think they need to be live. Some recorded content might work here. Requests will probably still be available.
Some DJ's are cool. I like the one's on Underground Garage. Those 50's guys were really sounding dated.
50's music/oldies stations seem to be a disappearing breed. Here in NYC, CBS FM, which was an oldie's staple, was changed to that execrable Jack format. Unfortunately, I think alot of the fan base for that stuff is dying off. And unless it's in their new Cadillacs, they're not buying Satellite Radio (or any new technology, for that matter) nor do they care...
Cut every last one of them. Soul Town 53 already sucks with trying to mix Marvin/Barry/GFOS with Micheal Jackson. Dumb....too many decades.
Watch out Wanda and Spider Monkey Ken, you're next !
I can't comment on Sirius' DJs, but at XM they give the channels additional personality. Obviously, some channels don't need DJs, nor do they have them. On some of the channels, folks listen because of the person behind the mic.
XM is adding on-air talent, not laying them off.
>> Those 50's guys were really sounding dated.
Duh. It is the 50s channel.
Yeah, it's a shame that the fanbase who would listen nostalgically to the 50s channel only represents 29% of the total U.S. population, or 39% of americans over the age of 18.
Too bad this demo doesn't have any clout or buying power. Oh well.
I'm an XM listener and I have to admit that I like the DJ talk between every several songs to tell about the artists and upcoming concerts, etc. I'm not a fan of just streaming music - this is, after all, radio.
The greatness for me is the no commercial feature - not the absence of the DJ.
vbprog
"Duh. It is the 50s channel."
Good point. :)
New York Radio Message Board?
BAH BUM DA DAH DUH DUM! HERE'S AL-LEN SNIF-FEN!
"I'm an XM listener and I have to admit that I like the DJ talk between every several songs to tell about the artists and upcoming concerts, etc."
are there many artists from the 50's still performing concerts?
>> are there many artists from the 50's still performing concerts? >>
Sadly, yes. ;-)
XM does seem to have less talking on the music channels than Sirius, but honestly I'd prefer no talking at all on the music channels.
hang the dj's
For the stations I listen too on XM I appreciate how the DJ talks before or after the song unlike Sirius were the DJ talks into the beginning of the song, which is very similar to terrestrial radio. I really wish both satellite companies would eliminate DJ's entirely. XM Squizz has the right idea from midnight to noon... No DJ's at all.