With all this talk about debt and takeovers, it's easy to look only this through the eyes of shareholders and the company. But how would a Sirius XM bankruptcy affect subscribers? According to analysts, consumers can breathe easy.
According to CNN Money, even if Sirius XM files for bankruptcy, analysts are saying it'll be more likely to be a reorganization, than a liquidation.
So that's good news for subscribers.
"It's hard to imagine the company will go away. It will survive in one form," says Joe Bonner, an analyst with Argus Research. "There are assets there. Sirius XM has nearly 20 million customers that seem to like their service. That's nothing to sniff at."
Of course, some of those costly contracts might get renegotiated under the curtain of Chapter 11. But that could be a good thing, because it gives the opportunity to get rid of the dead weight.
David Kestenbaum, an analyst with Morgan Joseph & Co. said the only deal that either firm made that led to enough subscriber growth to pay for itself was the one with Howard Stern.
"Someone will make a lot of money off this company when you eliminate the debt and restructure the programming contracts that are not viable," Kestenbaum said. "Howard Stern is the exception. He's worth it."
[CNN Money]
Thanks @JerseyTodd!
So that's good news for subscribers.
"It's hard to imagine the company will go away. It will survive in one form," says Joe Bonner, an analyst with Argus Research. "There are assets there. Sirius XM has nearly 20 million customers that seem to like their service. That's nothing to sniff at."
Of course, some of those costly contracts might get renegotiated under the curtain of Chapter 11. But that could be a good thing, because it gives the opportunity to get rid of the dead weight.
David Kestenbaum, an analyst with Morgan Joseph & Co. said the only deal that either firm made that led to enough subscriber growth to pay for itself was the one with Howard Stern.
"Someone will make a lot of money off this company when you eliminate the debt and restructure the programming contracts that are not viable," Kestenbaum said. "Howard Stern is the exception. He's worth it."
[CNN Money]
Thanks @JerseyTodd!
well........ where are all the howie bashers now? they can all go suck on it................
I'm encouraged by this news; however, isn't that what Worldspace subscribers were hoping for TOO? I don't think Worldspace broadcasts anything right now.
I would like to think O&A are worth the money too.
Since ive never owned a stock that filed for reorganization, ive asked some people on the effect of shareholders and wanted to get opinions here
Is it true under Chapter 11, i would still own my shares of Sirius--If the company reorganization is a succcess and they prosper in a few years, if i still have those shares, cant i see some appreciation eventually??(i was told i still own the shares)
Anyone in the know please explain
I sure hope it doesn't affect subscribers. I would imagine that someone Edger or not, would buy them up before the company went under. There is too much potential out there for it to just liquidate.
First!
Brian,
The answer is NO!!!!!!!! O&A's 3 listeners just aint paying the bills, son.
Hoohoo cost as much as a new satellite and brought, at best estimates, 100k listeners.
We all know how good investment brokers are making financial judgements
To Be honest...I dont think Howard Stern is worth the money!!!!, hopefully nothing happens to the NHL and MLB.
Yay maybe they can finally dump the useless Stern as part of "the opportunity to get rid of the dead weight"
Sounds familiar...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/11/muzak.bankruptcy/index.html
Howard Stern Worth it? Hmmm, I'll need to think about that one.
I'm not Howard bashing, but if he is thinking about leaving, then why would they spend a lot of money to renew his contract?
i am a subscriber and shareholder.
This is such a punch in the face to me...
I don't think I can ever stand to listen to Sirius again, knowing that They stole tens of thousands of $$$ from me and made a successful business from us shareholders hard earned money.
This is SUCH a crime Mel is the devil as far as I'm concerned.
Howard said "never EVER doubt Mel". I listened, and now I know he meant "never doubt that Mel will succeed no matter what the cost" - even if it means FUCK the Shareholders who funded the company and gave Mel everything he asked for.
gary,
in case youre really serious:
just to clarify things for you....
YOU ARE FUCKED BEYOND ALL RECOGNITION!!!!
"dead weight" = Stern
One analyst saying Stern is "worth it" means NOTHING. He doesn't have access to the numbers, both financial and in terms of subscribers.
Stern has a choice - take a huge pay cut or go crawling back to FM. It's that simple. He should have retired years ago. This gives him an easy out where he can blame someone else, even though we all know that his huge contract killed this company (even the fanboys realize this, though they are too afraid to admit it).
As for you stockholders, you have nobody to blame but yourself. You believed Mel. Dumb move.
Like the great man says, "carnies and rubes..."
Tens of thousands eh? I bought 400 shares at 50 cents and wrote it off immediately as a gamble. How would you invest that much without ample research? Its all about risk and reward, I call shenanigans on your investment.
Sirius XM: What Price Bankruptcy?
Under Chapter 11, the satellite radio outfit could possibly revamp costly contracts. But it could also lose its top star and lots of listeners
By Olga Kharif
Sirius XM: What Price Bankruptcy?
A bankruptcy filing by Sirius XM would have widespread implications not just for holders of the satellite radio company's debt and shares, but also for millions of listeners and for the celebrities like Howard Stern whose fat paychecks have made it harder for the company to pay its other bills.
The few poor souls who still hold Sirius XM (SIRI) stock may get poorer still. "I'll lose $1 million," says Michael Hartleib, a longtime activist shareholder. "They completely destroyed a perfectly viable company." Shares of the company closed at 11.39¢ on Feb. 10 after The New York Times said the company is preparing for a possible filing for Chapter 11 protection from creditors. Sirius declined to comment on the report.
EchoStar Takeover Is Rebuffed
While shareholders get wiped out when a company files for bankruptcy, debtholders typically sweat out a long and often complicated reorganization and are forced to accept pennies on the dollar in debt repayment. EchoStar (SATS), a maker of TV set-top boxes, has been buying up Sirius XM debt in a bid to take over the company, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
EchoStar might have used Sirius equipment and airwaves to deliver satellite Internet and video services, but Sirius XM has resisted overtures, the newspaper has said. Sirius XM Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin was unwilling to give up the company reins, says Standard & Poor's analyst Tuna Amobi. "It's shifted, ironically, from survival to a battle for control," Amobi says. "I don't think Mel is going to be willing to relinquish control." EchoStar did not return a request for comment.
Sirius XM is struggling to meet nearly $1 billion in debt obligations due this year, with the first installment due Feb. 17 and another in May. Analysts say part of the blame for the company's financial woes lies with expensive distribution deals with automakers and high-priced talent.
Will Howard Stern Walk?
Amid the reorganization, Sirius XM may get the chance to renegotiate agreements with Stern and his team, who are paid $80 million a year, as well as with brands like Major League Baseball. "Maybe both parties have the opportunity to walk away from their existing agreement," RBC Capital Markets analyst David Bank says of the Stern deal. Perhaps Stern would settle for less pay. But he may also choose to switch employers or retire, as he's threatened to do on air—a move that could prove disastrous for Sirius, many of whose users pay up specifically to hear Stern.
Similarly, Sirius XM may be able to renegotiate contracts with automakers, which install its radios in cars and receive a portion of subscription fees. Some analysts believe those revenue-sharing deals could be halved, particularly since auto sales have plummeted. Worried about job losses and mortgage payments, many consumers eschew services like satellite radio. "It's going to be a lot more challenging to get people to invest in your products when you are in Chapter 11," says Larry Rosin, president of Edison Media Research.
Even more radical ideas may come to the fore. Sirius XM could change its business model to become a provider of audio content that's streamed over the Web, wireless, and all other types of networks—without owning its own network. Perhaps Sirius could even sell some of its programming, such as exclusive live concerts, as downloads, for an extra fee. "Sirius XM is a channel aggregator," says Susan Kevorkian, a program director at researcher IDC. "Satellite radio may be artificially limited in its scope by relying on satellite technology as a delivery vehicle."
Dump O & A, O Winfrey, & Martha Stewart. There goes MAJOR overhead.
It is just my opinion, but if the reorganization is successful it will be because these high dollar contracts from the likes of Stern, O&A, and the sports leagues will have to be torn up and either renegotiated with the possibility of a pay per sub premium fee setup, or they will not be on satellite any longer. I know that will cost them some subs, but I don't know that the benefit in 2009 is outweighing the cost.
@Craskill
Why would they consider renewing it? Cause when/if he leaves so will a couple million subscribers easy....
They would renew (provided he would be willing to renew) as it keeps subscribers and more money coming in.
shenanigans shmenanigans...
I was a subscriber for a year, and I researched the company several months before I invested.
I was actually up 25k on it before Mel did everything in his power to screw the shareholders.
Even Cramer was singing the praises of this stock.
I invested before the FCC completely FUBARed the merger process.
before the economy started collapsing.
I held on to my trainwreck investment and averaged down to $3/share because Mel lied his ass off about everything he was planning on doing...
I'm pssed, but I knew the risk so I accept the loss. what boters me is how even though I have been royally screwed, Mel and his cronies will come out the other end of this thing richer than ever.... all at the expense of the people who actually put up the capital in the first place.
This is a hard lesson for me in organized corporate crime.
Anyone who paid for a "lifetime" subscription could lose it if they file Chapter 11 - that's one potential effect on subscribers. The company could gratuitously choose to honor those subscriptions on whatever terms it likes, but those are the sort of obligation that gets discounted to pennies on the dollar in bankruptcy.
I love how people think Howard made 500 million.
he's halfway into that contract, and I'm guessing that the compensation package included shares of the company. granted 250 million is a lot o $$, but he may have a $500M lifestyle in which case, he's screwed.
If they go BK, they might screw him over. Although the way Howard sings Mel's praises makes me think he might be party to the big scam.
You're still guzzling that Oral n Anal Kool aid? I guess you're the only authority on contracts and what it is to make a business profitable and obtaining a good ROI from talent.
Just because you have the authority to issue a refund at Dollar General it doesn't make you an expert on business or business related matters.
Oh if Howard is dead weight, then who is the one that gained exposure for satellite? Who brought over more subscribers? It certainly isn't Oral n Anal. They're not even mentioned except for the part where he states "and restructure the programming contracts that are not viable".
That is Oral n Anal in a nutshell. NOT VIABLE. Say goodbye to those morons. Perhaps they can podcast. Riley Martin is more entertaining and they only pay him $400 a show.
What it means to be is = Cancellation of
3 subs .
Phuck SIRI, Phuck MEL for running SIRI and
XM into the ground.
just work it out. $ talks and bull---- walks
Howard Stern did already make 500M. He was given 34 million shares when the stock was worth 7 bucks. And he has already completed 3 years of his contract. He also was given more shares a year into his contract.
He has been phoning it in for years and I hope they dump his contract. He isn't worth 80 million of cold hard cash a year when he works only four days a week with like 20 weeks off a year. If a million or so subcribers(which I doubt) cancel so be it.
Sirius can gratuitously kiss my lifetime subscriptions ass.
I like the service, but fuck them if they think I want to be reminded every day of the fact that I funded the company but was screwed out of the profits.
Hey here's an idea: why not earmark a couple billion on the "Let Them Eat Cake" stimulus bill for a Sirius bailout? That's a drop in the bucket compared to the pork they're sending through congress right now.
I should be crying right now but I can't help laughing my ass of at how ridiculous the corporate and government corruption is in this country.
This country is going to hell in a hand basket and everyone's in denial.
You just proved my point - 34M shares which he was probably restricted from selling for a year.
thats like 1.7 million at the moment...granted still a lot of $$ but not 500 Million.
I'm there with ya on the "phoning it in" I am a huge non-fan of the replay, and non-live shows.
I like Howard, but a part of me hopes that his smug ass gets left high and dry in this deal. It might cause them to stop stroking each others egos for 4 hours and calling it a show.
I get so sick about hearing that O&A have no fans. I live in TX and there's far more o&a fans than Stern fans.
I'm so happy Stern won't be getting half a billion dollars now, yippee.
Are you kid'n? EVERYONE WILL LEAVE. THERE WILL BE NO SUBS! None. bye-bye.
Way to many other devices I can move on to...
If they screw us, we screw them.
No way I would stay!
On the good side the DOD will have more dead satellites to practice shooting out of the air.
SIRI closed at $.05 today. Any takers?
Howard was given 34 million shares on January 2006. And there were no restrictions, those questions were asked and he didn't even have to report that he sold them. The volume went up dramatically the day those shares were made available and he must likely sold them the same day. And the stock never recovered to 7 since then.
Another thing Stern is signed to 2 years max. So to avoid the usual b**ching he does before his next contract they should definitely dump his contract. I BK company can't afford to have 80 million dollar a year talent on their payroll.
This bankrupcy thing isn't a surprise. So far as I know, Sirius and XM haven't yet made a thin dime of profit since their creation.
Somewhere along the line the ballroom floor has to cave in.
I will be sad if they go away, I don't want them to, but I was annoyed at how bad their music channels have become since the merger, and even before.
Mindless chit-chat of deejays, channels telling you what channel you're listening to every 5 minutes. Classic vinyl's hard on for the Beatles and CCR every 15 minutes.
How dare we pay for radio only to get stale play lists just like FM.
Once I heard Born to be Wild, and then 10 minutes later they played Magic Carpet Ride.
NHL, NBA , MLB , and NFL won't go anywhere , I think .
Why don't the big shots running this juggernaut look at creative ways to finance this hurdle and work on raising 175,000,000.00 to pay of the first round of financing. Maybe stern, mel, stuart, oprah drop the pay for a few months and they let the profit start flowing in. How stupid is it to flatten a business model that is going to be cash flow positive as soon as the car market shows up, as soon as the idiotic debt structure is worked out. It is in Sterns and everyone elses best interest to have the price of current stock as high as possible, not some convaluted version that may appear through chapter 11 . The value is in the company, the people at the top just have to find the balls to get the hard deals done right now. Plus it will be a nice benefit if that will save the stock price for the investors like myself who have weathered this lunacy for years but still remained for a potential shot in the stars. Fix the debt and the customers will pay!! Get around the next few months. Get your neighbor to give you some money Mel!!!
"i am a subscriber and shareholder.
This is such a punch in the face to me...
I don't think I can ever stand to listen to Sirius again, knowing that They stole tens of thousands of $$$ from me and made a successful business from us shareholders hard earned money."
Good....then drop your subscription and sell your shares and then do us all a favor and go pound sand.
I'm a shareholder and a subscriber too. I lost money, but i'm still buying shares and I own two XM radios.
The company will bounce back, with or without you.
"NHL, NBA , MLB , and NFL won't go anywhere , I think ."
Why not? Successful companies are most likely already planning their exits, they will not want to have anything to do with this turd. None of those successful companies will even run the risk of being tainted by the mess satellite radio has become. Plus they have nothing to loose by leaving the satellite radio industry is DONE, FINISHED.
Here is another thought...
This current situation was not caused by a terrible company. It was caused by a dismal FCC process and a market economy that was not played correctly.
The technology and synergy that this company can provide is non-existent outside Sirius/XM.
The car companies love having this installed. It is added value for every customer and does not cost the vehicle manufacturer upfront.
The current lack of financing is terrible, but smart people can find avenues to new financing. There is nothing left to lose.
i have a idea..dump stern! and just make O&A exclusive
its worth it..i just know it
signed
-Terrestrial Radio
I love the music, I listen to deep tracks,the 60's,70's and I am suprised by all the music I have either never heard before or have not heard in a long time.
Wow Nede...
Talk about drinking the Kool-Aid! The only reason why Howard is even a factor is because of his legacy. Nothing he is doing is ground breaking or earth shattering. When was the last time you heard of Howard making news like he used to in the 80's and 90's? Oh, that's right, the last time he was in the news was when he got married again. People moved over to satellite to hear Howie because they expected him to make full use of an uncensored forum (which is also what Sirius was hoping for). And what has he done with this freedom? More naked women, more penthouse pets riding symbians. When was his last Pay Per View? Take all the time you need with the above questions, we will all wait...
I think that if you find a 500 million dollar contract, 4 days a week of radio and an entire month off each year worth it, the same tired guests and 3 other stations dedicated to rehashing the same shit he did in the 80's, 90's and today, by all means listen to your hearts content. If you think Howard is giving you your subscription money's worth, then perhaps Howard is right for you...
Opie and Anthony may be the red headed stepchildren since Mel took over, but they are way more cutting edge and experimental than anything Howard and his same crew has come up with in years.
I say keep Opie and Anthony, and Jim Breuer. Let Howard either retire or get him back to reality and see that in this century, you cannot entertain riding a legacy, a tired support staff and naked women everyday.
How can Stern fans justify a 500 million dollar contract now? In my opinion, Stern was brought in to save Sirius by bringing millions upon millions of subscribers and money. Now, days before Sirius XM files bankruptcy, we see that this has failed. Stern knows this, his fans know this and now all of us now know this.
Mmm yeah, thanks.
Your mom's box.
burlyrdc wrote: "This current situation was not caused by a terrible company. It was caused by a dismal FCC process and a market economy that was not played correctly."
---------------------
Actually, it's both.
It is clear that XM and SIRI paid too much for content. This is what got the debt-train started, and started in a big way.
Not to keep pounding nails into the Stern argument coffin, but his contract is the easiest to pick apart. This is NOT a bash at Stern himself.
The whole purpose of signing anything is to make a profit, and Stern clearly didn't. Remember, SIRI didn't pay $500 million, they paid far closer to $800 million, because you have to include his stock and bonuses.
SIRI signed Stern, and had the biggest ramp-up of subscribers, when it cost SIRI nearly $200 to acquire the subscriber. SIRI had to keep the sub for 1.3 years just to break even (they earned no money). The first year of Sterns' contract earned no money for them. They had to wait until 4 months after the 2nd year to START earning money on his subs.
It's deals like that, as well as the FCC delay, that killed this company.
Stern??? O&A??? "Bubba The Love Sponge"???
The whole bunch ain't worth the sweat off my balls.
Go bankrupt and get back to the basics. If you want to hear these slugs while you diddle with yourself pay extra.
"The System" breathed its last the other day on DirecTV and I'm pissed.
Soul Street - GONE
The System - GONE
Audiovisions - GONE
XM Comedy - GONE
Knowledgable/appropiate DJ's on Classic Country - FIRED
Useless DJ's & shorter playlists on what's left
Just as well to turn off the lights and lock the door on the way out.
Thanks a lot "suits". You people REALLY knew your stuff.
Students at the Harvard School of Business will be studying this as a case study on how to really screw up a company I can bet you that.
This from the NEw York Times dealbook now!!
Sirius XM Holds Talks With Liberty Media
Media
Liberty Media, the media company controlled by John C. Malone, is in preliminary talks with the satellite radio giant Sirius XM Radio, people briefed on the negotiations told DealBook.
A deal between Liberty and Sirius XM could throw a wrench in takeover plans by EchoStar, the television satellite company that has been acquiring Sirius XM’s debt.
The high drama comes at a critical time for Sirius XM, which faces $175 million in debt payments that will come due on Feb. 17. The company is unlikely to be able to meet those obligations.
Mel Karmazin, Sirius XM’s chief executive, has been locked in talks with Charles W. Ergen, his counterpart at EchoStar, these people said. The two men are said to not get along, and Mr. Karmazin has rebuffed Mr. Ergen’s advances before.
While EchoStar’s proposal to Sirius XM is unclear, it may be no better for the satellite radio’s company’s bondholders than a bankruptcy filing, people close to the company said. Sirius XM hired advisers several weeks ago to prepare for a potential bankruptcy filing, which could come within days, these people said.
It is not clear how advanced the talks between Sirius XM and Liberty are, but any potential deal between the two could spark a bidding war with EchoStar. Because EchoStar holds a large portion of Sirius XM’s debt — a majority of the $175 million due on Feb. 17 and part of a $400 million tranche that comes due in December — it may have an upper hand in any such negotiations.
–Andrew Ross Sorkin and Zachery Kouwe
Wow. I just came her to find out if the site had any additional info, but I'm absolutely amazed at the comments. Bad talent caused this problem? Harvard will be studying this? Are you kidding me - where do these people come from? The internets are so amusing...
Thanks for the original post though, good info. The next few days will be interesting in a purely voyeuristic way.
This was about Shorting a stock to zero.
Cramer spent 15 minutes Tuesday complaining about SKF, the ETF for Shorting Banks, while he allows Goldman Sachs to bust SIRI. They could have refinanced by selling stock. Citicorp and Bank-of-America should have gone under if everyone played by the same rules!
The other night I dissed Malone of Liberty and DTV. Now I am rooting for him.
Sirius XM Radio in talks with Liberty Media: report
By John Letzing
Last update: 7:48 p.m. EST Feb. 11, 2009
Joe Bonner says, after the bankruptcy process is completed, "It will survive in one form." Frankly, the form I prefer is a satellite radio company that is more subscriber-friendly than the Sirius XM company in its current business model. It seems as though Sirius XM is more concerned about the artists who buy single-artist channels than that company is about the people who buy the subscriptions.
Some of You people are living in a fantasy world. You act like your the only ones who have ever lost money in a company that went under. You knew this was a lottery ticket when you decided to invest in it. Anyone who invests in a company that never made any money and has that much debt is taking a gamble, and more often then not, they don't pay off. If you couldn't afford lose your investment, you should never have been in the STock Market in the first place. Nothing is a sure thing, and this company was so far from it.If you did any type of DD you would have known this.
It is the paranoid point and blame game...
I gonna go make some popcorn.
All I know is my presets are still the same, the same stuff still comes out my speakers anywhere in the USA, Canada, and half of Mexico.
Howard, NFL, Lithium, Blues, Octane, CNN, Talk Left, Patriot...3 years now.. same stuff.. Unless you are a BIG investor, CHILL OUT!
Report: I just was emailed this...
Sirius XM In Talks With Liberty Media
A day after the New York Times reported that Sirius XM was preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the newspaper's DealBook blog is reporting that the satcaster is in preliminary talks with Liberty Media.
Sirius XM Rocks. They must renew Howard Stern as he is the face os Satellite Radio. They also will need the Sports. The other guy stuff O@A, Bubba, Ferrell, Ron and Fez plus Playboy are needed. The female stuff either Martha or Oprah can be replaced by a generic low cost female channel.
Yes, but would the revenue they gain from resigning him outweigh the garunteed money they spend on his contract?
I think it's better as far keeping cash coming in Is concerned to keep him as long as stern stays for as long as it takes for the company ( in some form) to recover.
Liberty Media, aka DirecTV. Looks like DirecTV or Echostar is looking for more bandwidth. Buy up the satellite radio frequencies, make HUGE cuts in the bandwidth for radio, and pop a few HD channels in there.
>> The few poor souls who still hold Sirius XM (SIRI) stock may get poorer still. "I'll lose $1 million," says Michael Hartleib, a longtime activist shareholder. "They completely destroyed a perfectly viable company." Shares of the company closed at 11.39¢ on Feb. 10 after The New York Times said the company is preparing for a possible filing for Chapter 11 protection from creditors. Sirius declined to comment on the report.
I feel badly that I didn't get out of XM earlier.
What is this guy doing still holding shares of this turkey? Anyone, really? Why would ANYONE hold shares of it right now?
it's obvious o&a fans are not the brightest,but explain to me why you idiots want sirius/xm to fail ? if sirius/xm does go under where do you dolts think your gonna hear the "fastest growing radio program in america?"????? K-rock?that contract is up in April,and i'll tell you now,there NOT gonna be resigned...
Podcasts and internet?..umm sure!
--------------> (insert your witty scripted replys that youve been trained to recite here)
Stern worth it? I would say there were alot of other ways to invest 100 million dollars which would resulted in more general growth. Stern is a one-trick pony. For that money they could of funded a free subscription plan which would of netted 10 million new subcribers. Stern may not be a loss, but the company needed a solid gain, and Stern wasn't that.
Hoo, Hoo, hoo, I brought over at least 3 million subs,. Hoo, Hoo, Hoo O&A only brought over 4 listeners. Hoo, hoo, Hoo. All O&A can do is talk about me, and lie about me Hoo, Hoo, Hoo.
Hoo, Hoo, hoo, I brought over at least 3 million subs,. Hoo, Hoo, Hoo O&A only brought over 4 listeners. Hoo, hoo, Hoo. All O&A can do is talk about me, and lie about me Hoo, Hoo, Hoo.
And Dump O&A since they bring nothing to sirius-XM, only to bring hacks to this site to bash Howard.
Unless my memory is clouded, I recall that XM always had more subscribers than Sirius (for whatever reasons). No doubt the signing of Stern by Sirius helped close that gap, maybe even bring them almost even in subs. But it's not like XM didn't attract a sub base on its own before the merger. If Stern leaves, its not like the entire base of subs would cancel. Maybe a 4-5 million would cancel just for that fact, but the company would still have a pretty substantial base from the XMs and Sirius subscribers who don't care about Stern.
Wouldn't that be enough for the company to survive on and to make a profit (eventually)? I mean I believe SiriusXM currently has more subscribers than DirecTV, who is doing quite well. SiriusXM could survive on 12-15 million subs under the right management.
Dead weight? The ost listened to thing on sirius and he's dead weight? Get this through your head moron...WITHOUT HOWARD SATELITE RADIO WOULD HAVE DIED AGES AGO. O&A came to satelite because howard anounced he was going to satelite. Again Howard wanna bee's, and they and the pests can't admit that. So you would know more than a financial analyst? You're only source of information is Greg hughes and Anthony Cumia. A couple of jealous dopes who's only goal is to be as famous as Howard, and have the Career that howard has had. Get over it already.
You shouldn;t be sick of hearing that O&A have no fans because well....O&A have no fans compared to Howard.
How do you figure that O&A are more cutting edge? Because they still partake in those stupid radio wars? Radio wars are so 80's and 90's so what's so cutting edge and groundbreaking about that? Get sirius. Again get your facts stright instead of holding everything they say as gospel. Notice Howard doesn't even mention their name? Why? Because radio wars are lame and stale. But like you say.....cutting edge.
Howard made his whole 500mil contract in one year. Again get your facts stright. Stop listening to what two bitter hacks have to say.
"...get back to the basics."
Here here!! These words say it all.
To all Howard fans : you can bash o and a all you want, when you refer to them as oral and andy, opie and dopie, ect. all you are doing is showing your intelligence (and yes o and a fans are not much better) level. As a listener of all shows (o and a, howard, r and f) I can say that if or when satrad dies we will all lose. You however can't deny the fact that sterns show is no where as good as it once was, and he only took the gig at sirius for the cash. Even sfn points out his lack of interest in his own show, time to retire. I have given stern a fair chance but his arrogance drives me crazy, remember he is not what he once was. It is okay to like whatever you do but that does not make it the best thing on satrad.
As a matter of fact, Harvard School of Business DOES use case studies on how stupid companies fuck things up. Lord knows there are a bunch of "lessons learned" with this total fuck up of a company under a bunch of shylocks and dumbassed programmers.
Any business college in the world worth its salt does that. How in the world do you think students learn? Just by studing how companies succeed? I have a minor in business and we studied both successful and unsuccessful companies and why they succeeded or failed.
So basically Mr./Ms. Anonymous you are posting through your rectum just like Stern,O&A,"Bubba" et.al eject their feces over the airwaves.
Like someone else posted, XM had more subscribers than Sirius (prior merger) and we didn't have Stern as a crutch. As far as O&A on the old XM, I had absolutely no interest in listening to their piece of shit show. They (and pukes like them) are a waste of bandwith as far as I'm concerned.
"Even sfn points out his lack of interest in his own show, time to retire"
well then,argument settled! only "experts" of show evaluation can be read on SFN or Wackbag!
god forbid you form your own opinion on either site!you'll be read the riot act
cyber dorks still living at home over the age of 30 is a source i trust
WAVES HI TO ALL THE ABORTIONS AT WACKBAG!
you are kidding right even howard said that when he was meeting with xm they asked if having o and would be a problem, thus they were already there. You are either exceptionally stupid or dont listen to your own messiah (howie).
Pests and O&A always win in the end!
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6lvthn4&s=1&hid=4&tag=opie+anthony
I couldn't care less whether or not Oprah and Martha Stewart leave or not; however the main reason why I like Sirius XM is to listen to it's Sports coverage, hopefully they won't lose MLB, the NFL or NCAA Football and Basketball, if they did my subscription might go with them.
doesn't anyone listen to music channels? they suck a little more now that they all have DJ's but at least it doesn't waste as much money as they do on Stern.
In B-school, we definitely studied companies like this. This would be a classic in a basic Corp. Strategy class. As far as Mel goes, this is hubris.
"I'm a shareholder and a subscriber too. I lost money, but i'm still buying shares and I own two XM radios."
If you're still buying shares you, sir, are an idiot.
Like Howard or Not, he brings in the money. At minimum he attracts 2,000,000 subscribers. That amounts to around $408 million dollars of revenue per year. You would be a fool if you didnt pay him $100 million for that type of revenue.
So, what is wrong with radio wars? It's not like regular radio is offering anything worth listening to. How much more interesting would radio be if Scott and Todd went after Tom Lykas?
Whether or not when O and A calling out their "pests" is a bit, it doesn't matter, they are getting paid to do their job.
Howard has not done his job. For a half billion dollars he was supposed to bring the masses to satellite radio. I am sure a fair amount followed him to see what "unrated" Howard would be like. Well, the people who jumped to satellite to pay his salary heard cursing and got descriptions of naked women. Whoopee!!! That was what Howards Pay Per Views were for. But that wasn't enough, they had his show plus other channels dedicated to him like he was a pariah.
All of those who paid for Sirius when Howard jumped, do you feel your getting your half a billion dollars worth? When the subscription bill comes in, do you say to yourself "Wow, Howard is worth my hard earned money!"
In a nutshell, Howard is the Andy Rooney of the radio. People only listen to him because they found him entertaining years ago and have been waiting for him (just like Andy Rooney fans) to either retire or be of some value again.
O and A on the other hand have been doing what they have done since they started in radio, which is entertain their fans whether it be 3 or 30 million. They do something Howard hasn't done in many years, which is give a damn...
All of the arguing over Howard, O&A, Oprah, sports channels, etc. misses a larger point. All of those broadcasters are currently only heard on one medium: satellite (I'm not counting bit torrents, downloads, etc). The music channels, however, CAN be heard in other ways: Internet, FM radio (granted, it's terrible), iPods, etc. Without those personalities and exclusive sports programming, there is no compelling reason for satellite. Now, I love the music channels but the only reason I pay $13/month is for the exclusive content. Without them I cancel my subscription and plug in my iPod, stream Pandora over my iPhone or computer, etc. So personalities - love 'em or hate 'em - help attract and keep subscribers.
"O and A on the other hand have been doing what they have done since they started in radio, which is entertain their fans whether it be 3 or 30 million."
30 million?bwhahahahahahahaha
you had it right at 3
if stern called it in and is just "mediocre" now,what do you call that failboat show at k-rock?
sum up that show..
bitch
moan
talk about some youtube vids
talk about howard
make excuses why your failing
go check out TMZ
lull you into a coma
the end
Stern Dead weight huh? That's why O&A cant stop talking about him right? What makes me laugh is O&A fans are so jealous of stern and his money. Like if they're the ones on the radio. it's hilarious.
Get it through your head moron. SWTERN DOES NOT CARE ABOUT O&A!!! THEY SPEND ALL DAY TALKING ABOUT HIM> HE DOESN"T MENTION THEIR NAMES!! RADIO WARS ARE DUMB OLD BITS!!! Stern doesn't spend a minute of his show worry about how O&A are stealling every bit he's ever done. look who's talking about listening to their messiah. You take everything O&A say...(Which are lies out of jealousy) and u take that as gospel. Get serious, and cut the crap fool.
How do you figure that O&A give a damn? They're in it for the money just like anyone else is. Just because they're not making 100 min doesn't mean they're not making good money. The problem is that it kills them that they can't make anything close to what howard makes. O&A are copies of howard. O&A wish they could have ever had a fraction of the ratings howard got. He brought over at least 2 million subs. What the hell has O&A done? O&A are entertaining, so is Howard. You say that Howard isn't entertaining is because O&A say he's not. You're too stupid to listen for yourself and form an opinion of your own. I like O&A. But those lame radio wars are boring. That's not creative. Howard was doing it in 1990. Come on!
You guys are thinking way way too simply. Aviation weather distribution via satellite is a major technological breakthrough, enough that someone like Garmin will pick this company up just for that purpose. You people think satellite radio is about Howard Stern? Nonsense. This is a totally different way of distributing information that does not exist in any other form. It will be propped up not by little investors who have no idea what they are buying, not by subscribers bitching over this DJ or that program, but by some super-wealthy people and companies who understand the incredible invention that is satellite radio. Thank goodness for people who can hang onto their money despite the government's greed long enough to actually innovate technology in this country.
I have been a subscriber for 6 years. I pay over 27 bucks a month. I would probably cancel If stern was booted. I like the show, I love sat radio, I don't think that talent is the major problem. Oem installs dropping and the combined debt of both companies, had more to do with it.