Here it is - the beginning of the end of 2005. And as always with year-end celebrations, predictions for what's to come in the following year are in order. Who knows if any of these will ever come true, but one thing we do know is that in the kooky and crazy world of satellite radio, 2006 will prove to be one hella ride. So let's pass the peace-pipe around and conjour up ideas for what may or may not be.
Here are my top ten predictions for the satellite radio industry for 2006. Feel free to add your $0.02 (or more) and we can build the perfect predictions list together. Then we can hold hands, do some pushups and maybe a round of yoga together (like Ricky).
Anyway, enough of this palaver! On with the list! Check out my useless satellite radio predictions after the jump...
- An Uber-Multimedia-Portable-Handheld Satellite Radio/Video On Demand/MP3 Player/PDA/GPS/WiFi Detector/Cellphone device will be unveiled by a manufacturer who has no business trying to develop such a thing. The device will flop.
- The NAB will once again denounce Satellite Radio as a non-threat to their empire because they have unveiled iBiquity's new "HD-Podcasting" technology delivering traffic and weather reports on their major market station's websites. Yet another multi-million dollar ad campaign will insue. No one will care.
- An add-on attachment for the Sirius S50 will be released making it a fully portable live on-the-go satellite radio receiver. A comment war will commence on Orbitcast arguing who is better: Opie & Anthony or Howard Stern.
- XM Satellite Radio, AOL, Network LIVE, and DirecTV will announce the forming of a new spin-off company called XM Satellite Entertainment. A comment war will commence on Orbitcast arguing who is better: Opie and Anthony or Howard Stern.
- "XMelot" will be added to the Oxford Dictionary. No one other than Orbitcast readers will care.
- Both SIRIUS and XM will announce an all out podcasting initiative and hire hoards of podcasters because it's lots of press and these guys will work for free.
- Oprah will not join with SIRIUS in 2006 but we will hear a ton of chatter that she will. 2007 will be the year of the Oprah.
- The RIAA/Satellite Radio dispute will go into arbitration in hopes that they can force SIRIUS and XM to pay higher music royalties. They will lose, and both XM and SIRIUS will not have to pay a dime. There will be much rejoicing at The Eck and McGraw-Hill Building.
- XM's Marketing Team will curse the naming of the the XM2go product line as they try to figure out how to market the XM2go2.
- ...who cares, year-end predictions suck ass.
Hey, I loved your 8 ball image; may I borrow it with links and props, for a blog post? I'm going to go ahead and post it, and if you object, I'll take it down as soon as you say the word.
Thanks!