XM subscribers backlash over O&A suspension

Crap they really should hire more then two reps to handle those 20 phone calls....

if a DJ falls in the forest with a 0.0 does anyone really care?

Seriously- good for them they should quit and show XM that they wont put up with this crap.

I love the fact that some of these guys smashed their radios. What's the point in that? Way to stick to the man, keep smashing those radios. The pests are some hardcore mofo's. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Keep smashing those radios you toolbags. That's the dumbest thing ever.

shhhhh pness. When XMs get smashed, Siriusi are next. Its only logical.

I can understand the backlash here! It's not even because of the original on-the-air event that they were suspended! It's because XM didn't think they were taking the whole matter seriously. Is that really worth suspending them over?

I have 4 subs. Will be cancelling 3. Hopefully I will be offered a free Sportster. (yech) The site is blowing up! Keep up the good work Ryan.

Wow this really is pathetic and shamefull.

Once again you OandA fans prove just how bright you are. Smashing your radios/cancelling subs giving more power to the FCC and NAB. If you just chill the fuck out and wait for this to blow over they will prob come back.

Funny that you morons didnt see the better company from the start. This is what I mean by poor managemt at xm.

You haters are not seeing the big picture. This is going to siginficantly impact the radio we listen too. This started with Imus who know's where it will end.

There is no big picture, you are not seeing the real picture. They were not fired for what they and the homeless man said about Condi, they were fired for mocking the apology they made. It pissed XM off and they suspened them for it. This has nothing to do with free speech, this has to do with a boss being pissed at their employees. They are the ones to blame, not XM. It's amazing that O&A fans can see that, they pissed XM off by mocking their apology, plain and simple.

Well, they haven't been fired, period, yet.

BenS - You are kind of missing the point about the apology. XM shouldn't have made them apologize to begin with.

I think O&A fans have a right to do whatever they want with regards to their subscriptions. If that means take the free time, cancel all together or burn your equipment (not sure I really understand why), that's their decision.

I believe they refer to this as the marketplace deciding.

the people over at wackbag are saying they are fired from xm.idiots are making gay vids destroing their radios in protest.

it's the best.

"shhhhh pness. When XMs get smashed, Siriusi are next. Its only logical."

Sirius will never be in this situation...Sirius would never run their company into the ground like xm is. XM guys need this merger more than sirius.

1) Howard is not stupid enough to put himself in this situation. IF HE DID he would go about it much wiser then IMUS or OandA

2) Of course no matter what decision a manager would make in a mess like this, consequences would be faced from different directions. Mel is a better business man and would not betray his loyal customers who have supported him and his company thus far. A better comprimise would have been made.

3)The fans of Sirius are not that selfish spoiled and pathetic that they would cancel subs and smash radios because stern left. They would be dissapointed but the fact is THE RADIO EXPERIENCE IS JUST BETTER THEN REGULAR RADIO.

so go back to terrestrial radio you fucking sell outs.

the most shocking thing of all is that anyone still listens to those unfunny washed-up has-beens

if a DJ falls in the forest with a 0.0 does anyone really care?

We get it. They have no listeners. For a show that doesn't have any listeners, it sure is getting a lot of attention these days (especially from the Howard fans).

It's called outrage over the way they've been treated by XM, and it's really the only thing the average listener can do to affect the situation. Maybe this situation will make the big corporations think twice before f*cking with the general public...

While personally I can't see destroying my radio (I'd like to make the money back if I could), I will be canceling my subscription when (or if) they announce that O&A are indeed terminated. I have an iPod and a CD player for music, thanks very much.

Ask yourself, 'sternfan', would you do the same if it was Howie in the same position? Would you be loyal to the brand that screwed over your favorite radio program?

Hey Sternfan...

Make sure you post your pics and vids after you burn your Sirius after when let go of Stern.

You're going to need a lot of gas to burn that dump truck-sized radio.

And then go eff your mother.

sternfan - I'm sure if Sirius canceled Howard tomorrow you wouldn't be upset with Sirius. I'm also sure that when Howard goes to the Hamptons for good at the end of his contract you will all stick around to listen to Bubba.

It must feel good to know that even with not being on XM today - more people listened to O&A than listened to Howard.

Ben S:
How did they mock their apology in the audio that is posted on Orbitcast?

I'm amazed that there are people who love a radio show enough to smash a radio worth at least a hundred dollars. Wow.

Ryan,

2 cancellations from me, and a buddy at work canceled his as well.

Dropping my 3 radios tonight until O and A back on air.

Ryan, I cancelled mine yesterday. I was on hold for 45 minutes. It sounded like chaos in the background.

Let's say 4000 people cancelled yesterday, which is the number that's being thrown around right now...

That's about 3/4 of a million dollars lost in one day in subscriptions.

In answer to Ryan's question about who canceled.

I canceled 1 radio and took 3 months free on my other one. I have been an XM subscriber since December 2001 so I didn't join for O&A but they have become a large amount of what I listen to. More than likely I will cancel the other sub after the baseball season.

Cancelled my two subs this morning.

dave, stop making sense.

I have to agree with a lot of what is being said here. I think it's stupid people want to smash their radios. Hell. I'm selling my airware off when I cancel. I'm not canceling just because of O and A, though that deffinetly is the last straw. Whether you are a stern fan or an op and ak fan, you have to realize that this just isn't good. I think howard will be next on some capacity. It's a shame this is going this way, but it'll give me more money to go buy a new mp3 player and I'll just start listening to internet radio a lot more. I grew up listening to both O and A and stern, and I'm impartial to the whole thing. for once, look at it as fans of sat radio, and not fans of competing shows!

Adam.

I have no idea how they mocked the apology. I don't see anything wrong with what they did. I'm a Stern fan, but I do not hate or dislike O&A, I've never heard them before yesterday in the clip on orbitcast. I'm just going by what XM said, "Comments made by Opie and Anthony on yesterday's broadcast put into question whether they appreciate the seriousness of the matter. The management of XM Radio decided to suspend Opie and Anthony to make clear that our on-air talent must take seriously the responsibility that creative freedom requires of them."

They did this to themselves by not moving on. They pissed XM off by saying what they did.

Their comments on the 15th. Were hardly critical of XM the management. They've been talking about this issue since Imus. The comments they made were no different than anything else they've said about it. XM felt they needed to respond to the homeless issue, so they did.

Ryan - I cancelled all my three of my XM Radios. My wife never got into OnA, her radio is still active.

Cancelled my account yesterday. Flushed, now onto buying a sirius and fucking my mother.

"selfish and spoiled"? You sir, are the definition of an idiot.

I cancelled one of my three subs last night. to be fair, i had been meaning to do it since i upgraded to the inno but had not gotten around to it just yet. If O&A go I will probably be getting rid of my car sub and picking up an inno car kit for the small amount of time i spend in there.

I still got baseball...

and if by your accounts 5-6 million people joined sirius for howard, why would they stick around if he was cut?

try not to be hypocritical people

I have been a member of XM since 2001. I have five radios and have canceled all five of my subscriptions. I have not destroyed any of my radios but rather begun to either sell them or give them to family members/friends. I will not support a company that has decided the one true reason they exist (uncensored and unregulated content) no longer matters. I am Slacker bound now as XM's music is not worth the price of admission in my book. I think moves like this will only help make Slacker and other competitors that much more a formidable foe for Satellite Radio. This was an industry I believed in but now I believe they have begun to take the path to their eventual demise. Just to clarify I do not think losing Opie and Anthony is their end, but the fact that Satellite Radio is no longer the safe haven many people have believed in and people have subscribed for.

I think cancelling subscriptions is fine, but the guys who smashed their radios are idiots. What happens when/if O & A come back on? They have to go out and buy new radios and XM makes out. Pretty stupid. And I agree with Pete, sternfan should go eff his mother.

I joined just for Howard. If he was suspened or fired, I would still keep my sub. I've found that there's more to Sirius than Howard, like 100% commercial music. Something that no one else out there offers.

I hope O&A make it through this, it's so damn stupid. I don't see anything wrong with what they did, but XM did and that's all that matters.

I canceled mine this morning and a couple of my friends/relatives will be later today.

The only way HooHoo will wind up in a similar situation is if the Sirius board of directors finds some way to oust Melvin. As long as Melvin is in charge, Howie will never be fired.

Nobody in XM's upper management is going to stand up for the boys. Not E-Lo, and certainly not Panero. Not after flooding their inboxes with cock pictures and regularly mocking them on air.

XM won't stand behind the boys because that would just put them in line of fire to get shit on.

I joined Sirius just for Howard, if he was suspended or fired, I would not be cancelling my sub. I've found that there's more to Sirius than Howard, like 100& commercial free music, something no one else offers.

They totally mocked the apology. These egocentric clowns actually think that XM launched the sats, spent 100's of millions so they could they could do their frat boy skits with impunity. The whole dialog was about them even to the point of enlisting support from other jocks. Pathetic. I don't blame XM for suspending them or firing them. It't not about them or free speech. It's about a business enterprize making a profit and ROI for the shareholders. What they said originally was a total piss off to many non O&A fans. A contrite apology would have put it to bed, but when they came back with the pompus BS on day two it was over the top.

Ronman

Also...

Ryan, love you love your blog.

I'm waiting for an official announcement before I do anything. DugoutDoug may be close to the boys, but his word is not THE word.

I dropped my two XM subs. While I do like the music XM offers, I refuse to pay a dime to a spineless company that makes moves like that. I pay a monthly fee for a premium service that allegedly offers uncensored content. XM made it very clear with this move that they will make their service as politically correct as congress wants it to be for this merger to go through. I'm just not ok with that.

I'll consider resubscribing if XM ever grows a pair.

I cancelled.

If you're curious about numbers, there is a 500 post long (and growing rapidly) thread at Wackbag.com called Cancellation Roll Call. Each post is a Wackbag member who has cancelled, many with multiple subs.

Whether you like O&A or not is irrelevant to the issue at hand. The simple fact is that this sets a terrible and scary precedent for the satellite communications industry as a whole and is a slap in the face to everyone who was draw in by the promise of the free and unfettered broadcast of ideas and communications. Fan loyalties aside, this is a disgusting situation that needs to be taken seriously by everyone who is a proponent of freedom in broadcasting.

>> I've found that there's more to Sirius than Howard, like 100& commercial free music, something no one else offers. >>

Gee, I never hear commercials on my iPod. Do you?

This is so frustrating. Talk about phonies. Eric Logan, Pinero, Abrahms all appeared on the show. They knew what it was about.

I think a Class Action is in order, and I hope XM goes in the dumper.

lc

i'm not cancelling just yet. if O&A get fired, i'm gone. i'm also planning to jump to sirius if 202 gets watered-down b/c of XM's new zero-tolerance policy towards "uncensored" radio. i really like what i've heard from sirius' music stations via my dish network, so if 202 loses it's edge b/c of this, i won't have any reason to stick w/ XM.

I have cancelled my less than 6 month into 3 year pre-paid subscription.

gone. bye bye.

Hey Bens.

Do you remember when Stern was a champion of free speech? I'm sure he wouldn't let a petty radio war get under his skin would he and become a total hypocrite. No one needs your support, but if you look around its pretty serious for people not named Stern if you give two shits. He's not going to be around forever.

>>>>>Gee, I never hear commercials on my iPod. Do you?>>>>

I don't have to load my Stiletto with music either. The content is already there.

I cancelled

Cancelled my online service. Only regret is I don't have hardware to destroy in protest.

This is inexcusable on XM's part.

>> I don't have to load my Stiletto with music either. The content is already there. >>

Oh yeah that's some hard work there, putting music on my iPod. Phew!

The reason people are destroying their radios rather than sell them is that if they give it to someone or sell it, it will be reactivated and counted as a sub. Destroying it speaks volumes as far at XM's sub total is concerned.

Adam...if you look closely at the history of DJ's and suspensions, you'll see that suspension is only a precursor to firing. They are pretty much gone.

Let's they DO come back, hypothetically...XM will have effectively neutered them and the show will not be the same. There are other ways to listen to O and A without being a subscriber. No problem. XM picked the wrong battle to fight.

So WOW becomes OWW - Out of Work Wednesday

>>Oh yeah that's some hard work there, putting music on my iPod. Phew! >>

Didn't say it was hard. It's just nice not to have to load it up. Plus I can listen to the NFL during the season while I'm out and about.

Hey you Stern idiots: If we want "commercial-free" music, we'll switch back to our $0/month iPods.

I subscribed to XM for one and only one reason: Listening to Opie and Anthony. If XM doesn't think my subscription is worth it, I'll "suspend" it until Opie and Anthony are back on the air.

(I don't get the "burning my radio" thing, either. It's much better to flush it down the toilet, F**K my mother, and GET SIRIUS, right? At least, that's what Dragon Wagon learned...)

I personally canned 3 subs yesterday, took 4.5 hours to cancel, was hung up on while on hold 12 times.

Haven't cancelled yet, but am still considering cancelling at least one of my two radios. Unfortunately, I like a lot of the other stuff XM has to offer...Baseball, hockey, Fox Sports Radio, great music channels. I'm definitely doing the emailing and calling thing, though trying to keep it as civil and explitive-free as possible. I realize the fans are pissed, but telling management to go fuck themselves isn't going to get us anywhere...Hopefully, other Pests are being firm, yet not crossing the line and making us all look like assholes.

The destroying of radios is a really stupid thing to do as mentioned already...First, if O&A come back, you'll have to buy a new unit if you want to hear them. If they do get fired, sell the radio on eBay or Craigslist...No sense smashing it.

Even if I cancel XM, I can't see myself jumping over to Sirius. Other than the NFL and Blue Collar Comedy Channels, they have nothing I'd want. I've heard their music channels on Dish Network, and in my opinion, they suck compared to XM. Boneyard is better than Hair Nation or any of Sirius's other hard rock channels...Squizz beats Octane hands down...Liquid Metal has a better playlist than Hard Attack, though I wish they'd get rid of Coolguy...XM's country channels are far better...I think the main thing for me is the deeper playlists on most of XM's channels, not including the "hits" channels, which are designed to be repetitive.

QUOTE: "Let's say 4000 people cancelled yesterday, which is the number that's being thrown around right now... That's about 3/4 of a million dollars lost in one day in subscriptions."

======================================================

To put it into perspective: 4,000 cancelations is only $552k in subscriber revenue per year, not $750k. Calculated as 4,000 x ARPU of $11.34 x 12 months = $544k in annual subscriber revenue.

If you think that $544k is a lot, consider that Xm is on track for total revenue of $1.1 billion in 2007. Even if 100,000 subscriptions are lost, youre talking about them losing only $13.6 million in subscriber revenue. (100,000 x 11.34 x 12 = $13.6 million)

$13.6 million is only 1.2% of the total revenue for the year. And thats assuming that 100,000 subscribers quit, which is a huge and likely immensely bloated figure.

I hate to say this, I like O and A, but if you think that this is going to hurt the company financially, then that is a very naive belief.

Haven't cancelled yet, but am still considering cancelling at least one of my two radios. Unfortunately, I like a lot of the other stuff XM has to offer...Baseball, hockey, Fox Sports Radio, great music channels. I'm definitely doing the emailing and calling thing, though trying to keep it as civil and explitive-free as possible. I realize the fans are pissed, but telling management to go fuck themselves isn't going to get us anywhere...Hopefully, other Pests are being firm, yet not crossing the line and making us all look like assholes.

The destroying of radios is a really stupid thing to do as mentioned already...First, if O&A come back, you'll have to buy a new unit if you want to hear them. If they do get fired, sell the radio on eBay or Craigslist...No sense smashing it.

Even if I cancel XM, I can't see myself jumping over to Sirius. Other than the NFL and Blue Collar Comedy Channels, they have nothing I'd want. I've heard their music channels on Dish Network, and in my opinion, they suck compared to XM. Boneyard is better than Hair Nation or any of Sirius's other hard rock channels...Squizz beats Octane hands down...Liquid Metal has a better playlist than Hard Attack, though I wish they'd get rid of Coolguy...XM's country channels are far better...I think the main thing for me is the deeper playlists on most of XM's channels, not including the "hits" channels, which are designed to be repetitive.

I'm not cancelling any of my subs until I find out whether or not they've been fired.

Cancelled today, been a very loyal xm fan before O&A even came on board, its a sad day for me.

I called XM around 4 PM yesterday threating to cancel...The lady offered me 3 free months of service on my two radios. I told her make it 6 and you have a deal...She said 4 and we compromised on 5 months of free service on my 2 radios...HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS!! There Wallets! Now I have XM service until October 18th 2007

After waiting on hold for about 30 minutes yesterday I was finally able to get through and cancel my XM account. They tried to offer me 2 months of free service which I declined.

>> I hate to say this, I like O and A, but if you think that this is going to hurt the company financially, then that is a very naive belief. >>

500k is still 500k - that's undoubtedly going to make a few waves, the least of which may be some layoffs.

And I guarantee it's going to be more than 4000 subs lost.

http://www.forgottenartistry.com/jpg/xm2.jpg

While I don't listen to O&A I find it sad that XM is now following in the footsteps of traditional radio.
I subscribed to XM so I would not have to deal with censorship or suspensions of what may be perceived as crossing the lines. Isn't that why they hired O&A?
When will XM cancel the comedy channels? Those comedians say some really outrageous things ;-)
I have been a subscriber of XM since 2001.

I think there's a difference between not letting someone speak publicly, and suspending a bunch of immature shock-radio-jocks who constantly push the limit of what is and isn't tasteless.

If I own a radio station and one of my employees says something offensive, it's my prerogative to fire them. That has nothing to do with freedom of speech. Let Opie and Anthony get their own radio station.

I am in favor of the service cancellations though... pay radio is stupid in the first place. Ask yourself, have you realized you're paying money so someone can say the word f*ck. Isn't it time to grow up?

You lay down with dogs, you get fleas.

Anyway, if they are true O&A fans, why not just unsubscribe for 30 days and then come back to listen to their pied pippers!?

I waited on hold for 45 minutes. Then I canceled. No O&A, no more money from this 4 year XM subscriber. XM's actions are completely unacceptable.

You haters are not seeing the big picture. This is going to siginficantly impact the radio we listen too. This started with Imus who know's where it will end.

God look at me trying to talk to retard zombies like they are people.

They got suspended (and will be fired) because of they might hurt the merger. PERIOD! Its all about $$$$$

I suspended my account for 30 days and I plan on cancelling if they aren't returned to the air by then. I figure if I cancel then I have nothing left to hold over their heads if they fire O and A.

Brian Smith: "Anyway, if they are true O&A fans, why not just unsubscribe for 30 days and then come back to listen to their pied pippers!?"

You do realize the people are cancelling and not just taking the free months as part of a statement. If O&A return, the subscribers may return. Just 'taking the bait', won't do a whole lot.

I suspended my account for 30 days and made it quite clear that I will be calling back in a month to cancel if Opie and Anthony aren't back. I don't see how cancelling gives me any leverage if Opie and Anthony are fired. If not as many people suspend/cancel their accounts as they think, then they can fire the boys without repercussions. At least now I can be part of a 2nd wave of mass cancelations if/when the boys are fired.

"but the fact that Satellite Radio is no longer the safe haven many people have believed in and people have subscribed for."

Just wait for the merger to go through. Then they wont have to take anyone serious. It was just a bad time and to save face in the world of responisible corporate mngment they had to do it.

as to the comment I made about xm fans being selfish and spoiled I was merely reflecting your PREMATURE actions to this situtaion. And how you just cant understand the fact that they have a responsiblity right now in the face of media. also 75 percent of the posts on this thread are how you all cancelled ur subs.....who fucken cares. Your acting like little girls. Like a sirius fan said before, they would be dissapointed if stern left, but see teh bigger picture of better quality radio.

I cancelled my subscription as soon as I got home yesterday, suspending sends no message to XM and taking the offered 1-6months of free service does even less

canceled my sub...

She offered me 6 free months...

I canceled my account last night, however, I didn't smash my radio due to the possibility of them being back. The rep I spoke to assured me that they will be back on june 15th, but that was probably part of a damage control script. He said he was a fan of the show, so I told him to go support www.peopleagainstcensorship.org and he said he's already signed up and has been telling people about the site all day long. I saw a post on FBA last night where someone said they canceled their 7 personal subscriptions and the 22 radios he had set up for his business account.

You just wait and see. Stern is going to get canned. But first, he's going to follow O&A and go back to Free Shit FM. You just wait. O&A will always win in the end.

I honestly feel bad for O&A but it makes me oh so happy seeing you girls get all awnry and sad and upset. I bet O&A would have more support if not for you fucking idiot scrubby pests, some excluded(like petey. even though he won't admit it, I think he really might see the big pic).

i cancelled

I picked XM (over Sirius) because of O&A. I've been a subscriber for three years... and I just cancelled. I haven't destroyed my receiver - I might resub if O&A come back. But, for the time being, XM can "go screw".

Your mom's box.

Stern killed XM and Testicle Radio.

Cancelled mine this morning, at 01:05 pm Eastern, there were 580 cancellations listed on whackbag

I am suspending my subscription for 30 days.. or something like that, I'll see what XM offers me to stay.

Why am I doing this? Cause O&A are on a pay service that can be blocked. There is no reason for this crap flying around now.

Cancelled yesterday 5/15. Took 40 minutes to get it done, was offered 3 free months but declined.

After being a loyal XM subscriber since Jan 05, I canceled 2 hours after the announcement was made. I refuse to pay for a service that sensors content that I pay for. I believe that the only way XM will understand my point of view is to spend my money elsewhere.

People say those who smashed their radios are idiots. I smashed my radio because I will NEVER subscribe to XM again. Only an idiot can't see the statement being made by smashing the radios.

Canceled my sub last night. Not just because I'm an OnA fan, but because I signed up for uncensored content. Granted, I ONLY signed up because of OnA, but on top of the amendment issues which are being ignored, the SOUND QUALITY of the music channels is absolutely HORRIBLE ! Personally, I think that anyone subscribing to either Satellite company in hopes of having hight quality audio fidelity flow through their home gear, is delusional and also being cheated.

IF the sound quality was decent (how about at LEAST 192 Kbps, but yes..that's unrealistic given the bandwidth restrictions), then I wouldn't have considered XM for just the TALK radio content. If I had signed up for music only, perhaps I might feel differently, but then again.... perhaps not. This isn't an issue of caring or not caring because of what I listen to. It's about free speech, and XM supporting their employees. Period.

So now, we can have all the black stations spew hate speech about whitey, and all the special interest groups will simply fade away into the night, until their agenda's are called upon, again.

Also, let's not forget that I WAS PAYING to hear content which individuals had the ability to BLOCK (XL) if they found it offensive. So thanks XM, but I don't need you to baby sit me. I'm a grown man who can watch himself. I don't need you or my local government telling me what I should and should not find entertaining, amusing or educational.

And I certainly hope that you clowns are ready for what may happen when Slacker comes to town. I hope that you are acquired by Sirius, and both entities are flushed down the toilet.

Go screw, XM.

> Sirius will never be in this situation...Sirius would never run their company into the ground like xm is. XM guys need this merger more than sirius.

Hahahahahaha, $2.70 per share Sirius has less to gain than $10+ per share XM? Brilliant!