There's a YouTube video up called "Farmer Mel" that attacks the Sirius-XM merger, and in a pretty personal matter I might add.
Watch the video below (RSS/Email subscribers may need to click to see the video, trust me, it's worth it).
Now here's the kicker. The video was created by C3SR (or the "Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio") and encourages viewers to visit their website and "let the FCC know that you oppose a satellite radio monopoly." (UPDATE: For what it's worth, they make no secret of this, the end screen shows that C3SR produced it.)
In an effort to garner support (or views), the NAB sent out an email blast sent out to members asking them to watch it:
From: "John David"
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007
Subject: YouTube Video Pokes Fun at Satellite Radio MonopolyI want to be sure you see this humorous depiction of the proposed XM/Sirius merger-to-monopoly posted to YouTube by the Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio. After you have viewed it, I hope you will visit the Web site, www.c3sr.org, and send an email to the Federal Communications Commission opposing this monopoly. XM and Sirius have increased their number of pro-merger comments by tapping into their subscriber base, and those who oppose this merger need to have their voices heard.
Feel free to forward to your friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp8RCneVcrQ
John David
Executive Vice President/Radio
National Association of Broadcasters
1771 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone 202.429.5305 and Fax 202.775.3523
jdavid@nab.org
How nice. Nothing like a little co-marketing to help boost a social media campaign. If you're wondering where a bunch of college students got the budget to create such a video, just remember C3SR is supported by the NAB.
UPDATE: Apparently C3SR doesn't quite enjoy comments to the video that oppose their view. The following comment was just deleted:
fcukradio
What transparent bull5h!t. What it really should say is, "Paid for by Clear Channel and CBS - two companies who now realize what they've done to radio. The consequences of greed are being realized. You've taken all that terrestrial radio had to give and have bankrupted yourselves. There's no more costs to cut, no more talent to bleed and no more viability. Rot in hell.
Guess they don't like that whole "transparency" aspect of social media. Apparently so much so that comments are now turned off on the video (except for pro-NAB comments of course).
No worries, you can still add a comment to the video creator's profile page: jbrady82.
YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Well that was fast. Comments to the video are turned back on. Bombs away.
That video was funny as hell man..!!
Hey,Can we get a link to this video page so we can voice our opinions of this complete bullshit (of a "video").
Seems to me like NABs throwning out their secret weapons by hiring 10 yr olds to make pathetic videos like these (oh..and banners..).
They've clearly gone too far with their non-sense attemp of blocking this merger.
I wont be surprised if they hire bin laden next to say how bad this merger is for the economy.
long live the nab
The chicken sh*ts disabled comments for the video. Just when I was having fun posting comments.
Ryan,
You know I am a fan of yours but at the end of the video it says it was produced and brought to you by Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio, C3SR. Heck, they even give out their website.
I know these guys are not real grass roots, and I know you are a fan of the merger Ryan, but we will have to agree to disagree. I am so against this merger.
"I blame the whites"
"I blame the blacks"
Will these two sides ever agree?
okay, good...we now have a vid of how the NAB feels about the SatRad and the merger.
if anyone's been looking to find how SatRad and the pro-merger people feel, do a google-search for "tubgirl"...
Yeah, I just noticed the end screen and have updated the post to reflect that. Oddly, I didn't notice it when I was writing this post.
I do like how they've turned off comments to the video since I posted this.
The thing is, even though you and I disagree Squeaky, I think everyone's voice should be heard. The opposing views are what makes this interesting.
Ryan,
You may want to point out that if you click on the link to C3RP to post comments about the merger they indicate in itlalics that they are only collecting comments in opposition to the merger -- comments supporting the merger will not be submitted through that link.
I never thought YouTube was all that great to waste time on, because I don't feel around through shit to find entertainment...and now having wasted my time, C3SR owes me 91 seconds of my life back. At the cost of $12.95 for not listening to my satellite radio like I was, and based on 31days in this month, I'll be waiting for my check of $0.000655. Actually they should just save the check and not sacrifice on lame YouTube video budgets.
Pro merger more than ever.
I find the comments humorous -- what really stands out is that there are STILL people who think a merger means they will get NFL and MLB on a single receiver as part of their subscription, or XM's music plus NASCAR or XM's music plus NFL, whatever.
Whether we would EVER see such a combined content offering is total speculation, and they have certainly stopped well short of any such commitment.
My favorite part was Mel putting up repeater towers everywhere...yeah, that's what Sirius is famous for; the VAST repeater network that makes home reception so simple!!!
OT: Ryan, what happened to the user verification system?
Somebody needs to do one for the Merger
Does You Tube allow Commercials? I see it as just that.
Well, I don't have the time nor the internet connection speed to do it, but someone should rip and re-upload it in their own account, with the same tags/keywords, and but a title that better reflects the truth of the matter. And allow all the obscene comments you want. It works for everything else.
I do not understand why people are pro-merger and why they all of the sudden trust Mel to do what is best for the subscriber. He never did what was best for the listeners of CBS radio?
He will bleed XM of its unique programming and add babbling DJs to the music channels like Sirius. Also, there will be Stern promos and Martha ads every two seconds... oh and the ads. You don't think Mel won't start selling ad air time o most if not all channels?!?!
And the ala carte business is crap. it will cost more for what you have right now.
With all of this, please, someone, explain WHY they are pro-merger?
@RoadRunner: Since the server migration, the TypeKey user verification system has stopped working. I've tried to figure it out, but just haven't had the time.
It's one of the many things on my list that need to still get fixed.. sorry about that.
Rehr has sunk to his rear on this one-
Here is my comment I posted on Youtube:
"This video is a joke as it's done by C3SR who is supported by those scumbags the NAB- Since when are they concerned about the public- they have been programming crappy radio for years, and they also support HD radio- so the issue is they are not concerned about a so-called monopoly- but they don't want the competition- If you pay for satellite radio how is it a monopoly to terrestrial radio- I hope this merger goes through"
TVGenius - awesome idea. instead of producing your own better video, just sabatoge someone else's work. ugh.
•The Squeaky Wheel
I have Sirius. I've yet to hear a Martha Stewart or Howard Stern ad while listening. Maybe it's just the only listening to music channels, news/talk and sports...but not one time heard by me in two years of subscribing. And only the non-music channels have commercials that are around 4-6min per hour for the most part. And I love Sirius DJs. And hasn't XM bleed talent to FREE radio with letting O&A be non-exclusive, already?
"And the ala carte business is crap. it will cost more for what you have right now."
-No. My subscription now is $12.95/month and, as is says on the Sirius website, customers who continue multi-reciever accounts are still $6.99. If I choose to upgrade to a dual reciever in the future, I'll have more options with the lineups, but my current reciever will get ALL of Sirius and 11 top XM channels. 50 channels could now cost someone looking for only news and music $7, and gives options to pick as the subscriber see fit. I'm already looking forward to getting a new reciever post merger and getting the XM sports package...$10, and still less then $12.95/month to hear it. And possibly the top 11 channels from both sides will be a valuable sell to current subscribers to get the $16.99 instead of two $12.95 per company. There are savings and nobody is forced to buy anything they don't already have to hear what they already have.
"You don't think Mel won't start selling ad air time o most if not all channels?!?"
-Running ads in music channels puts satellite at odds with customers who pay for commercial free music, and gives free radio and any entertainment that chooses to advertise against it fair game of ads of 'why pay for commercials' and will cost subscriptions. Basically current subscribers are smart to what they're paying for now and what they expect from the merger, if it happens. Lying to them will cost Sirius/XM in the long run by former subscribers telling others not to buy, terrestrial radio advertising against it, etc. They've made their plans and need to follow through.
I'm pro merger because a lot of the options of dual recievers being made availabe. 'A la carte' options most likely won't happen if they don't merge. I will be able to get MLB and NHL, without money going to XM only as I pay for Sirius and it being a lower monthly fee. I see two very great companies with more options as one, because they'll be able to do more.
george: "instead of producing your own better video, just sabatoge someone else's work. ugh."
funny...one could say the same thing about the NAB's attempts to sabotage a clearly superior business model and broadcasting medium instead of either being innovative and developing it themselves.
wouldnt there be more towers if they didnt merge...
I'm neither for nor against the merger, but I'm very much against the NAB. From the beginning, they've been disingenuous, and stuff like this just goes to show that they'd rather be insulting than honest.
It'd be one thing if the facts were on their side, but they're not. So the NAB has to twist reality and use stuff like this to try to win their point. Personally, I have a feeling that most people see through their facade.
lem·ming /ˈlɛmɪŋ/
–noun
1) any of various small, mouselike rodents of the genera Lemmus, Myopus, and Dicrostonyx, of far northern regions, as L. lemmus, of Norway, Sweden, etc., noted for periodic mass migrations that sometimes result in mass drownings.
2) a subscriber pushing for merger believing that the needs/desires of the subscriber outweigh shareholders and Wall Street performance expectations.
Mr.Anderson: "Lemming - 2) a subscriber pushing for merger believing that the needs/desires of the subscriber outweigh shareholders and Wall Street performance expectations."
what about those of us who are both subscribers and shareholders and are pushing for the merger? got any nifty nicknames for us?
Yeah - SUCKERS!
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