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  1. PMO is offline
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    11-29-2008, 08:06 PM #1

    NAB Countermeasures, Continued

    Here is another item that makes Sirius XM look like a loser, when in fact it provides popular products and services within and far beyond the limits of terrestrial transmitter based stations. This one was published in a Midwest college town daily newspaper and makes it appear that Sirius XM's debt is insurmountable.

    I am long SIRI but think it is important to share such items with this board's participants:

    "Audience survey firms set to compete in market"
    By RANDY WRIGHT
    Published Saturday, November 29, 2008
    http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/...129Busi005.asp

    I suggested before and now I am openly urging Sirius XM management to do more to counter the negativity; afterall, it is aimed at, among others, Sirius XM subscribers, prospective subscribers, businesses, and investors. One of the main messages of such items (not necessarily in the hyperlinked item, but in others that I have read and listened to) is that ad-free, programming rich, subscription based radio is less desirable than the commercial laden, area business and local government oligarchy influenced programming on local radio. FWIW....

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    11-30-2008, 05:37 PM #2

    "NAB" Countermeasures?

    I've been thinking again (a dangerous thing), and it occurs to me that "NAB Countermeasures" in my thread title does not communicate my purpose. To be clear, there are plenty of forces in the media and related businesses and industries that have interest in seeing Sirius XM fail as a competitor to terrestrial radio systems, technololgies, and programming. But that's just business. Satellite radio needs to exist and flourish to counterbalance all other forms of media. In fact this is one of the arguments made during the merger proceedings. I am no expert, other than having a graduate degree in information and communication sciences, so I can only opine that mostly the battle for supremacy among the media giants is not about technology or programming content, not so much, but more about commanding access to listeners in ways that provide a return. Content delivery is not an end, per say, but a way to generate returns through advertising. While Sirius XM is effectively a monopoloy, satellite radio itself provides only one among multiple forms of radio and radio-like service. Satellite radio needs to exist and thrive to assure a diversity of choices for listeners. To compete, Sirius XM needs market share. To get, maintain, and grow its share the company needs to be portrayed positively in the print, radio, and television media. Based on what I read and hear, a majority of traditional radio businesses see satellite radio as a threat because of the subscription model. The threat on the traditional side is to vital advertising revenue streams. I can imagine that concern among traditional radio station managers and owners that rely on advertising. Moreover, I imagine even greater concern among advertisers that see Sirius XM as an impedement to pushing products and services to consumers. Maybe ... a hybrid Sirius XM busines model could assuage the angst in traditional radio and advertiser back offices. Such a model could remain subscription based but could, however, be advanced to accommodate product and service makers' ads on specialized channels. It's done on TV, afterall. For example, Ford, GM, and other automakers could be provided a channel of their own and to use as they see fit to get business. The automakers (businesses in any sector and industry), thinking creatively, could pipe the hottest news and information about their vehicles (or others products and services) in programs designed to educate and inform consumers-- and of course solicit their business. (Maybe Sirius XM is already doing this, but if so it could be expanded.) Jeep, to use a specific example that could be extended to radio, offers special outdoor events that appeal to consumers in their market. Imagine a 30-minute special program on satellite radio devoted to past, current, and upcoming events just for Jeep owners and new Jeep buyer-prospects? Traditional radio station operators could be offered the same content. Marketing people could have a field day with this concept. I am going on too long for a post so I'll close. I just hope somebody with vision is reading this and can effect change that will help make satellite radio appear more like a friend than a foe to traditional radio. It would be far better for SIRI, afterall, if satellite and terrestrial radio could reach an accommodation.