SIRI Intraday Updates Friday 5/22/09

[imromo24]

Your absolutely right, sending a satellite signal to a moving vehicle that can pick up the same station coast to coast, in the middle of the desert, in the middle of the northern woods of michigan, is sooooo outdated technology.

What Sirius really should have done was use cell phone technology that has to switch towers...doesn't cover remote locations...and buffering...yeah, something super advanced like that. LOL.

I wonder why the government still uses outdated satellite surveylance when the future is in terrestrial!

GPS will probably go to cell phone location soon too, to catch up with the times (well ok, that would work using 3 towers, but not in the woods)

[imromo24]

What are you suggesting? The because you don't want an iPod that Sirius XM should ignore the hundreds of millions of people who do? I totally understand that there are people who don't want ipods (I happen to have 2), that being said, more people have ipods then Sirius XM and I bet people with ipods are MORE likely to purchase Sirius XM.

I have 10-15 yr old cousins that have ipods and ipod touches and guess what? In 5 years they will be able to buy their own Sirius XM sub at the age of 15-20 and you will be "younger than 40." I want to target the kids with 20 more years of consumer spending.

If you werent trying to make a point, I apologize but, it sounded like you were suggesting that hundreds of millions of ipod owners must be crazy.

yes i was making a point, no offense meant and none taken. Being under 35 means i came out of college and began having disposable income and been looking for entertainment during the rise of the ipod, but its not designed for the overworked. my xmp3, now that was designed for me, an engineer.

I also want them to target the younger generation, but the fact is, the elementary school crowd has more time on their hands then they know what to do with. yes the next step for them now is moving to what i called earlier, the GIANT IPOD...but now that i think about it, pandora should call itself the "automated ipod"...

Pandora is just the ipod growing up. And when its all grown up..it will be called SIRIUS XM.

[imromo24]

Everyone criticizes me but, look at the lack of advancement, look at the grade everyone has issued for their marketing efforts, and then look at their share price over the last couple of years. I would say that I am pretty damn realistic.

Here is a good quote from an article, related to advertising, and probably the #1 reason sxm is not HUGE...

The rise and rise of the penetration of satellite TV into American homes has come at the expense of cable TV. Cable TV is on the decline at an ever increasing rate, and although its demise may be some time away, it will eventually happen. Not only is this an example of superior technology replacing inferior technology, the downfall of cable TV is being accelerated by the overtly aggressive promotion policies of the satellite TV providers. http://www.articlesbase.com/televisi...tv-741188.html

[imromo24]

I suggest that people read up on satellite technology, we will be launching new satellites soon.. Maybe someone can find out what this new launch has on board...


Military use of sats http://www.aero.org/publications/cro...er2002/08.html

[imromo24]

30% more power, better reception, stationary

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/si...satellite.html

[imromo24]

...

This new satellite - as well as the current satellites - will use a fancy "overlay modulation" technique, which will add an additional 1.35 Mb/s throughput. That's an additional 30% increase in throughput, and that's set to rollout as early as next year.


The reason? Most likely it's the SIRIUS Satellite Video that we've been hearing so much about. Afterall, the ability to download The Backyardigans while driving in your 2008 Jeep definitely will require some additional bandwidth... no doubt we'll see some sound quality improvements from this as well.

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/si...tellit-59.html

[imromo24]

Increasing coverage for more advanced wearable receivers...tada! jackpot


http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/info-on-sirius.html

With 140 terrestrial repeater towers under Sirius' belt, and a "significant number" of repeaters being added this year, it's obvious that Sirius feels that they need more redundancy in its signal. It also definitely seems like Sirius is working to improve reception for portable/wearable receivers. Great news for subscribers (really great), but none of this stuff is free either.

[relmor2003]

I would never own an Ipod. I didnt own a cell phone until 2006.
Im a very very good example of a consumer type, if you can get me, you can get a ton of business. I rarely upgrade my technology(except computers). I dont run out and buy new gadgets. I have a friend who buys every new hot gadget. His garage is littered with THOUSANDS of dollars of failed technology, or things he bored of, or broke and never replaced.All the latest gizmos. You name, refrigerator, washer, computer monitor, program, apps, portable devices, ipods, iphone, iunderwear, you name it.
Me, better be worth it.
I have never owned an mp3 player. Never owned an Ipod. And I dont use an Iphone or Blackberry. I dont download music to my computer. I dont buy bluetooth, whitetooth, or anyother teeth.
When I do buy , I buy the best. Period. If I add it to my life, I add the best. I am not a music junkey. I dont listen to music over 3 hours a day.
1. IPhone. Waiting for Verizon. Why? Verizon is the best of course.
2. No Blackberry? Why, my phone works, and Im waiting for the Iphone. Why spend money on an expensive phone that isnt the best.
3. Mp3 player. No time, too much effort to keep my music fresh, and find what I want.
3. Ipod. Again.... Im not paying to download songs. Period. Songs are like the wind, its resonating sound waves that hit your ear. As much of these sound waves you can get to hit your ear for less, you win. And make it good resonating air waves. No Janet Jackson.
4. My washing machine washes my clothes fine. Why upgrade to gadgets and gizmos.

Most people dont like hassle. They like easy. They like quality, and they like the best.
Sure, some people are cheap, prefer to spend time downloading songs, and playing with their little personal channels(rag on Pandora till the end of time, used it enough to know it sucks, it sucks hard, and it sucks bad) But its worth free.
5. I own satellie radio. Why? Im lazy. I turn it on, it works, doesnt matter where I am. I listen to all my favorite artists, genres, and I dont have to think or spend a second to do it. Im like most Americans, too busy to **** around with my music lists. Kids have time. Kids also dont have anymore money. When they grow up, and do, they will buy satellite radio.
If your a star wars nerd of radio, you might be that guy that screws around with his ipod in his car... etc...
Those consumers were never your target market in the first place. If you can get me, you can get a lot of people. Just need exposure. Dont become Eagle Snacks.(best chip ever made, found nowhere now).

Now thats why they have 15 million subs in such a short time. Why they will get 5 million more is they are reaching out to the music junkies, and the younger kids(ipod , iphone apps)internet use... Etc... These are new technologies that Siriusxm is embracing. Sure, they might not have the best internet interface, but thats an easy fix. Nothing can fix internet radio.

O, and im also like most adults. I listen to the radio for more than music. I like comedy, news, and sports. You know, im actually tired of this arguement. Charles, im going to say this one more time.
Pandora sucks bro. So does Slacker. Its free for a reason, and its a failed business model. Get back to me in 5 years. See where your little Slacker goes.

Only competition for SATRD is themselves. Only they can defeat themselves. Not saying they wont....
But It wont be because of their quality, or technological capabilities.

[SD-08]

Everything Relmor said AND,

If satelite technology is dead then why are they spending the time and money to send more up?

If Sirius and their mgmt is so clueless, then why did Liberty just invest $540m and clear all of the debt worries through 2009?

Marketing? (I love this complaint) MARKET WHAT???????

Incredibly, sirius has reached synergy and cost cutting goals in a very short time since the merger. BUT, it's not like merging Home Depot and Lowe's, they can't just paint the building and put a new sign on it. They're still 2 services and will be for awhile.......How and why would you market that?

Charles, I appreciate you taking both sides and I actually WANT to hear more about the concerning issues to keep me on my toes, however, I'm really surprised at your lack of patience in what is happening here....

It was only 5 months ago when everyone wanted to hang Mel because he was trying to steal the company from us thru BK or going private. (which would've been very believeable in this economy)

NOW, we are where we are BECAUSE of Mel, merger complete, debt cleared thru 2009 (not just one piece at a time), MASSIVE cost savings (to the point of making us EBIDA positive), and ready to move forward. ALL in the worst economy and credit market of our lifetimes.

AND YOU THINK THEY SUCK?

I SAY,

Lay low, continue to work quietly behind the scenes, while the economy sucks.

DON"T spend hundreds of millions of dollars starting a marketing campaign when you haven't even finished recreating your image and product, ALL for a few extra subs because the economy sucks. (because BTW, once you START a big marketing campaign, you NEVER stop)

SIRIUS will be $350m EBIDA positive with less than 9 mil autos sold AND a 2.4% self pay churn AND no IPHONE app. So just let it happen. Stay lean, cut costs, & continue on the BIG plan (if you don't think they have a big plan than you're not paying attention).

I think that alone makes us money. When the auto sales return, we'll be ready and running smooth. Our saturation rate will be much higher and we'll be making money..............

GIVEN THAT,,,,,,I do believe some INCREDIBLE things are on the way and it will ALL be thanks to MEL. You Mel haters will be eating your words........

[john]

I am not one to pile on but really, Mel could not have done much better.I have also said much of what "SD-80" has said before about the lack of marketing. Markert what????? Charles why do you think advertising revnue has gone down everywhere??? Come on you know exactly why. I know I know, you are going to say there are other ways like with Stern and twetter or something like that. My only question is, when all you genuses came up with this idea, did any of you think it was not just up to Mel/SIRIXM but that Stern might have had something to say about that, lets remember noone knows what ether Mel or Stern are thinking or what is going on in the background conserning contracts and what each is willing to do to get his way in that contract. There is one thing I know when it comes to haggling over money and that is everything and I MEAN EVERYTHING is used as a negotiating tool. I have no doubt that many people like to think (from what I have read so far about this issue from many of you) that it would just be as easy as asking Stern to do something as simple as twitter, not while they are trying to lower Sterns contract amount (and I dont doubt that Mel has come after Stern).



So in the end why dont you step back look at the big picture and see what Mel has been able to accomplish in such a short time.


On a final note, you know I used to own a few ice cream/fast food shops and there would be nothing that would get under my skin more then some jack ass customer (with no background in the business or a business for that matter) coming up to me and saying hey you should try this idea or do this or the other. I would (in a nice way) say, trust me we have tried or thought about it and it doesnt work for reasons you could not even start to think of. So before you all start to talk about all the things that could have been done or should have been done, remember this, Mel has been in the business alot longer then all of you and knows more about the business then most of you combined. Trust me Mel doesn't need some jack ass that used to own a development company or a couple of ice cream shops telling him what he should be doing when it comes to radio. Now if he is having a house being built, I can help him out with some ideas.