Sirius XM Pulls the Plug on BBC Radio 1
Although it has not officially been announced by Sirius XM, it has recently been confirmed that BBC Radio 1 has been dropped from the Sirius XM lineup. After their six year run, a recent announcement from the press office of BBC Worldwide confirms the fans worst fears.
“The BBC’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has been in partnership with SIRIUS Satellite Radio to broadcast Radio 1 on their main network, since 2005. This agreement has now unfortunately come to an end and BBC Worldwide are in current discussions with the satellite radio station to find ways to continue to bring popular music channel, BBC Radio 1, to the US audience. We will keep you posted.”
For the past 24 hours my inbox has been overflowing with irate fans who simply wanted an explanation or a little warning. Those same fans have since brought the fight to both twitter (#bringbackBBCR1) and the Sirius XM Facebook page (almost all the comments) to voice their displeasure. The good news here (if you believe the press release) is that all hope is not lost.
Obviously you can’t keep everyone happy all the time but, a little heads up to those loyal subscribers who were completely confused when they flipped on their Sirius XM radios on Monday morning, might have been nice. This isn’t the first time fans have had to tune in to learn their favorite station has been taken off the air but, I do hope it is the last.
I never worked in broadcasting. Nor have I any experience in the field. But I can tell you this – the options you are offering as replacements for the quality and experience of BBC Radio 1 do not stack up. They do not offer similar musical selections. They are insubstantial to the long-standing and award-winning audio content of the well-respected BBC. It does not take experience in the field to see straight away that BBC Radio far surpasses any youth oriented music broadcasted in the United States. I know that I am not the only one in America who feels this way – and it is time that you review the programming operations of XM-Sirius and reexamine your relationship with BBC Radio 1. Stop teasing us with silly press updates and scripted excuses on your Listener Care Line. Stand up and become the satellite server that not only kept BBC Radio 1 but brought other BBC programming to the United States!
BBC Radio 1 needs to be reinstated on SiriusXM as soon as possible. Surely there is room for whatever the Studio54 channel is going to be!
I’m fuming. This talk about finding the music on other Sirius channels is crap. It’s about so much more than the music – it’s the DJs, the morning show, the silly games like “Car Park Catch Phrase,” the ever-awesome “Live Lounge,” the local news, the local views, and hell, just the British accents.
I’m not going to find ANY of that on ANY other Sirius channel. Really, really displeased.
I am furious…I specifically pay for radio because I cannot stand local stations. I love BBC1 radio and will cancel my subscription if it is not brought back. I have found so many wonderful artists via this station and am disgusted to find it has been abruptly replaced with a disco station. We are told this by an automated voice message on our favorite station as well as where we can go to hear similar music. It is not just the music SiriusXM!!! It is the STATION…music, DJ’s, and all!!! I am ready to tell you where to go….
I’ll be canceling now.
I can source them online through my phone into my car speakers. You canceled what I valued most.
Distraught, fustrated and perplexed…
I’m a 6+ year subscriber with 2 Sirius subscriptions. One through the car and the second for my portable system (home/office). I never had to miss BBC Radio 1 until this week and it’s depressing!
The BBC statement above sounds more hopeful than anything else I’ve read online. So my fingers are crossed that it’s not the end to Sirius subscriber access to the brilliant radio programming format that is BBC Radio 1.
Sirus simply must work this out for its customers!!
I miss the Chris Moyles Show, and Scott Mills. This was the one channel I listened to in the morning on way to work. Now my drive lacks. Thanks a lot Sirius/XM.
Unhappy customer!
I only had SiriusXm for Radio 1, will save the money as the rest of their programming is cheap old American music, no more European hits.
so long
Really ticked off and actually getting madder as the days go by with Sirius ignoring us or fobbing us off with stock (useless) comments about how we can go listen to the same stuff on other channels – which is nonsense and sounds like a big “who cares” from them to me ( a paying customer). I’ll give them a couple of weeks to come up with something to bring it back or I cancel my subscription.
I am with so many of you on this topic. The only station I listen to is BBC Radio 1 I have already written an email complaint through the SiriusXM website and I have called to cancel. I was given half off to stay. I told them I give them one month and I will cancel my account if they aren’t bringing it back. BBC Radio 1 is by far the best station to listen to with the most variety of genres and songs. The stations SiriusXM has recommended to replace BBC Radio 1 have awful radio personalities and seem to play the same 40 songs over and over. I have an odd commute and I used to love listening to Greg James in the afternoon and Grimmy on my way home. On the weekends listening to Huw Stephens and Annie Mac with Grimmie. Biggest mistake SiriusXM has ever made.
Here you go ya bunch of limey wankers…now piss off. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/b.....reen/radio
Some of the content on BBC Radio 1’s website is not playable. It says this is not available in your area.
How do you feel now?
People could try to be polite.
Truth be told, it was an attempt at humor, not intentionally impolite. This is a perfect illustration of the power of Sirius offering something unique and hard to access outside of Great Britain. Their decision was shortsighted, but it must have been based on some sort of listener count. This should not be an important factor in removing a station. Sirius is a niche product and BBC1 is an important cultural niche segment and a great alternative for listeners who enjoy British music (which, as we know is the most important and vital music source second only to America) Sirius can’t expect us to celebrate the addition of a new channel at the cost of losing another. Adding further injury, the looped explanation and directions to similar channels is insulting. If they removed Howard and left a message in it’s place saying there are similar channels on Raw dog, playboy, spice, O&A I would be pissed too. I join with you in your anger towards Sirius as each channel attracts an important subscribing listenership no matter how small. Don’t just write here with your complaints, organize and focus directly to Sirius through Twitter, Facebook etc. Hope they reconsider, maybe 10 less of the proposed Spanish channels that are said to be part of the new 2.0 bandwidth. Listen up Sirius… The Red Coats are coming!
This doesn’t allow me to listen to the shows time-shifted in my car where I have a sirius receiver…
So I finally decided to get SiriusXm and after having it for a month they cut the second best station (behind Howard)! Looks like after my year is up I am done!!
It was one of the only stations myself, family and friends listened to. I cancelled my XM today.
I’m very disappointed with this decision by Sirius XM, I now, have lost two of my favorite stations in the las couple months. I loved the Music Summit and BBC 1 was like a breath of fresh air. Every DJ has a style of his own and it is terrific!. Love to hear Scott Mills and Kissy Sell out! this is outrageous.
I am British and have been living in the US since 2005. I have had Sirius Radio installed in my house and all the cars in our family just to connect, solely to Radio 1 as I have been an avid listener for years!!!!! I have not been functioning well this week as I was sick but was completely horrified this morning when I turned on the radio in my car which is permanently programmed to Radio 1 only to find that it had been taken off the air – what the heck is going on. I have decided, as a protest and because the only reason I pay my annual subscription x 3 is to listen to Radio 1, I am going to close my account with Sirius!!!!!! Can someone please explain why, when you have so many British listeners in the US, you have pulled the plug on Radio 1????? Bring it back and all will be forgiven. PS some notice would have been nice for your loyal listeners to Sirius!!!!!!!
PS How the heck can you have a station completely dedicated to ELVIS and drop BBC Radio 1. I’m giving you 14 days to bring Radio 1 back and then I will cancel my subscription. DOESN’T CUSTOMER CARE MEAN ANYTHING ANYMORE?????!!!!!
The way Sirius has gone about this and the subsequent official line they feed you about being able to access much of the same musical content on their other channels seems to indicate a complete disregard for their customers and how out of touch they really are about what BBC Radio 1 meant to their North American fans. Hopefully they will realize the folly of this decision and reverse it or I fear they will lose thousands of subscribers such as myself who only listen to Radio 1 on Sirius and without it I will certainly cancel both my existing subscriptions.
BBC Radio 1 was the whole reason I wanted Sirius XM radio. You have made a fatal move! You will lose many customers in this decision. Myself included.
Yes, we are outraged for many reasons, including the very poor customer service. And we will not go away until BBCR1 is returned. The general tone of the canned responses received by thousands seems to be that they were doing us a favour by carrying BBCR1 but they seem to know better than us what we like. We pay real money for this. We are requesting a service for our subscription costs. At the very least it only makes financial sense to make your customers happy.
The ONLY reason I have a subscription is Radio 1. It’s not just the music, but the personalities. If Radio 1 does not return to SiriusXm, I will not either!
I guess I’m not the only one listening to BBC Radio 1. The channels Sirius is recommending are crap. I have 4 – yes 4 subscriptions to Sirius/XM for my vehicles. I will cancel them if they don’t bring back BBCR1.
Cancelled my subscription today. I asked the CSR to have Sirius call me back if they ever start carrying BBC Radio 1 again.
BRING BACK RADIO 1!! I am really missing my SiriusXM radio, and will ONLY resubscribe if you bring back that channel!!
I’m a lifelong BBC Radio 1 listener and that’s the ONLY reason I had a SiriusXM subscription. There are NO acceptable alternatives – my radio is obsolete. At least the BBC has had the decency to address the listeners and issue a statement giving some insight into what happened. SiriusXM’s customer service is shocking and we’ve yet to hear anything other than the regurgitated blurb that is currently playing on Channel 15.
The decision to remove Radio 1 was not publically announced because they knew that the listening audience was going to be very upset, the proposed channels they offer as having “Radio 1 like music” are nothing like Radio 1 in musical content or DJ professionalism. I am sure Studio 54 is a good channel but the audience for this type of music is minimal compared to the general appeal of Radio 1. I believe this is a bad decision that will end up with thousands of subscribers cancelling there subscriptions, in favor of no new ones signing up just to listen to Studio 54.
I am going to cancell my 3 subs if it does not come back on.
Just got my first car last month and was seriously considering taking out the factory radio for an XM one just for BBC. The only thing that got in my way was the cost, and I’m really relieved I didn’t get it. I turned my mom’s XM radio to BBC a few days ago and was very upset hearing I could change the channel to 20 on 20 to hear similar songs… No! They are not the same, Sirius!
Just cancelled my subscription over the removal of BBC Radio One. Good luck with that buisness model Sirius-XM, your going to need it.
first they have the strobe – then they take that away – now bbc radio 1 and the strobe (aka studio 54 radio) is back – WTF sirius!
SO going to cancel my subscription if BBC 1 isn’t brought back!
have canceled mine to. Have been with xm for 5years wil not come back untill radio 1 is back saving momey as well getting prity much the same stuff on normal radio. With out radio 1 can get any music i want for free.
I am very upset by this. As an American who wishes she was British, a lot of my favorite bands and artists are British, and this was the only station that I could listen to if I wanted to hear them. Not only the music selection was great, but the DJ’s the different shows (Chris Moyles, I’ll miss you) were what kept me listening to this channel.
It is completely unprofessional to drop this channel without giving subscribers any notice or warning. This was unfair, and I did not appreciate trying to listen to this channel one morning, only to find out that Sirus XM had dropped it.
I strongly urge whoever has the power to do so, to bring Radio 1 back. It is a one of a kind station that many people enjoy (if the comments weren’t enough evidence of this, try searching the hashtag #bringbackbbcr1 on Twitter), especially when they’re American, and can’t get this kind of music selection anywhere else.
cant believe no more Moyles in the morning.
customer service have no clue why the service has been cancelled and am still waiting for a reply to my email of tuesday last week which was promised within 3 business days.
will be cancelling all 4 subscriptions the family has unless they reverse their decision.
This makes me very sad too. I loved listening to Ferne Cotton in the morning on the way to work. I think I am going to cancel my XM service over this, and I have been a loyal customer for over 6 years. Too bad.
I would also like to say, that the alternatives that you have provided us are seriously subpar. The music that is offered to us on BBC Radio 1 is cutting edge, and most of the other stations may play 1 or 2 songs from time to time, 2 weeks after I hear them on BBC Radio 1. There is still a very large amount of music that never is played here in the USA, and it makes me think that XM is trying narrow down the market and not allow us the variety that I used to enjoy. The whole reason I got XM to begin with (6 +Years ago) was to avoid commercials and the same 10 songs that are played on most commercial radio. I also have to say that not only is XM becoming more repetitive, I have found these “alternative” channels on several occassions playing the exact same song on multiple channels at the exact same time. It is becoming very frustrating, and when you take away one of the only channels that has great DJs, great variety, and spankin’ new music this disappoints one of your most loyal listeners. I commute 400 miles a week for my job, and now I am seriously considering canceling my service and going back to the iPod. Thanks so much for taking this station away! Have you ever considered polling your customers to see what they want and not what meets your commercial interests? I am seriously doubting India is going to answer us on this one.
Being a British ex-pat I loved listening to BBC1 Radio – not only for the music, but also the DJ’s. I really enjoy their wit and banter and find myself laughing constantly while driving back and forth to work. I was so disappointed to find out they had been cancelled. I hope you come to a settlement soon and we can start enjoying the BBC once again.
That was one of the main reasons I had XM radio was BBC 1. I was shocked last week when it was gone. What crap.
Sadly I got XM for the bbc 1 Channel. Looks like I won’t be renewing at all.
How do I listen to BBC one on my Car radio?
This is the one radio station that actually utilize their dj’s and discuss music; give us back bbc one so I can listen in my car
I am considering cancelling Sirius over this. This was one of the only two channels on the system that I found worth listening to.
Have you all notice that Radio 1 is back on sirius? although is not in the car radios, they said that the content will only be available in the internet, Channel 812. The one that reads, limited engagements. I use the iphone app to listen to it in my car, it’a a solution so far, but they said they don’t think to return the channel to the radios any time soon.
Just cancelled my subscription…. Since the morning I got in my car, heard the recorded loop that some disco channel was replacing Moyles, Fearn, Mills, et al, I’ve been stewing over the bile and crap they serve up to appease a bunch of time warped numb skulls & red neck $41t kickers… Time to get on with my life minus the annual fee…
Some unfortunate call centre lady offered the usual, “Oh sorry to hear you’re leaving us” and a compensation of 2 months free service to listen along with the numb skulls and $41t kickers. Told her to stick it and call me when it’s returned to service… Hope my call was recorded for quality purposes
Ah that feels better!!!
My Crimbo Drive up north will be ruined this year due to not being able to laugh with the fun and festive antics that BBC radio are so good at serving up. Shame. What about radio two any chance of getting that on Sirius ? Would be very nice..