Comments on: The Howard Stern Influence http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php All Things Sirius Satellite Radio Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:59:25 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: MathGuy http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-115555 MathGuy Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:57:05 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-115555 When the merge happened both company's had approx 9.5 million subscribers, correct? If you attribute the entire 500k best of subscribers to Howard then only approx 5% of xm subscribers wanted him. More realistically, lets say half paid for him. This means that 95% to 97% of the people already paying for xm didn't want him. This doesn't exactly prove that he is worth 100 million annually. The most likely final solution for the Howie dilemma is that he keeps the channels with Artie, robin, Gary and maybe Bubba. Howard stays on as the godfather of h101-h102 with a once weekly show. This way he gets to keep his pride and Sirius gets to keep 90 plus million a year. The koolaid drinking die hard fans will all scream, but most will stay put. After all, they are presently putting up with a guy who only does 160 live shows a year. As for Howie jumping ship for terrestrial radio, listen to his show closely and you will hear how desperate he is to be done with the whole business. When the merge happened both company’s had approx 9.5 million subscribers, correct? If you attribute the entire 500k best of subscribers to Howard then only approx 5% of xm subscribers wanted him. More realistically, lets say half paid for him. This means that 95% to 97% of the people already paying for xm didn’t want him. This doesn’t exactly prove that he is worth 100 million annually.

The most likely final solution for the Howie dilemma is that he keeps the channels with Artie, robin, Gary and maybe Bubba. Howard stays on as the godfather of h101-h102 with a once weekly show. This way he gets to keep his pride and Sirius gets to keep 90 plus million a year. The koolaid drinking die hard fans will all scream, but most will stay put. After all, they are presently putting up with a guy who only does 160 live shows a year.

As for Howie jumping ship for terrestrial radio, listen to his show closely and you will hear how desperate he is to be done with the whole business.

]]> By: Tangledweb http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-115058 Tangledweb Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:49:52 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-115058 I have both Sirius, in my car, and XM, in my truck. I will not get best of Sirius on my XM but did try to get best of XM on my Sirius. I do say try because the peice of garbage radio cannot be programmed for it. I will be letting my Sirius sub expire. I have both Sirius, in my car, and XM, in my truck. I will not get best of Sirius on my XM but did try to get best of XM on my Sirius. I do say try because the peice of garbage radio cannot be programmed for it. I will be letting my Sirius sub expire.

]]> By: TooLate http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-115048 TooLate Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:15:08 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-115048 >>> The fact of the matter is that Howard Stern carries a lot of cache. I assume you meant he carries a lot of "cash". He carried cash out of Sirius, and by extension, out of XM by the trailer-load. In fact, he's about the only one who carried any cash out. As some smart people predicted early on, after his five years are up, he's history -- and the $720 Million Sirius "invested" in him is history, the "brand" they built actually works AGAINST them, and Howard is laughing all the way to the bank. Joe Clayton destroyed Sirius and the idiots running XM allowed Stern to take them down along with Karmazin. Who couldn't have foreseen the so-called "Stern Effect" was a temporary spike in subscribers? How could they have missed it? >>> The fact of the matter is that Howard Stern carries a lot of cache.

I assume you meant he carries a lot of “cash”.

He carried cash out of Sirius, and by extension, out of XM by the trailer-load. In fact, he’s about the only one who carried any cash out.

As some smart people predicted early on, after his five years are up, he’s history — and the $720 Million Sirius “invested” in him is history, the “brand” they built actually works AGAINST them, and Howard is laughing all the way to the bank.

Joe Clayton destroyed Sirius and the idiots running XM allowed Stern to take them down along with Karmazin.

Who couldn’t have foreseen the so-called “Stern Effect” was a temporary spike in subscribers? How could they have missed it?

]]> By: Anonymous http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114945 Anonymous Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:07:43 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114945 BahBah Booey, perhaps that is true, but it's not the point at hand. Howard isn't leaving tomorrow, he has a contract. I don't think you would close the doors, but you would have to get by on maybe 15 million subscribers instead of 18 million. Not fatal, but tough even with the expense cuts that have happened. The real question is the future. Howard Stern, the NFL and NASCAR are all up for renewal soon. MLB has a long time left, and I don't know about the college conferences. Do we shove another Billion or two of the shareholder's equity at these things or decide to tough it out with fewer subscribers? Howard Stern, the NFL owners and NASCAR are all very wealthy. The people suffering are the SIRI stockholders who have had 90 of their investment wiped out. I submit that a profitable company with 10 to 12 million subscribers is better than a company with losses as far as the eye can see with 20 million. Just a thought BahBah Booey, perhaps that is true, but it’s not the point at hand. Howard isn’t leaving tomorrow, he has a contract. I don’t think you would close the doors, but you would have to get by on maybe 15 million subscribers instead of 18 million. Not fatal, but tough even with the expense cuts that have happened.

The real question is the future. Howard Stern, the NFL and NASCAR are all up for renewal soon. MLB has a long time left, and I don’t know about the college conferences.

Do we shove another Billion or two of the shareholder’s equity at these things or decide to tough it out with fewer subscribers? Howard Stern, the NFL owners and NASCAR are all very wealthy. The people suffering are the SIRI stockholders who have had 90 of their investment wiped out. I submit that a profitable company with 10 to 12 million subscribers is better than a company with losses as far as the eye can see with 20 million.

Just a thought

]]> By: BahBah Booey http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114928 BahBah Booey Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:46:55 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114928 Without Stern, there is no Sirius-XM. If he left tomorrow, you might as well close the doors. The instantaneous drop in subscribers would be fatal to the company. Without Stern, there is no Sirius-XM.

If he left tomorrow, you might as well close the doors.
The instantaneous drop in subscribers would be fatal to the company.

]]> By: draland http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114921 draland Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:39:08 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114921 Sure feels that way around here, with the stale 4-day old nature of this 'blog'.......... just when everyone is expecting something..........I'd say business as usual !! And as always..............fear, doom and gloom, and someone is selling their stocks out on-the-cheap..................... Sure feels that way around here, with the stale 4-day old nature of this ‘blog’………. just when everyone is expecting something……….I’d say business as usual !!
And as always…………..fear, doom and gloom, and someone is selling their stocks out on-the-cheap…………………

]]> By: doomed http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114919 doomed Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:17:39 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114919 Yesterday was a complete failure for SiriusXM. Apple has no intentions of promoting SiriusXM, and I believe the iphone application will be rejected. Yesterday was a complete failure for SiriusXM. Apple has no intentions of promoting SiriusXM, and I believe the iphone application will be rejected.

]]> By: Stu http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114918 Stu Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:56:09 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114918 They said the I-Phone app would be out before the end of the 2nd qtr. They meant 2009 right? They said the I-Phone app would be out before the end of the 2nd qtr. They meant 2009 right?

]]> By: Neal Barkett http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114917 Neal Barkett Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:14:51 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114917 Looks like Fathers's Day is going to pass before the I-phone appl.promotion or the I-Phone appl. at all. Looks like Fathers’s Day is going to pass before the I-phone appl.promotion or the I-Phone appl. at all.

]]> By: Anonymous http://siriusbuzz.com/the-stern-influence.php/comment-page-2#comment-114916 Anonymous Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:28:06 +0000 http://siriusbuzz.com/?p=4112#comment-114916 The issue has never been if there is a draw to Howard Stern, but at what price ? As a listener and a stockholder, I just can't justify the price. If the company was making money then the extravagant spending could be tolerated as just cutting into profits. As it is, Howard and sports costs have placed the company on the verge of bankruptcy and has already cost us 40% dilution of the company just this year !! Sad to say, but someone should be working on a business plan to make this company work with no big names and only low cost sports and about 10 to 11 million subscribers. If it can be profitable at that level, then the high priced programming can be added back in if it can bring in more subscribers at a profit. Howard, NASCAR, NFL and MLB need to be told that the patient investors deserve some return on their money for a change. If they can't live with lower fees, then the company will figure out how to move on without them. Just one person's opinion, but what do you think ? The issue has never been if there is a draw to Howard Stern, but at what price ? As a listener and a stockholder, I just can’t justify the price. If the company was making money then the extravagant spending could be tolerated as just cutting into profits. As it is, Howard and sports costs have placed the company on the verge of bankruptcy and has already cost us 40% dilution of the company just this year !! Sad to say, but someone should be working on a business plan to make this company work with no big names and only low cost sports and about 10 to 11 million subscribers. If it can be profitable at that level, then the high priced programming can be added back in if it can bring in more subscribers at a profit. Howard, NASCAR, NFL and MLB need to be told that the patient investors deserve some return on their money for a change. If they can’t live with lower fees, then the company will figure out how to move on without them.

Just one person’s opinion, but what do you think ?

]]>