Oct. 14, the day the music died --- at XM

I know there are a few XM subs here but if you are one, it's a sad day, Sirius nuked 50 XM employees, some of the best music people, the 70s PD, one of the 80s DJs, a Fred DJ, and so many others.
The way they found out was journalism-like. One of the unlucky ones was checking out his payroll info online and it listed a termination date of Oct. 15. He then spread the word and you could guess the rest.
I've had XM for almost 7 years, literally from the start and it has been a major part of my life. I even got to tour their studios in DC last year. It was an amazing place.
The people that worked there, like many of us, care and love our business. It's too bad, sadly like us, they are getting the same shaft.
If you love XM, you know it will NEVER be the same as it was.
Good luck to all that got pink slipped.
If you want to read more, go to xmfan.com or orbitcast.com.

 

Checked his payroll and saw a termination date... unfuckingbelievable

 

What the hell?

Is this b/c of the impending merger?

If they're just gonna be as generic and limited as terrestrial radio, I may as well just get the iPod kit for the car.

 

I know this is the height of irony, but as an XM subscriber, beyond feeling sorry for anyone who's laid off from a job, I can't imagine how I would ever notice the difference from this.

 

That's going to suck . . . I love my XM.

I got the email the other day about ordering "The Best of Sirius" Of course, it's not what I'd call the best of Sirius; I think it was Howard Stern and NASCAR.

I'm gonna hate this merger, aren't I?

 

Actually, sounds like if you do nothing, not much changes and you pay the same. Not crazy about Ron and Fez going to a two-week delay, but that's as deeply as I'll be affected based on my listening habits.

If you want to pay another $4 a month for Stern and the NFL package, you can, but I'd guess most won't.

 

I think it's Stern, NFL, some colleges that XM doesn't get, Martha Stewart, NASCAR and Playboy Radio. Would have liked to get some of their music options, but it probably doesn't matter that much.

 

Somebody tell me again why anyone should pay for radio.

 

I dunno. I already paid for CDs of my favorite groups, individuals and acts.

Why pay again?

 

I thought the same thing when I bought a new car with it pre-installed with a free three-month trial. I thought, "This is fun, but I'd never pay $13 a month for it." Then the trial ran out, and I did. Got hooked on one of the talk channels and a couple of the music channels. It was stuff worth paying for that wasn't available free.

But I have to say, there are WAAAAYYY too many commercials on XM. Most of them house ads selling a service we already have, so they are by definition unnecessary. It could drive me out of sat radio. If I'm paying, I want an experience I don't get elsewhere. Just give it to me without the "Nashville Star" plugs. People who are there for that will find it.

 

Because when I listen to an hour of radio, I'd like to hear 60 minutes of music. Not 42 minutes of Genre 101 and 18 minutes of job fair ads and Z-93 promos.

 

Which you don't get with satellite radio either.