Sirius

Check the date on that story. It's from February. I'm sure nobody has bought Sirius since then...

 

Just like an O&A fan, to be so last year.

 

Used to have XM; listened to O&A a few times. They sucked and are not a counter to Howard 100 and Howard 101; even XM agrees, given that O&A aren't part of XM's advertising. Sirius' Raw Dog comedy station is the equal of SM 150. They didn't revolutionize radio and never had more than 22 affiliates for their old show; As of 2001, Howard had 50 affiliates nationwide.

(And Ron & Fez are not at all the equivalent of Ron & Ron, which was a far funnier show than Howard Stern, R&F or O&A.)

Both companies missed their subscriber targets for 2006; XM dropped its forecast from 9 million to about 7.7 million, while Sirius was expecting to have between 5.9 and 6.1 million listeners. However, it's a fact that Sirius has a higher growth curve in that area than XM does and Sirius should pick up a lot of diehard NASCAR fans when it becomes NASCAR's official satellite company.

Both companies' stocks have lost value in the last year, but XMSR has lost more percentage of value (50 percent at this writing) than Sirius (46 percent, which also isn't an impressive number). And if there's to be a merger, most stock analysts say it will be a Sirius-dominated company --- assuming the FTC approves. Given the monopoly that would be created, FTC approval would be a stunning surprise.

 

I don't really get this kind of argument. The shows are different while holding some similarities (they talk and joke).

I was never a big Howard Stern fan but it cannot be denied that he was a driving force in obtaining a tremendous amount of listeners for Sirius. He isn't the only reason that people jumped on and probably isn't a reason at all for some.

It is interesting how this is all playing out. I am also interested in seeing what other technology is offered to oppose satellite radio.

 

Diehard NASCAR fans do NOT listen to the races on the radio. They watch it on TV or they attend the race.

 

If those Sirius numbers are accurate, why would the stock only go up about a quarter in a year. IT more than doubled its subscibers is a year and can't move it's stock. Something doesn't compute.

It's sad that O&A had a two-year absence from terrestrial radio and can become the nation's top show, adding more affiliates each month. Howie, along with Rodman, revolutionized dressing like a woman. Nice LEtterman appearance in a Ms. Claus Suit. Hoo Hoo hilarious.

Not quite baby bird magic.

 

Buy Sirius stock. Now, at a 52-month low. Boosted by Howie's 3.3 million subscribers in 2006, Sirius has skyrocketed all the way down to $3.55.

http://quote.morningstar.com/Quote/Quote.aspx?ticker=SIRI

12-27-06 SIRI hits 52-week low (M*)

 

XM has 69 commercial free music channels and just 4 with ads, which a court forced them to air because of a previous contract with Clear Channel.
Every CC channel that XM carries has an ad free counterpart.
Sirius has 69 commercial free music channels.
Call it a wash.

 

And loses 81 cents a share annually.

XM loses $2.53 a share annually.

If I had money to invest, I wouldn't buy either. That said, I remember when Apple stock went for under $7 a share. The year was 2003. It's trading at almost $85 per share today. Things turn around.

 

Each company would be a hell of a lot more profitable if the other were not around -- that's why the rumors of mergers always pop up.

I'm a Stern fan from way back, but haven't followed him to Sirius -- I rarely drive, so it doesn't make sense to have the radio in my car. I thought that the radio which you carried around was too expensive and I didn't like that I'd have to pay so much to plug it into a boombox at work. So I passed. If the hardware wasn't so inconvenient/expensive, I'd have no problem paying the monthly fee. If they had stuck with the all Boss station, I would have gotten the service.

As a Stern fan, I grew sick very quickly with the "Howard Stern imitators" rant when he was at K-Rock. If someone is funnier than you, so be it. Having said that, I've listened to O&A a few times on FM here and wasn't that impressed. Anthony is pretty funny and Jim Norton is decent, but I didn't like it so much as to make it part of my walk to work.

 

I can't believe all this bickering back and forth about Stern and O&A.

They both suck. Hard.

I have XM because Stern sucks and I'd much rather listen to baseball than football. But as long as you ditch terrestial radio, you win.

 

I'll take the iPod.

Matching up an FM station as a platform for the Sirius signal is ridiculous.

Drive 200 miles and then spend 5 minutes putzing around to find the right new non-claimed frequency.