Air America leaving Sirius in July - NO NO NO!

[billkurtmeyer]

Tell me it ain't so? I have Sirius in my car what will I do? Anybody out there help.

Saw this on the Air America home page.

[thoughtanarchist]

1. switch to XM

you'll get aar back and it'll make a statement as well...

[Nickster]

3. Why switch? I have sirius now and I got it exclusively for AAR.

But why am I going to buy XM just to get a butchered version of AAR? They have half of Randi's show and no Mike Malloy. Doesn't sound like a dedicated AAR channel to me. I'm sticking with Sirius. Screw AAR. Maybe I'll get hooked on Talk Left or I'll stop listening to liberal talk radio all together. Who knows maybe Sirius has something planned that will blow us all away. I just know I'm not making a knee jerk switch because of what AAR is doing.

[thoughtanarchist]

7. atta boy...

the kneejerk initial purchase was "exclusively for AAR"

so how long are you committed to your contract then?

:evilgrin:

You sound like the majority of car buyers who made their purchase when gas was cheap and are now lamenting the decision. And you're right. It's more cost-effective to stick with what you have... as long as you can still enjoy it...

[Nickster]

10. No, no contract. Originally I had to decide between XM and Sirius

I decided that AAR was what I was going to spend the majority of my time listening too and it had just gone off the air in Chicago so I went with Sirius. Maybe saying exclusively was a poor choice of words, I do listen to other programming. Not a knee jerk response, just decided Sirius fit the bill better. Since then I got into their music programming and such, but still use it for the most part during my drive when I'm listening to AAR. I felt AAR was something very important and was going to educate me on the issues, which it has.

I just feel a bit kicked in the teeth about it all since even if I did jump to XM, I'm still not going to be able to listen to my two favorite shows, Randi and Mike. They have been saying the AM outlet for Chicago was right around the corner ever since it went off the air originally. So I feel like AAR has really shut me out of listening to them on a regular basis, not Sirius. It bugs me since they have really provided me with good information that I don't get to see in the MSM, an anchor in the storm so to speak, so I'm sad that I can't have what I've gotten used to. It's not even a money issue, I can get setup on XM for about 50 bucks if I really want to and the monthly charge is the same as what I pay for Sirius. Just at this point, I don't see the reason to jump because XM is going to stamp Air America on one of its channels. I'm going to start listening to Talk Left and hopefully enjoy their programming as much as I've enjoyed AAR, if not and I don't get the enjoyment out of it anymore, I'll just cancel. I have plenty of music and audiobooks to listen to while driving.:-)

[thoughtanarchist]

22. Sounds very reasonable.

I've never heard Talk Left. I hope you find it as enjoyable as AAR...

We catch AAR on AM 'round here. The signal is weak though and I'd much prefer the clarity of the FM band. Same deal though. Not all AAR. Ed and Stephie and other westwood one personalities get mixed in...

[Maat]

23. I completely concur, Nickster.

The 'Young Turks' is pretty good radio.

I have a feeling they will get new hosts that are exciting.

[onehandle]

2. It's true. XM will be exclusive.

There were a million threads on this last week.

[billkurtmeyer]

4. Sorry - I must have missed the threads!

[madfloridian]

5. Where did you hear July?

I thought it was sooner.

[madfloridian]

6. I just went to the AAR home page. I don't see any dates.

I have tried to find out dates from AAR, XM, and Sirius, and can't figure which is right.

[Nickster]

12. The only date I've heard consistently was June 11th.

Hard to say for sure with all the noise about it though. Sirius is still saying that nothing may change. Just gonna wait and see I guess.

[madfloridian]

8. Sirius gives no dates....just called them.

I still see nothing on the AAR homepage.

Sirius says will give dates when they get them.

[DemoTex]

9. I talked to Sirius last week. They told me 90 days.

That would be mid-July.

[madfloridian]

11. And another view of the deal.

Article I found from April 14.
http://www.realitytvworld.com/index/articles/story.php?s=1002968

"As part of the deal between the liberal talk network newly defined as "progressive talk," XM will rebrand its "XM Left" channel as "Air America Radio" in May.

Radio & Records said the deal also includes provisions for special live broadcasts of Air America shows from XM's Washington headquarters.

The affiliation with Sirius will cease completely June 11. Sirius spokesman Jim Collins said it's too soon to say what the programming department will do with the vacant Air America channel."

The lady I talked to put me on hold, came back, said HQ said not to believe any statement until it was on Sirius homepage.

Very confusing. Something is going on. I wonder if merger? I don't trust monopolies of anything. :shrug:

[Zinfandel]

13. XM will have a channel exclusively for AAR-Sirius already has a channel

exclusively for AAR!

More than likely both will continue to broadcast AAR on a channel each has reserved exclusively for AAR.

Sirius wrote me saying they have NO plans to change AAR on Sirius.

And if indeed there is a merger, that means both XM & Sirius' equipment will work...

People always try and make something out of nothing, they know nothing about.

[madfloridian]

14. Well, talk to AAR....they say exclusive with XM.

:shrug:

They say will not be on Sirius any longer when transfer complete.

It is just finding out when complete.

[Zinfandel]

16. All we can do is wait and see...

[drbtg1]

21. Recent history shows a merger would be tough

Echostar, which runs Dish Network, tried to merge with DirecTV. That failed to pass the Justice Department and the FCC. One reason was the monopoly issue, even though they're really small compared to cable.

If Sirius and XM try to merge, I would strongly recommend not doing what Echostar did: used an attorney that worked for Al Gore in the 2000 recount.

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Learn to love the Wiseguys, Reggae, and Elvis...

or bite the bullet and go XM if you have to.

My Sirius unit was stolen and I had to spring for another one, now I might have to spring for XM.

Life is not always fair.

[burythehatchet]

17. no life is pretty frickin fair...filthy corporations are not

[TreasonousBastard]

18. Maybe, but..

it was one filthy corporation that brought it to you in the first place, now it could well be another.

Perhaps we will find a way that something that is not a filthy corporation could put a satellite up...

[drbtg1]

19. The date is July 16

Check the front page of http://www.airamericaradio.com/

They claim it's "X-clusive" and that "as of July 16th, Air America will broadcast exclusively on XM Satellite Radio". Of course, they forgot to say "satellite broadcast" exclusively, and the banner links to a site where it says the statue of Sirius broadcasts are "unclear"

However, I think the wording on the banner saying "x-clusive" pretty clearly says "FUCK SIRIUS LISTENERS WHO SUPPORTED AN "UNFILTERED" AAR". Therefore, I guess I have to clearly say fuck AAR.

[Maat]

24. I quite agree, drbtg1.

Back to Sirius Left (143).

[ronnykmarshall]

20. Glad I didn't get it.

Gotta tell my parents, they have XM in their big ass Caddy.