XM Sirius Announces "Best Of" Packages to be available 10/6

[jcrandall]

Today, the company announced the content line-up for SIRIUS XM's new "Best of Both" programming options. As part of "Best of Both" programming, most current XM customers will continue to receive their existing XM service, and be able to obtain select SIRIUS programming. Likewise, most current SIRIUS customers will continue to receive their existing SIRIUS service and be able to obtain select XM programming. In addition to their existing service, SIRIUS and XM subscribers will be able to purchase the following channels:

SIRIUS on XM
Howard 100
Howard 101
Martha Stewart Living Radio
SIRIUS NFL Radio *
SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
Playboy Radio

XM on SIRIUS
NBA *
NHL Home Ice *
Oprah & Friends
The Virus
Public Radio with Bob Edwards
College Sports *
PGA Tour


* Sports offerings will also include channels for play-by-play of NBA, NHL, NFL, and College Sports games.

Included on the "Best of" XM on SIRIUS will be such shows as Basketball and Beyond, hosted by Duke and Olympic basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski; Andretti Green, with driver Danica Patrick; 60/20, a sports magazine show by Luke Russert and James Carville; Indy Racing League car races; and games from the top college conferences, including the PAC 10, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East and ACC.

Karmazin stated, "We have been working closely with our content providers since the day the merger closed and have made significant progress in those discussions. The resulting "Best of Both" options we are outlining today represent another step towards fulfilling our promise of more choices and lower prices for our subscribers. We are very excited to begin offering existing and prospective listeners access to even more compelling programming and new packages."

"Best of Both" programming will be available to satellite radio consumers beginning October 6, 2008 on most existing satellite radios at a monthly cost of $16.99. Also, the company's full slate of new packages will be available to consumers on Oct. 6, including the opportunity to choose programming on an a la carte basis for the first time ever in subscription media.

 

[bkimbler]

I am a Sirius subscriber and I have to say I am very disappointed in what we will be receiving from XM. The only thing remotely interesting is the NHL. May have to seriously look at a dual radio ASAP to really get value.

 

[jcrandall]

To point out a few things, it should be $4 extra a month for each account to receive the cross-platform programming.

Sports channels include the live games.

MLB could be a possibility for Sirius, I think it is left off because there is six months before they need to worry about it for 2009. That said, they may use MLB to push dual-band radios next spring.

 

[jcrandall]

Personally, I'll pay $4 for NFL content, but may drop the extra service in Janurary if the other channels don't peak my interest.

I am an XM sub with 3 radios. I hope the college will expand on XM to include Sirius exclusives, primarly Univ of Michigan, which has always been a Sirius exclusive, despite XM's partnership with the Big 10.

 

[james_k_p]

Huh? Sirius already has the NBA.

 

[jcrandall]

You're right. I'm guessing the NBA belongs under the Sirius on XM group instead. This news was posted by a reliable source on xmfan.com earlier today.

 

[mrlaugh]

I am a Sirius subscriber and I have to say I am very disappointed in what we will be receiving from XM. The only thing remotely interesting is the NHL. May have to seriously look at a dual radio ASAP to really get value.

I'm an XM sub and I don't see anything interesting on the sirius best of, either. ah well, I'll keep running out my prepaid 4 years that averages to $10/month, I don't really need to upgrade to $16.99 anyway.

 

[jcrandall]

Additional music channels really just isn't possible right now. Both providers have almost maxed their bandwith out, and what they are adding is just talk/sports, mostly part time feeds, that they can balance easier and use much less bandwith compared to music.

I wouldn't be suprised to see lower ranked channels either go away or go down during peak sports evenings or weekends.

 

[apollog]

I will canceal my subscription when my quarterly runs out and say Hello to HD radio.

 

[stck4evr]

That's pretty pathetic - so few channels. I'm glad I can get howard on XM, but there are some music channels that are must have for me... I currently have Sirius, but I'm shopping for a car and I was hoping I could get some of the music channels for the extra $4 if I buy a car with a built in XM radio... I wonder how far off are cars with built in dual radio technology that is needed for alacarte programming... 2010 models? or some 2009 already?

 

[jself1982]

I was hoping to have the Top 20 on 20 station on XM available on Sirius, etc. and so forth. Best of both to me is the music channels, not sports and talk or commercials!

 

[comollitd]

What a joke! Pay extra for Public Radio... When we we ever learn that large corporate consolidation always works against consumers in the end. Period.

 

[meldar_b]

as a XM subscriber since 11/16/01 I know that XM has already had NASCAR which was a joke! and Playboy another joke thats way XM dropped them.
Martha Stewart? does anybody listen to this crap?
NFL would be nice, but NFL is a game to watch not to listen to. :yikes
As far as 2 channels of Howard....you got to be kidding me! :shocked listening to a guy that only talks about being a bulling juvenile delinquent.
I am not paying for this crap After the 3 year price lock I Will probably drop sat radio all together. !protest
I guess I'd better pick out a Ipod or Zune... :!sadroll

SIRIUS on XM
Howard 100
Howard 101
Martha Stewart Living Radio
SIRIUS NFL Radio
SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
Playboy Radio

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I can see myself canceling all my Sirius Radios since the only Sirius channels I listen to will be available on XM.

Also if you keep XM and get the best of Sirius it appears you will get all the sports, MLB, NHL, NBA, NASCAR and College Sports.

 

[smokey982]

Is that $4 more per account or per radio? I mean a second radio is only half the price of the first radio, so wouldn't it make sense to discount the second radio on the "best of" as well? (That is if in fact it's the same price for both radios)

 

[jegrant]

I was hoping for NPR Now, CBC 1, or CBC 3 as "best of" Sirius to me. But I suppose it's possible that NPR might get one of the "set aside" non-commercial channels, and CBC 1 and/or 3 may eventually come when XM & Sirius merge in Canada.

 

[jcrandall]

I think it is safe to say the $4 upcharge would be by account, not receiver.

 

[vinnyv07]

I can see myself canceling all my Sirius Radios since the only Sirius channels I listen to will be available on XM.

Also if you keep XM and get the best of Sirius it appears you will get all the sports, MLB, NHL, NBA, NASCAR and College Sports.

Yep...that is the biggest point through all of this. If you are an XM sub right now, for 4 bucks a mth more than you are paying now, you will get NFL and Howard and the NBA. If those ch's don't matter at all to you, then it isn't worth it. If I was sitting as an XM sub right now, I would be very happy. As a Sirius lifetime sub, I am not happy at all. First off, I am pretty sure we had the NBA already and all I ever wanted from the XM side of things is baseball. I feel baseball is a huge get for XM because the season is long and they play everyday. When I am driving down the Florida or anywhere during the summer, I would like to have the option of listening to a baseball game. I really don't listen to the football at all because I am not in my car much on Sunday and I prefer watching the game.
I just can't see them making much money on the Sirius side with this kind of package. It really is an insult to Sirius subs. Even though the baseball season is over, they could still offer the baseball to the Sirius customers for the 2009 season.

Bottom line....If you are a Sirius sub that wants everything...cancel your sub and move over to XM and activate as a new sub with the Best of Sirius as an option. Then you get all sports and Howard and everything else XM has to offer. Not a bad deal if you ask me. Sirius subs that are lifetime like me have the ass end on this one. Question is....why would anyone activate as a Sirius sub when these packages go into effect? XM has just about everything.

 

[rxdoc]

If the $4 price increase only applies to the primary radio, and the family pricing doesn't change, sign this XM subscriber up for NFL coverage! Even though football is much more of a visual experience, I can't always sit in front of my DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket, especially when I'm working in the yard. As far as the other channels are concerned, I'll prolly give Howard a listen, but I already get what I want from O&A.

Maybe Sirius XM should consider vacating their uber-expensive rented NYC headquarters and moving the whole operation to the "Eck" in DC. Wouldn't that save the company some coin?

 

[mrlaugh]

I was hoping for NPR Now, CBC 1, or CBC 3 as "best of" Sirius to me. But I suppose it's possible that NPR might get one of the "set aside" non-commercial channels, and CBC 1 and/or 3 may eventually come when XM & Sirius merge in Canada.

I was hoping to see NPR come over to XM as well, that combined with NFL might have been enough to justify it