XM/Sirius Merger: WWHT? (What would Howard think?)
Labels: CBS Radio, competition, FCC, Jointblog, Karmazin, merger, NYPost, rumours, Satellite, Sirius, Stern, XM
"Wha-wha-WHAT?" (if you've been a Stern fan over the years, you know the SFX)...
This gave me a laugh reading Jossip's Media Blitz this morning. Too bad I was drinking my coffee at the time (thank god for Bounty):Sirius and XM merger described as imminent possibility; Howard Stern described as "too rich to care."
Of course, whether this announcement happens or not, the next 15 months of FCC regulatory hell would serve as either a sideshow or a distraction...and Stern will still be "too rich to care".
(canned applause in response)
Obviously, it is a BIG deal, if it can get through. A predicted operating savings of $7 Billion (if an accurate estimate) means satellite radio has a much better chance of thriving and surviving. But at what cost will come those savings? There's always a cost...
Update at 1:30PM EST: ABC NEWS has "confirmed" through their sources the merger deal is happening today, although it has not been announced or commented directly by either XM or Sirius officials...yet.
So...if the story is accurate and eventually approved, how would the merger play out? Here's one way to see it...(click through)
Here's another point of view from Wall Street. And more. And yet more comments on the possible end of XM's and Sirius' head-to-head competition.
Winners and losers? Your thoughts?
Another update (3:45pm EST): It's now official.
For a MoneyCentral financial analysis of Sirius share/investor history and its future prospects, click here.
So what does Howard Stern and Mel Karmazin think about the merger? Click here and here.
posted by Unknown @ Monday, February 19, 2007,
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Bad Idea: Holding Your Wee for a Wii
Labels: Bad idea, Contest, FCC, Jointblog, KDND, Radio, Stunt, The End, User-Generated, Wii, YouTube
Radio stations often encourage listeners to be stupid for ratings stunts. Somehow, they find listeners to do them...and get participants to sign waivers legally protecting station's ass(ets). But if something goes really wrong, is it worth doing the stupid promotion in the first place?
"Today's Hit Music" station 107.9 The End (KDND) in Sacramento just had a promotion that went to worst possible result: death.
The End's morning show wanted their listeners to "hold their wee" as long as possible while drinking bottles of water during a week-long promotion in order to win a new Wii. Cute premise and twisting of words...but one participant apparently died while competing due to a condition called "water intoxication". Of course, it is reported there is "at this point no clear indictation that there is a link" between the contest and the death. Even so, The End is now associated with it...and it gets broadcast around the world. Ooops!
For more on the story, click here.
(Jan. 16 update at 7pm): The Sacramento Bee reports it's "the end" to The End's Morning Rave show plus the station management responsible for approving the stunt, as the investigation continues.
(Jan 22 update at 6pm): This story only gets bigger. Lawsuits are filed and now seek to pursue revoking the FCC license of the "water death radio station".
Granted, this is a nation that will do just about anything to win a free Nintendo Wii.
By the way, this week's #3 top song at The End? The Fray's "How To Save A Life".
And how can you?
One suggestion might be: Don't participate in that kind of contest.
Write it down in your promotion book: Getting listeners to hold onto your wee (pee) in order to win a Wii is a bad idea (unless medically supervised).
The news report below:
Now, here's a better idea for a promotion radio stations still don't do enough despite 2006's explosion of user-generated content.
Get your listeners to make their own fan-created music videos of your format's hottest songs and submit them to YouTube, Break.com, Fark, the band's MySpace page, etc....and, of course, your own station's site.
For example, the new Barenaked Ladies song "Wind Me Up".
Terry McBride of Nettwerk Records loves this kind of stuff and wants you to do more of it. If The End had done this promotion instead...
posted by Unknown @ Saturday, January 13, 2007,
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