Re: WBUR underwriting crossing lines even more

[SteveOrdinetz <steveord@bit-net.com>]

Aaron 'Bishop' Read wrote:
>In fact, when NPR first revealed their intention to carry programming on 
>Sirius many NPR affiliate stations screamed bloody murder and stopped 
>airing some (in a few cases, stopped airing ALL) NPR programming and went 
>all-local in retaliation.
>I don't know how long that retaliation lasted, or if it was even terribly 
>wide-spread.  It's just what I heard from both a Sirius rep and an NPR rep 
>attending the IBS conference in 2001.   I wonder if it was really big 
>enough to put a dent in NPR's member-station fees?


My suspicion is that it was a lot more smoke than fire.  What are these 
stations planning on filling the time with?  Automated classical music?  I 
would suspect that programs like ME & ATC are substantial draws for these 
stations.  To a large degree public radio has more to risk from XM & Sirius 
than commercial radio...it seems to me that their listeners are more likely 
to pony up for the receiver & subscription fee than the average joe...talk 
about shooting themselves in the foot.