Anti-satellite radio ad

[Damon Cassell]

I haven't heard any of these commercials, primarily because as soon as a 
station goes to break I nail the channel button (steering wheel 
audio controls are great!) and move on to something not playing a 
commercial. And not surprisingly, I plan on installing XM in my car this 
weekend (the auxiliary input adapter for my sound system arrives today). 

I find it amusing that the radio industry would believe for a second that 
people are dumb or naive enough to buy into their anti-satellite 
propaganda, especially considering how XM and Sirius have received 
excellent, even rave reviews in print media and subscribers seem 
overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Then again, considering how the radio 
industry treats their listeners with total contempt, this isn't much of a 
surprise.

My father, who is not a radio listener at all, recently rented a Ford 
Explorer in Florida. It had Sirius installed and activated. As soon as he 
returned he brought his own truck in to Tweeter and had it installed. He 
loved it that much. Terrestrial radio doesn't have a product that 
compelling and people know this. 

Damon 


On Sun, 14 Mar 2004, Howard Glazer wrote:

> During yesterday's Red Sox game on WEEI, I heard an ad attacking
> satellite radio. It was done in a man-on-the-street format, with "former
> subscriber" after "former subscriber" reciting a litany of complaints:
> "The equipment is too expensive." "They broadcast filthy language. I
> don't want my 9-year-old hearing that." "I live in a big city and the
> tall buildings mess up reception." And my favorite: "Everything I want
> is already on my local radio station. If I want music, I'll use my CD
> player."
> 
> The only "fact" offered by the announcer in this ad goes something like
> "Do you know that tens of thousands of people CANCEL their satellite
> radio service every month? Think about that before you subscribe." The
> tagline is "This message brought to you by your local radio stations."
> 
> So who's behind this? The NAB? Entercom? Someone is awfully worried
> about a service that has less than 2 million subscribers in the entire
> country, don't you think?
> 
> Howard

-- 

     Damon Cassell
     Marblehead MA
    damon@cassell.de