Wall Street Week/Fortune

[Joseph Pappalardo]

> > Again, can sattelite ever replace Howie Carr's rants about Beacon Hill
> > hacks?  Local concerts?  Snowstorms?  Boston Pops concerts? And WBZ's
news?
>
> Realistically, no, satellite cannot do these things (yet). But it is
> not, in my estimation, a competitive disadvantage. And while you might
> mistake me as anti-radio, I'm far from it. I listen to Carr; I listen
> to 'BZ for traffic and weather; I listen to Stern on WBCN. But the
> problem for radio is that little 'MODE' button on my steering wheel.
> The moment 'RKO or 'BCN segues into a 20 minute barrage of
> commercials, I'm back on XM, and advertisers never have a chance.

This has always been an option...most likeley with CD's, as most car's come
with CD players these days.

People have been hitting  the CD button when they are sick of radio for
years now.  Yet they come back to be "connected" locally.

> At a higher level, the question becomes: are consumers willing to
> sacrafice localism in favor of variety and no commercials? I believe
> that the answer to this is yes.

The real question is are people willing pay extra for something that they
get for free now.

And the next question ("Remember when your cable bill was 11.95?"), are
people willing to pay the increase in prices that will no doubtedly occur.

Some are, and those are the early jumpers, but again, more than trying to
avoid "Giant Glass", they are hoping to get a format, that they cannot get
otherwise.  The one audiophile I know in my circle who got it, did so
because he can't find Jazz on the radio anymore.  Some will pay for Stern,
etc.

> Satellite can't yet give you local
> weather, news, arts and entertainment, but most consumers have that
> information available, on-demand, on their computers.

Yeah, that's what I want, to take my computer into the car.

Again, can sattelite replace WROR Loren and Wally's "Men from Maine" bit?
Wally's take on local sports?  Curt Schilling's weekly appearance?