DirecTV, XM & the iPhone

DirecTV, XM & the iPhone

DirecTV customers are waking up today finding that four of the XM Satellite Radio channels have been removed from their lineups. Overnight XM Satellite Radio cut a total of 7 channels from its online service found at http://listen.xmradio.com of those 7 4 of them were also on DirecTV.

The channels removed last night were as follows:

Left XM and DirecTV:
- The Torch (829)
- Special X (848)
- Fuego (870)
- Luna (873)

Left XM Radio Online:
- Music Lab (XM 51)
- The Flow (XM 61)
- On the Rocks (XM 79)

The stations that were removed from XM Radio online we replaced and the following new channels were made available.

- Radio Disney
- BBC World Service
- CNN
- C-Span Radio
- FOX News Talk
- ESPN Radio
- NHL Home Ice
- PGA Tour Network
- XM Sports Nation

It should be noted that none of the new audio channels added to XM Radio Online are being made available to DirecTV.

I have never understood the entire XM / DirecTV deal personally as they are basically giving away everything that is great about XM for free to DirecTV customers.  As you might know Dish Network has a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio where they carry all the music channels, but does not give away its popular shows including Howard Stern and Bubba the Love Sponge. To hear those Sirius shows you need to subscribe to Sirius.  However with XM on DirecTV they give away shows which are XM exclusive such as Opie and Anthony and the Ron and Fez Show.  If I was a DirecTV customer there really is no reason for me to spend money subscribing to XM.

However in saying that I wonder how many people actually know they have XM on DirecTV, and how many folks actually listen to XM on DirecTV.

What got me thinking of this was this morning I was in the shower listening to the Opie and Anthony show and they had a lot of upset listeners calling in because a Syracuse, NY radio station replaced their show with an all music show called “Shut up and rock.”  These callers were looking for other ways to catch the show, and O&A were telling folks they could listen on XM or get an iPhone and listen on their using the new AOL Radio application, yet they never mentioned that they are for free on DirecTV.

I don’t know if they forget they are on DirecTV, or are told not to promote the fact since XM doesn’t make any extra money from DirecTV subscriptions.

One thing that the “boys” (as they like to be called) are on top of is how phones like the Apple iPhone will change the radio industry.  With one of these phones people can listen to most of their favorite stations live anywhere.  This idea alone might be bad news for satellite radio companies who might not be needed any longer, as people now can listen to almost any station on their phones.

I can only wonder what the NAB thinks about this, as many of their member stations are now broadcasting their audio on the Internet.  This being able to listen to your favorite radio anywhere throws a wrinkle of the argument that is XM and SIRIUS were to merge that they would become a monopoly.  I think quite possibly within the next 2 – 3 years there won’t be a reason to have satellite radio since a majority of Americans will have a way to listen to what they want, when they want, anywhere they want.

That might spell bad news for the satellite radio companies.