Originally posted by: aldamon
Originally posted by: sat4fun
Originally posted by: aldamon
Originally posted by: Omniprezent It's worth every penny. I've had XM since last August and I can safely say it has been one of the best investments I've ever made. I never listen to FM anymore.
Why do you hate FM radio? An overload of commercials and fluff, right? When you signed up did they ever guarantee that a commercial / fluff invasion would not happen on XM? I think you're all in for a reality check real soon. The last time I checked, there are just as many commercials and other annoyances on cable TV as "free" TV. They're just being good right now to reel everyone in.
Dude, you have it all wrong. It's all about programming. People go to cable or satellite for programming, or necessity due to signal, not to get away from commercials. Except for Howard Stern, all FM is crap. XM does have ads now on certain stations, but they are hardly noticable. Most of the stations are commercial free. Sirius currently does not have ads, but I bet that that will change with their financial situation. XM is in better financial shape. I suggest that you try it If you listen to music at all, you will love it. Great programming, great reception, everywhere.
I don't have anything wrong. Neither of these companies are making any money. It's only a matter of time before they sell out just like FM and start passing out the receivers like cable boxes. I also think it's funny how you disregard the draw of commercial-free radio. I seem to remember XM's initial marketing campaign emphasizing that fact. If it's not the #1 reason to switch to XM, then why the emphasis? It's also telling that those same commercials have all but disappeared.
I was refering to your thinking that people changed to cable due to no commercials, this is just not true. This may have been true for HBO and Showtime, but the other cable channels never said that. There have always been commercials on cable channels like CNN, ComedyCentral and the like. People went for programming. People went from three channels to 50 or so. I went to cable since it is the only way to get any signal where I lived, the extra channels were a bonus. The same is true for XM.
Regarding XM, it does have commercials, but they are hardly noticeable. There may or not be commercials in the future, but that has no real bearing on my decision to be a subcriber, since I enjoy what XM provides, good high quality music ANYWHERE! One hundred+ channels, I can change the channel when a comercial comes along if it comes to that. I would rather pay less and have some sponsorship. XM has some commercials and charges $9.95 a month, Sirius has none and chagres $12.95.
I had the same attitude as you prior to getting XM, but I am now hooked. I am listening to it now, I listen ALL day. After Stern I go to XM and listen all day at work, then pack it up for my trip home. I get my $10 worth. If you are so certain that there will be commerical, you better get in before they come.
I agree that they equipment will get cheaper, if not free, but XM is only about 15 months old. They must write off some R&D first.
BTW, when did FM sell out? Were they ever commercial free? You must live in a small radio market that couldn't sell airtime.