One reader thinks radio should spend less time worrying about the future of XM/Sirius and more time worrying about its own.
Subject: "XM/Sirius: Halt or Alter"
It’s no secret that RBR has been a vocal opponent of the proposed XM/Sirius merger. Truth be told, any good attorney could argue either side with substance and aplomb. I’ve always felt the issue should center on what’s best in the public interest. Apart, XM and Sirius are financially crippled, hobbling towards extinction. Together, they stand a chance to survive. To support and hasten satellite’s demise, rendering millions of XM and Sirius receivers worthless scrap metal, hardly seems in the public interest. In the end, as always, consumers will vote with their wallets whether they want to pay for satellite radio. They deserve that choice.
While I respect a broadcaster’s right to defend its license, the industry as a whole has always struck me as one that expends far more energy protecting yesterday’s technology than trailblazing tomorrow’s. HD Radio could have been a breakthrough leap forward for terrestrial radio, rather than a foreseeable footnote. With auto makers now gearing up to offer WiFi connectivity, a consumer’s ability to choose from 10,000+ audio streams will present a Goliath-sized challenge far greater than the David-sized rock in the XM/Sirius slingshot. There will always be competition. Let’s get ahead of the curve, rather than play perpetual catch-up.
Has radio been pronounced dead so many times it’s starting to believe its own press?
Mark Lipsky, President & CEO
Radio Direct Response
Media PA
