Art Bell Quits Dark Matter

[popple]

I'm with MV. A stream at Artbell.com would be awesome for some people, but I wouldn't want to cast aside siriusxm and rely only on it. After listening through siriusxm I've been spoiled by the options & quality. And I also like to listen to the rebroadcast right away! I'm pretty impatient, so waiting for someone to upload it to youtube or a torrent site would be a drag.

[DontFearTheReaper]

One more post and then I'll do my best to stop monopolizing the thread. Here is a key excerpt from the Time Magazine article:

In the days before everyone had endless microtargeted media options on demand, Bell pitched a very big tent. And that audience remained during Bell's years away, hungry for his return. Every vague comeback rumor was met with a flurry of online anticipation.

That's what Sirius XM was after. Satellite radio's business model relies on hosts with fans passionate enough to pay for a subscription. The company had been hunting for an "Art Bell type," says Jeremy Coleman, Sirius XM's boss of talk programming. "Then I had one of those 'Duh' moments. What about actual Art Bell?"

If those passionate fans don't have to pay for a subscription in order to hear actual Art Bell, where is the value for SiriusXM to carry the show in the first place?

[popple]

Not everyone who listens to Art knows how to pirate his show etc. I'm going to assume that they'll find a once a day live stream to be a bit of an inconvenience over time and some may end up buying the online package. Especially to go back and listen to past shows on demand, on their own time.

NGL, because it's hockey season it has been extremely hard to listen to Art starting at 7pm most nights. I am so happy to be able to pop in and rewind the show, and not have to wait until the next day for it to appear online. I can join the conversation here at bellgab right away. That's important to me.

[DontFearTheReaper]

Not everyone who listens to Art knows how to pirate his show etc. I'm going to assume that they'll find a once a day live stream to be a bit of an inconvenience over time and some may end up buying the online package. Especially to go back and listen to past shows on demand, on their own time.

NGL, because it's hockey season it has been extremely hard to listen to Art starting at 7pm most nights. I am so happy to be able to pop in and rewind the show, and not have to wait until the next day for it to appear online. I can join the conversation here at bellgab right away. That's important to me.

Same here. I do the exact same thing - watch hockey til about 10 or 11pm, and then use the "Start Over" feature to listen to Art's show from the beginning. Then I download the show in the app before I leave for work the next morning and finish it through there.

I guess it will all come down to whether SiriusXM doesn't view free live streaming as a threat. And I'm sure they aren't thrilled with Art openly telling people that his shows can be found almost immediately on YouTube. I'm willing to wager that they will find free live streaming to be a threat, but I definitely hope that I'm wrong.

[georgesucks]

Art bell will retire from Dark Matter. After Art retires, George Noory will take over Dark Matter for Art. The Management Of C2C will be looking for a new host for C2C and It will be Art Bell.

[Meanandnasty]

It can work.  Sirius is limited in the audience that can listen online.  By allowing a stream during the show, it would draw in an international audience.  There could be some point in the agreement that Sirius would get a proportion of revenue if it is allowed to stream free. 

The stream would only be allowed during the actual playing of the show?  This might draw in "new listeners" like Mr. Noory always talks about.  These new listeners would in turn be drawn to trying out Sirius, if you want to have rebroadcasts, you subscribe.  If structured correctly, it could be a good point for all!

I listen to Sirius not only for Mr. Bell's show, but for the music, news, sports and commentary shows. 

[lonevoice]

Oh definitely, I agree. Although, without any manner of knowing for sure, I wonder how much all that equipment was subsidized and/or setup by his previous networks. I mean, he'll obviously figure out a way to do a show if he really wants to. It would just make for an interesting/uncomfortable situation if SiriusXM demanded that he turn over the equipment they set up for him.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't find any profit whatsoever in getting all stirred up and panicky over Art's business,  about which I'm as much in the dark as everyone else.  As far as I can tell, no one here has anymore actual information than what Art specifically said last night.  As far as any of us know, even what Art specifically did say could be couched in strategic terms for purposes of negotiation...maybe.  Or maybe not.  In any case, it sounds like we'll know with some certainty on Monday, just 3 days from now.  I think I'll wait at least that long before taking shelter in my Y2K bunker.

[area51drone]

I haven't gotten to the announcement yet, but I don't believe for one second that Art is in this for the money.  I bet you dollars to donuts that Art is *turning down* sponsorship opportunities.   He is buddies with C Crane, and I think that's the only reason he does the commercials for them.   I think Art wants to reach as many people as possible, that's his goal - to be the biggest show in town.   He's already rich, he doesn't need the money.   He is a ham radio guy - he just wants to talk to people, get lots of callers etc.  He came back because he loves to talk.   Listen to him - he always brags about the length of the content of his show.

With that said, the stream is already free!   You can sign up for as many sirius XM free trials as you want with hotmail/yahoo/gmail/etc email accounts.   I don't have a problem with Sirius charging.  However, I think they're missing out on a LOT of opportunity by not offering an ala carte plan.   They should offer internet 1 channel subscriptions for like $4-5 a month.     

[Morgus]

You can hear Art's announcement from last night for free at the ArtBell.com website today.
It plays for under 5 minutes.

[onan]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't find any profit whatsoever in getting all stirred up and panicky over Art's business,  about which I'm as much in the dark as everyone else.  As far as I can tell, no one here has anymore actual information than what Art specifically said last night.  As far as any of us know, even what Art specifically did say could be couched in strategic terms for purposes of negotiation...maybe.  Or maybe not.  In any case, it sounds like we'll know with some certainty on Monday, just 3 days from now.  I think I'll wait at least that long before taking shelter in my Y2K bunker.

finally some sense in this thread.

[Sardondi]

I'm having a hard time finding the simple decency, much less honor, in trying to wheedle a unilateral change in the contract you bound yourself to a mere 6 weeks earlier.

[jazmunda]

The only thing that concerns me is Art's comment about being All In. What happens in poker when you go All In and lose?

[DontFearTheReaper]

finally some sense in this thread.

So the idea is to not discuss Art's statement RE: the viability of the show itself it SiriusXM doesn't allow free streaming? Got it.

[DontFearTheReaper]

I'm having a hard time finding the simple decency, much less honor, in trying to wheedle a unilateral change in the contract you bound yourself to a mere 6 weeks earlier.

Agreed, and that makes me sad. What SiriusXM is (and isn't) should not have been a secret to Art. If the tradeoff of a somewhat limited audience for more creative freedom wasn't worth it, than this deal should have never happened in the first place.

[jazmunda]

So the idea is to not discuss Art's statement RE: the viability of the show itself it SiriusXM doesn't allow free streaming? Got it.

That statement also concerned me.

If Art doesn't get his way and the show isn't viable what does that mean?

[onan]

So the idea is to not discuss Art's statement RE: the viability of the show itself it SiriusXM doesn't allow free streaming? Got it.

I don't care what you discuss. I am just not inclined to think the sky is falling.

[aldousburbank]

I think art is going to take queen's bishop. 3 moves.

[DontFearTheReaper]

I don't care what you discuss. I am just not inclined to think the sky is falling.

Ok, that's cool and maybe I misinterpreted what you were trying to say. I don't necessarily think the sky is falling, but I do think it is noteworthy when Art is basically threatening to walk no more than 6 weeks into his comeback.

[DontFearTheReaper]

That statement also concerned me.

If Art doesn't get his way and the show isn't viable what does that mean?

Considering his "all-in" comment, it can only mean one thing if he is really serious about what he says - the end of Dark Matter on SiriusXM.

I mean, I love listening to Art. But when you boil it down to the basics, it's all a little disappointing. If SiriusXM was reneging on something, that would be one thing. But this basically comes off as "I'm not getting as many callers as I thought I would, blow up your business model and make my show free." It's kind of hard to look at that objectively and think "good idea."

[Uncle Duke]

Didn't he say he was requesting this just until Sirius got its act together and corrects the technical problems we've seen to date?   Not an unreasonable request, and one that might actually get some more people to sign up for Sirius once the glitches are solved and the stream is shut-down.

On the other hand, Art has shown himself to be a flake when it comes to this kind of stuff.  He's quit how many times?  I don't remember what the site was (not here, before I knew this site existed), but upon hearing the rumor Art was coming back, I posted, "How long before he says 'no mas, no mas' again?"

[onan]

Ok, that's cool and maybe I misinterpreted what you were trying to say. I don't necessarily think the sky is falling, but I do think it is noteworthy when Art is basically threatening to walk no more than 6 months into his comeback.

I dunno, honestly, the motivations could be anything. I am kinda annoyed that Art said anything. I don't like cryptic messages. I really don't know what was meant with that statement. I got the free stream thing... which seems crazy to me, but I don't have any idea what the numbers are. But the maneuverings after that... not a clue.

[shell88]

If your making 75000 a year and have to pay a producer and webmaster, your not left with much of anything. They need the money made from the advertising off his website.  Give sirius a cut and they are all happy.

[area51drone]

I'm having a hard time finding the simple decency, much less honor, in trying to wheedle a unilateral change in the contract you bound yourself to a mere 6 weeks earlier.

Art is no fool.  He knows the terms of his contract.   Contracts go two ways, and are made to be broken.  He could give two shits about $75k/year and is more than willing to lose that to get what he wants if he feels its in his (and probably our) best interest.   I bet he owes nothing if he quits and I guarantee you there is no non-compete, so he has no reason not to threaten if that's what he wants to do.

[area51drone]

If your making 75000 a year and have to pay a producer and webmaster, your not left with much of anything. They need the money made from the advertising off his website.  Give sirius a cut and they are all happy.

It is very possible and probable that $75k a year is slated for Art, with separate allowances for Keith and any producers/backend people.

This is pennies to SiriusXM.   How many millions do these guys pay Stern?

[aldousburbank]

Are you kidding? 75K? You could live it up in Manhattan for at least a week with that kind of dough, if you're frugal.

[DanTSX]

Art and team wouldn't walk into this blindfolded. I don't see him as a quitter, quite the opposite.
He's just throwing his substantial weight around and testing the waters. He's not an idiot.

This.  He likes to keep the Execs on edge.

XM/Sirius is wayyyy too big with too many stock holders to look the other way

[jazmunda]

I dunno, honestly, the motivations could be anything. I am kinda annoyed that Art said anything. I don't like cryptic messages. I really don't know what was meant with that statement. I got the free stream thing... which seems crazy to me, but I don't have any idea what the numbers are. But the maneuverings after that... not a clue.

I agree. Art shouldn't have said anything. Alas cryptic has always been apart of Art's MO.

[Meanandnasty]

Me thinks that he wanted to make it a "Spooky Matters" weekend for Mr. Noory.

[area51drone]

I agree. Art shouldn't have said anything. Alas cryptic has always been apart of Art's MO.

I'm blaming you Jazmunda... so many calls he thinks you're the only one listening!!  j/k

[jazmunda]

This explanation on Art's website (http://artbell.com/will-siriusxm-allow-free-streaming-of-live-show/) sheds some more light to Art's motivation:

"Art makes an important announcement concerning the future of the show. He’s concerned that the SiriusXM streaming mobile app and web player are not up to the job (1001 errors) and suggests that we (artbell.com) serve the program LIVE using other Internet streaming protocols (Icecast), to allow a more favorable listening experience and to allow the streaming of the LIVE program for FREE all over the world.

You would still use your SiriusXM subscription to listen to the archives on demand, and be able to download programs with your SiriusXM mobile app to listen while off line. The LIVE program would be available for 4 hours each of the 4 days a week via an alternative streaming service, on ArtBell.com, allowing a larger audience to call in and participate."

This make me feel a little better about the announcement. I think Art needed to explain it better and it may have avoided the hysteria. Art made it sound like an ultimatum on air. Or maybe my paranoia perceived it that way.