Art Bell Quits Dark Matter

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

[tertiaryimam]

I cant see Sirrius wanting their product gave away for free and thats what free streaming would do. Why bother buying a sat radio when you can stream to your phone or download a pirated copy and play it on your cars mp3 player. It just dont make sense for a company to allow anything for free.

Because the streams are ABSOLUTE SHIT. Why dick with them when you can have a sleek Sirius/Xm radio blinking beautiful blue light in your eye while you're trying to sleep off your two-day Valerian and Zantac binge?

[JayDee543]

Well, I know what sort of shit some of the Howard Stern guys like Sal Governale, Artie Lange, Eric the Actor, etc. got up to, but they're still on. I think Sirius has to know that when you're dealing with people like art, you're dealing with a different sort of animal. Art is an artist --- no pun intended --- and artist's are good at art. They're not business people. They don't have business sense. They are moved by an inward call. And when it calls, they must follow. Sirius stands to make more money --- I think --- by honoring art's rash demands. If you're in the business to do business, then that should be all that matters.

Can't use Howard as an example.  He is untouchable to them.  He tried to sue them for about 100mill last year due to some contract issues, and now they're throwing him b-day party that will cost them thousands.  Howard could burn down the studios and they'd thank him for it.

[dortmunder]

Art Bell:
Calling the female sex 'gal's' is as outdated as patting them on the behind.  (Yes, that's outdated too.)

I actually prefer it when they pat me on the behind...

[urbie88]

Ok today again we heard nothing from Sirius. It is strange that we get no communication at all.

Just so you know, not any of this was done on the fly, before leaving on Monday I consulted with Paul
and Bob Crane my sponsor and they both agreed it was the right course of action.

On Wed we proposed becoming a Independent Broadcaster, which as with others at Sirius/XM would
have meant we could stream ourself, that was the goal. They said they were activley considering it and
we have not heard from them since. I told them I was willing to be on air the next day.

I wish I had more to report but for now that is it as of the close of business Friday on the East Coast.

                                                                                                            Art

Art we love ya but instead of consulting the CEO of an electronics company you should have been engaging an agent and an attorney.

[AppealPlay]

Can't use Howard as an example.  He is untouchable to them.  He tried to sue them for about 100mill last year due to some contract issues, and now they're throwing him b-day party that will cost them thousands.  Howard could burn down the studios and they'd thank him for it.

http://youtu.be/qdFLPn30dvQ

[tertiaryimam]

Can't use Howard as an example.  He is untouchable to them.  He tried to sue them for about 100mill last year due to some contract issues, and now they're throwing him b-day party that will cost them thousands.  Howard could burn down the studios and they'd thank him for it.

I was joking about the Howard thing. Note that Eric the Actor never was on the payroll, and Artie had a suicide attempt which pretty much ruined his ability to work there. Most of my posts are half-joke or all-joke.

[midnight]

As someone else said, there's a 30 day free trial for that.  Who is going to sign up for a show that's online for free?

Well, me for one.  If it is a pick between listening to Sirius with all it's advantages, and a strictly live stream, I would pick Sirius anyday.  And I am not rich, but it would be well worth it to me. 

As it stands now, if Art goes, I go too.  There is just nothing else on the station I would pay $15 a month for unfortunately.

It seems to me that another live stream would just bring more people into them.

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

Can't use Howard as an example.  He is untouchable to them.  He tried to sue them for about 100mill last year due to some contract issues, and now they're throwing him b-day party that will cost them thousands.  Howard could burn down the studios and they'd thank him for it.

Heh, good point. They're trying to get him to re-sign once the current contract is over, so mending fences after the lawsuit by remodeling his wing of the SiriusXM building, streamlining how it operates and an expensive birthday bash in January might seal the deal.

[sherry440]

The other thing is that there are egos involved here on the Sirius side too. Art pointed out in no uncertain terms that their streaming doesn't work. Somebody at Sirius/XM who is in charge of making the streaming work is getting his ass handed to him right now. That guy is no friend of Art. Better hope that guy doesn't have a vote on the deal Art's proposing.

I don't mind being called guys and gals, as long as the unnecessary apostrophe is dropped since a plural word does not need one.
Secondly, we might have better luck if we try to get Tertiary put in place as the new CEO of SXM! Then we'd definitely win! Perhaps a mail campaign to that effect?

[Snowdoggie]

Well, I know what sort of shit some of the Howard Stern guys like Sal Governale, Artie Lange, Eric the Actor, etc. got up to, but they're still on.

Art needs a 'Pig Virus' to beat on as a scapegoat if this thing doesn't go through. 

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

I was joking about the Howard thing. Note that Eric the Actor never was on the payroll, and Artie had a suicide attempt which pretty much ruined his ability to work there. Most of my posts are half-joke or all-joke.

I've been reading his second book, Crash and Burn, and that chapter was absolutely brutal. It's amazing that he's alive today.

[tastycanadian]

Because the streams are ABSOLUTE SHIT. Why dick with them when you can have a sleek Sirius/Xm radio blinking beautiful blue light in your eye while you're trying to sleep off your two-day Valerian and Zantac binge?

WHy? cuz its free and free is always the best price. And after all it is talk radio, not music. AM radio quality is not very good but people like it being free so they put up with it. Sirrius makes money off of subs. If you dont need to subscribe to listen they dont make money.

[tertiaryimam]

I don't mind being called guys and gals, as long as the unnecessary apostrophe is dropped since a plural word does not need one.
Secondly, we might have better luck if we try to get Tertiary put in place as the new CEO of SXM! Then we'd definitely win! Perhaps a mail campaign to that effect?

Thank you Sherry. I think this is one of the more sensible posts I've seen lately.

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

WHy? cuz its free and free is always the best price. And after all it is talk radio, not music. AM radio quality is not very good but people like it being free so they put up with it. Sirrius makes money off of subs. If you dont need to subscribe to listen they dont make money.

See, that's where I go the other way in this argument. Art will still be exclusive to SiriusXM if they agree to his independent offer, other than his website stream for live content. We'll still pick him up in our cars or homes if we bought satellite receivers - no drops because of poor connections, clear audio around the clock. Many of us did just that before his first show with Dark Matter, which is why we felt crossed after just six weeks of shows.

[Bigfoot]

Art we love ya but instead of consulting the CEO of an electronics company you should have been engaging an agent and an attorney.

and.... there's the crux of it all.

bell is working sirius out of the crane advertising dollars, and out of sirius' usual advertisers (remember, he'll be independent).  you can bet this revolves around the percentage of advertising money that's currently agreed to.  bell's trying to get a bigger share and to cut sirius' down as much as possible.

why would sirius agree?

[midnight]

I don't mind being called guys and gals, as long as the unnecessary apostrophe is dropped since a plural word does not need one.
Secondly, we might have better luck if we try to get Tertiary put in place as the new CEO of SXM! Then we'd definitely win! Perhaps a mail campaign to that effect?

I don't mind anything except grammar, punctuation, and spelling pro-fectionists.  (and I mean that in the nicest way possible.  )

[Snowdoggie]

WHy? cuz its free and free is always the best price. And after all it is talk radio, not music. AM radio quality is not very good but people like it being free so they put up with it. Sirrius makes money off of subs. If you dont need to subscribe to listen they dont make money.

Maybe the stream shouldn't be free. What would you rather have? A free stream that doesn't work or pay a couple of bucks for one that does. It does cost money to stream. Maybe Sirius needs to expand to streaming and charging for it for all of their shows. It would make them some money and bring their shows to a different audience. They could go beyond the coverage of their satellites.

[Bigfoot]

Well, me for one.  If it is a pick between listening to Sirius with all it's advantages, and a strictly live stream, I would pick Sirius anyday.  And I am not rich, but it would be well worth it to me. 

As it stands now, if Art goes, I go too.  There is just nothing else on the station I would pay $15 a month for unfortunately.

It seems to me that another live stream would just bring more people into them.

all of the advantages? like the shows on youtube and torrents? people aren't going to pay 15 bucks when there's no exclusivity involved.

[tertiaryimam]

WHy? cuz its free and free is always the best price. And after all it is talk radio, not music. AM radio quality is not very good but people like it being free so they put up with it. Sirrius makes money off of subs. If you dont need to subscribe to listen they dont make money.

The streaming problems don't have to do with sound quality. This isn't 1996. It's about the show stuttering, timing out, disconnecting, etc. This is bad for talk radio just as it is bad for music.

Sirius does make money off of subs but also ad revenue. Ask yourself this --- could they make more than $75,000 for a 3 years stretch in ad revenue? If so, ego shouldn't get involved when there's gobs of sweet, green, residual-cocaine-wearing dollars to be made!

[tastycanadian]

See, that's where I go the other way in this argument. Art will still be exclusive to SiriusXM if they agree to his independent offer, other than his website stream for live content. We'll still pick him up in our cars or homes if we bought satellite receivers - no drops because of poor connections, clear audio around the clock. Many of us did just that before his first show with Dark Matter, which is why we felt crossed after just six weeks of shows.

I understand, and I think you should be pissed if you shell'd out the cash. Im just saying if the reason he stopped broadcasting is cuz his "core" group was streaming and it didnt work. Then streaming for free to his "core group" would be money Sirrius wont see, they want ALL the pie not a slice.

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

Obviously he had to discuss the "no payment" issue with Producer Paul but why Bob Crane? He's upset no one was buying C. Crane equipment when they already spent a pretty penny on satellite receivers? Waah.

[tertiaryimam]

and.... there's the crux of it all.

bell is working sirius out of the crane advertising dollars, and out of sirius' usual advertisers (remember, he'll be independent).  you can bet this revolves around the percentage of advertising money that's currently agreed to.  bell's trying to get a bigger share and to cut sirius' down as much as possible.

why would sirius agree?

If it could be worked out that art doesn't get paid jack shit except for advertisements that he voices over, live, then Sirius could keep all the cash for anything else.

But the question here is that if art is independent, how does this relate to Sirius's contracting when it comes to adds? If an add is playing on an independent broadcaster's livestream of a Sirius channel, who gets paid? Art or Sirius? I'm sure it could be worked out but I'm no lawyer.

[Zack]

Depends. Can they put somebody else in that slot who could bring in as many listeners or as many subscriptions. Maybe they are still trying to figure that out. Remember we are talking late evening to middle of the night. Not morning drive time.

I bet Dark Matter brought in the most listeners that 104 channel ever had. 

[tastycanadian]

If it could be worked out that art doesn't get paid jack shit except for advertisements that he voices over, live, then Sirius could keep all the cash for anything else.

But the question here is that if art is independent, how does this relate to Sirius's contracting when it comes to adds? If an add is playing on an independent broadcaster's livestream of a Sirius channel, who gets paid? Art or Sirius? I'm sure it could be worked out but I'm no lawyer.

Maybe this is why its taking so long cuz they working out how to get paid off the ad revenue.

[UrbanFool]

As it stands now, if Art goes, I go too.  There is just nothing else on the station I would pay $15 a month for unfortunately.

If it really goes up by another $6, I'm afraid that probably counts me out --even for Art.

[AppealPlay]

I bet Dark Matter brought in the most listeners that 104 channel ever had.

It would shock me if it any show on 104 had more listeners.  I mean, the lineup on Indie 104 sucks.  It's dreadful.

[shell88]

Glad you corrected this. That shit drives me crazy! I once dumped a girl because she couldn't get her yours right.

Coming to this forum is the first bit of writing I've done in a good 15years. My current job doesn't require me to write so I've really declined in my ability - I use to write quite a bit.  I am working on it though, and I think it is getting better bit by bit.

[tertiaryimam]

Maybe this is why its taking so long cuz they working out how to get paid off the ad revenue.

That's a really good point.

[maren]

I understand, and I think you should be pissed if you shell'd out the cash. Im just saying if the reason he stopped broadcasting is cuz his "core" group was streaming and it didnt work. Then streaming for free to his "core group" would be money Sirrius wont see, they want ALL the pie not a slice.

Bob Crane wouldn't even be on the radar if it weren't for Art.