Art Bell Quits Dark Matter

[guildnavigator]

[maren]

Now we can add Sandy to the list.

Sandy and Jess -- I'm UnFriending them NOW!

[imagine]

Art, this is calls for drastic action. I now know what you need to do:
1. Go to Jonathan Reed's house
2. Knock him unconscious (you can improvise)
3. Grab the alien out of his freezer
4. Run
5. Run all the way to D.C.
6. Slam the frozen alien onto the CEO's desk
7. Don't say a single word

I can only see this working out in the best possible way, all things considered.

Still laughing.

[PathoJen]

Can someone please explain to me how Art's proposal is win-win? How does Sirius benefit? I'm totally beginning to think a.) Art is bluffing and they aren't taking the bait, b.) Art is yanking our chains by telling us the ball is in Sirius's court., just trying to pacify us.

[Jackstar]

I am starting to wonder if there is some behind the scenes pressure coming from elswhere because otherwise
this was a total win-win situation.

                                                                                                                       Art

Well, they apparently know enough about the business to get you into yet another non-compete agreement, yet... somehow... just couldn't get around to hooking you up with Skype before the show launched.

Hrrrm. What are the possible drawbacks to allowing an open, global forum to thrive and prosper? Hrrrm.

[JayDee543]

You might sell a few subs to people who are streaming and also want it in their car. Maybe somebody who is streaming Art will see another show they want to listen to on morning drive and they buy a sub to listen to that one. You never know. You are bringing people in who haven't considered a Sirius subscription before. They just need to decide if it's worth it or not. Maybe having Art there is better than bringing in some comedian half the country has never heard of and putting that guy in the same slot. Truckers who are on the road can't stream, even if its for free. That is subscription money. Sirius has a lot of factors to consider.

b-i-n-g-o
...and whether or no they stay and listen to Art is Art's job - and he just told Sirius he can't do it.

[jazmunda]

You might sell a few subs to people who are streaming and also want it in their car. Maybe somebody who is streaming Art will see another show they want to listen to on morning drive and they buy a sub to listen to that one. You never know. You are bringing people in who haven't considered a Sirius subscription before. They just need to decide if it's worth it or not. Maybe having Art there is better than bringing in some comedian half the country has never heard of and putting that guy in the same slot. Truckers who are on the road can't stream, even if its for free. That is subscription money. Sirius has a lot of factors to consider.

They have a 30 day full access free trial for that.

[zeebo]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

[Usagi]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

You are my kinda squirrel.

[gbneely]

Just for the record, no I do not have any regrets.

BTW you guy's and Gal's know me well, I can make life changing decisions on a dime, I have always been that way for better or worse.

I do have a two Year NC which I will honor if they hold me to it...

The highlights of Art's response for me and, yes, this interpretation is entirely mine. I think all of this was decided Monday. I would love to be proven wrong, but I'm really doubtful. Why couldn't Art have worked out this streaming issue while remaining on the air and why, in the name of all that is holy, wouldn't he have retained a lawyer to negotiate things with Sirius?

[Jnthn932]

Fuck, you're a hoot

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

[RealCool Daddio]

Thanks for the update Art.  If I understand your position, the show was not viable with the current streaming, primarily because you didn't have enough variety of callers - mostly mobile ones.  I have to ask, what makes you think a streaming only option is more viable in that regard?  A large portion of your audience listen in vehicles, so doesn't this reduce your possibilities, not increase them?

[jazmunda]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

You have about 100 hours worth of Art On Demand that is expiring in 72 hours. Drink up.

[midnight]

If all Art would be doing is strictly streaming a straight live show with no backwards, forwards, replays, archives, etc. like Sirius has, then would not his live stream bring in MORE subs to Sirius, not less? 

[Jackstar]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim DARK SOULS and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

QFT/fixed

[tertiaryimam]

Can someone please explain to me how Art's proposal is win-win? How does Sirius benefit? I'm totally beginning to think a.) Art is bluffing and they aren't taking the bait, b.) Art is yanking our chains by telling us the ball is in Sirius's court., just trying to pacify us.

Here's my take on it:

If Sirius grants art's request, they will not be paying him anymore. Plus, they can still get ad revenue out of him and some subscribers. Whatever subscribers were going to quit due to the streaming issue already have, by this point. So, they're in a position to look at how art can financially benefit them in lieu of his proposal now.

So, if Sirius agrees, sure, they lose face, but they can still get some milk out of the Bell cow --- figuratively speaking. That should be their made goal, I think. Also, Sirius can charge more for advertising if the advertisers know that the show is streaming globally, I'm sure. So this helps also.

If I were Sirius I'd tell Bell to let us up the commercial time by twenty minutes and its a done deal. No more pay for you, but you can stay.

[saab93driver]

It is easier to change things from the inside than it is from the outside and now he is on the outside.  Ultimatums sometimes backfire.  There had to be at least one or two "I told you so" comments within the program management staff at SXM.   

It all makes me kind of wish Art had taken that first deal he decided not to take some months ago because it would have "been for the wrong reasons" to get back at PRN o r whatever the reason was. 

[aldousburbank]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

My vote for stupid thing at top of page. MV, please arrange this.

[Bigfoot]

You might sell a few subs to people who are streaming and also want it in their car. Maybe somebody who is streaming Art will see another show they want to listen to on morning drive and they buy a sub to listen to that one. You never know. You are bringing people in who haven't considered a Sirius subscription before. They just need to decide if it's worth it or not. Maybe having Art there is better than bringing in some comedian half the country has never heard of and putting that guy in the same slot. Truckers who are on the road can't stream, even if its for free. That is subscription money. Sirius has a lot of factors to consider.

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?

[SixWeekTenure(tm)]

Look all I want is to be able to play Skyrim and drink scotch while listening to Art Bell. Can someone please arrange this.

Do it for the Dragonborn, Art.

[tertiaryimam]

If all Art would be doing is strictly streaming a straight live show with no backwards, forwards, replays, archives, etc. like Sirius has, then would not his live stream bring in MORE subs to Sirius, not less?

The problem here is that Sirius --- for whatever reason --- may not be able to archive his stuff if he's independent.

If that's the case. . . damn.

[imagine]

Art Bell:

BTW you guy's and Gal's know me well, I can make life changing decisions on a dime, I have always been that way for better or worse.

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

[JayDee543]

Here's my take on it:

If Sirius grants art's request, they will not be paying him anymore. Plus, they can still get ad revenue out of him and some subscribers. Whatever subscribers were going to quit due to the streaming issue already have, by this point. So, they're in a position to look at how art can financially benefit them in lieu of his proposal now.

So, if Sirius agrees, sure, they lose face, but they can still get some milk out of the Bell cow --- figuratively speaking. That should be their made goal, I think. Also, Sirius can charge more for advertising if the advertisers know that the show is streaming globally, I'm sure. So this helps also.

If I were Sirius I'd tell Bell to let us up the commercial time by twenty minutes and its a done deal. No more pay for you, but you can stay.

I would agree with you IF he had come to them with the "don't pay me but let me stream for free" idea before walking off.

The way it stands now, Sirius is being offered to take back someone who told them that he can't hold on to subs and is trying to weasel his way back on the air and make it look like he's doing them a favor.

[SciFiAuthor]

I am starting to wonder if there is some behind the scenes pressure coming from elswhere because otherwise
this was a total win-win situation.

                                                                                                                       Art

JC, clearly. He finally got ya Art, he finally got ya.

[tastycanadian]

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.

[Snowdoggie]

Here's my take on it:

If Sirius grants art's request, they will not be paying him anymore. Plus, they can still get ad revenue out of him and some subscribers. Whatever subscribers were going to quit due to the streaming issue already have, by this point. So, they're in a position to look at how art can financially benefit them in lieu of his proposal now.

So, if Sirius agrees, sure, they lose face, but they can still get some milk out of the Bell cow --- figuratively speaking. That should be their made goal, I think. Also, Sirius can charge more for advertising if the advertisers know that the show is streaming globally, I'm sure. So this helps also.

If I were Sirius I'd tell Bell to let us up the commercial time by twenty minutes and its a done deal. No more pay for you, but you can stay.

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.

[aldousburbank]

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

Is calling boobies "knockers" still pc?

[secretlab]

Part of the delay could very well have to do with recent changes at SiriusXM.  Jeremy Coleman, who originated Art's deal, is no longer head honcho of the Talk and Entertainment channels.  He's now exclusively running Howard Stern's channels.

Tim Sabean, who was doing the Stern Channels, is now in charge of the entertainment channels and the in-house personality shows.

David Gorab is now VP and General Mgr. of talk programming, presumably including the independent broadcasters.

All of these guys are good broadcasters, and good people.  Keep the faith, Art fans!

http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/122116/siriusxm-assigns-three-top-talk-execs-to-new-roles

[tertiaryimam]

I would agree with you IF he had come to them with the "don't pay me but let me stream for free" idea before walking off.

The way it stands now, Sirius is being offered to take back someone who told them that he can't hold on to subs and is trying to weasel his way back on the air and make it look like he's doing them a favor.

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.

[Jackstar]

It just dont make sense for a company to allow anything for free.

Entire industries have been built around this very concept.