Art Bell Quits Dark Matter

[dan7800]

I see the question over and over and well, over again... why would Sirius give in.

I am left thinking.  Why wouldn't they?

First, this is being played out different in the "media" then it is in this world.  The portrayal I have read has been more along the lines of "lots of people have complained about Sirius shitty streaming service and now someone quit over it".  As an Art Bell fan, my reaction was more along the lines of "oh crap, he's quitting on me again", but the outsider perception is much different.

Second, if Art is actually offering what he says he is... forgo salary AND carry the cost of the live stream, likely still keeping his 50/50 split on ad revenues, WTF does Sirius have to lose?  Nothing.  They have done syndication style deals before, where programs are available BOTH on Sirius and regular radio.  In this case, it would be ONLY a live stream on the web and then Sirius would have exclusive rights to the archives, etc.

If you check out the facebook page you will see many MANY people saying that they dumped Sirius over losing Art Bell b/c they were listening to the archives, so there are a number of people who would pay the $14.95 per month b/c they can't listen from 7-10 PT.  I know I fall into that category and sent an e-mail into Sirius to let them know that I would happily resubscribe if they picked the show back up, whether it is live streamed or not.

This is a company BARELY making money, with a stock price that has been relatively stagnant for years.  (Well, its gone up the last several years, but that is down drastically still from 10 in 2002 and 60 during the height of the boom.)

They wind up in a nothing to lose and everything to gain scenario if they let Art give up his salary AND shoulder the cost of streaming.

The caveat here is that the offer isn't what is seems and Art isn't actually willing to forgo salary AND carry the streaming costs.  Maybe I read his messages wrong, but that was my takeaway of his offer.

A) Does this set a precedence for other hosts (Howard, Opie etc....) If so, Sirius won't do it
B) Could they make more money playing a replay during that timeslot?

[Coz]

Mr Art Bell
Your show was swell
Until streaming went to hell

You had a fix
And took a risk
By throwing free shows in the mix

Now Sirius are mad
They think you're bad
And all of your fans are so sad

But I do not blame
Or want to shame
The guy with Art as a name

So just fix it now
Then get Linda Howe
To talk about more of those cows

You don't rhyme well
prose just went to hell
a sad thing to do to Art Bell

[samysam1313]

Thanks mom.
Can you get off your soap box for a minute, and bake us some cookies, let's spread some warm fuzzies around.

It's not a soap box and I don't bake cookies for bashers. Maybe I'm old fashioned which seems to be what has happened to common decency. Easy to be an A hole when you're incognito on the web. I have my picture up. Where is yours? Oh!  and mom says to eat your veggies.

[Usagi]

Sirius won't back off.

The only way to deal with it for them is to let Art go and paint him as a loon in quiet whispers. It's the only short term smart move... and corporate weenies are all about short term smart moves.

I'm sad to say that I have to agree with this, no matter the cheerleading emails I'm sending to SiriusXM myself.  They don't want to set a precedent that allows their hosts to think they can have wild demands met.  "Hey, you did it for Art Bell... and only after six weeks!" 

BTW, I heard Martha Stewart (yeah, yeah, I listen to Martha, fuck you) complaining that Sirius was grilling her about whether or not she got a caller base from a variety of regions and states.  They apparently didn't tell her why they were asking her and she seemed pretty defensive and annoyed.  Additionally, she never knows from week to week whether or not her channel will be cancelled or reduced or anything.  And we're talking about bad-ass ex-con Martha Stewart here!

I don't think Sirius ever wants to give their talent the upper hand in anything.  They're the boss... no matter what they told Art in the negotiation process to court him.

[ItsOver]

Unfortunately this

Weenies have no vision
Weenies hold the keys

This weenie likes Chicago all beef weenies.  They're the best.

[Coz]

I'm sad to say that I have to agree with this.  They don't want to set a precedent that allows their hosts to think they can have wild demands met.  "Hey, you did it for Art Bell... and only after six weeks!" 

BTW, I heard Martha Stewart (yeah, yeah, I listen to Martha, fuck you) complaining that Sirius was grilling her about whether or not she got a caller base from a variety of regions and states.  They apparently didn't tell her why they were asking her and she seemed pretty defensive and annoyed.  Additionally, she never knows from week to week whether or not her channel will be cancelled or reduced or anything.  And we're talking about bad-ass ex-con Martha Stewart here!

I don't think Sirius ever wants to give their talent the upper hand in anything.  They're the boss... no matter what they told Art in the negotiation process to court him.

I listen to Martha as well.

So you better un-fuck me right now.

[Marc.Knight]

I'm happily married, but Jesus......


[attachimg=1]
Margot Robbie

[ItsOver]

I'm sad to say that I have to agree with this, no matter the cheerleading emails I'm sending to SiriusXM myself.  They don't want to set a precedent that allows their hosts to think they can have wild demands met.  "Hey, you did it for Art Bell... and only after six weeks!" 

BTW, I heard Martha Stewart (yeah, yeah, I listen to Martha, fuck you) complaining that Sirius was grilling her about whether or not she got a caller base from a variety of regions and states.  They apparently didn't tell her why they were asking her and she seemed pretty defensive and annoyed.  Additionally, she never knows from week to week whether or not her channel will be cancelled or reduced or anything.  And we're talking about bad-ass ex-con Martha Stewart here!

I don't think Sirius ever wants to give their talent the upper hand in anything.  They're the boss... no matter what they told Art in the negotiation process to court him.

I think they're about to enter the "Art Bell?  Who's Art Bell?" phase.  Other than in court.

[guildnavigator]

It's not a soap box and I don't bake cookies for bashers. Maybe I'm old fashioned which seems to be what has happened to common decency. Easy to be an A hole when you're incognito on the web. I have my picture up. Where is yours? Oh!  and mom says to eat your veggies.

I have my picture up and damnit NOW I WANT COOKIES. WHERE'S  THE GUY WHO SAID COOKIE? Leave the nice lady alone!!!!

[guildnavigator]

I'm happily married, but Jesus......

who dat

[Marc.Knight]

who dat

Margot Robbie

[guildnavigator]

I'm happily married, but Jesus......


[attachimg=1]
Margot Robbie

Margot, I see you have your picture up. Would you like to meet somewhere for cookies?

[bateman]

I'm happily married, but Jesus......


[attachimg=1]
Margot Robbie

Hmm, so after Googling her, she's the girl in Wolf of Wall Street. I thought it was Emma Stone.

http://youtu.be/pabEtIERlic

[guildnavigator]

So, After googling her, I decide we will all stop taking our medicine and only recreational/preferably hard drugs until Art returns.

I am mentally unstable, singing and dancing, inside the library, near the computer room.

It wasn't me, it was emma stone.

[dortmunder]

I see the question over and over and well, over again... why would Sirius give in.

I am left thinking.  Why wouldn't they?

First, this is being played out different in the "media" then it is in this world.  The portrayal I have read has been more along the lines of "lots of people have complained about Sirius shitty streaming service and now someone quit over it".  As an Art Bell fan, my reaction was more along the lines of "oh crap, he's quitting on me again", but the outsider perception is much different.

Second, if Art is actually offering what he says he is... forgo salary AND carry the cost of the live stream, likely still keeping his 50/50 split on ad revenues, WTF does Sirius have to lose?  Nothing.  They have done syndication style deals before, where programs are available BOTH on Sirius and regular radio.  In this case, it would be ONLY a live stream on the web and then Sirius would have exclusive rights to the archives, etc.

If you check out the facebook page you will see many MANY people saying that they dumped Sirius over losing Art Bell b/c they were listening to the archives, so there are a number of people who would pay the $14.95 per month b/c they can't listen from 7-10 PT.  I know I fall into that category and sent an e-mail into Sirius to let them know that I would happily resubscribe if they picked the show back up, whether it is live streamed or not.

This is a company BARELY making money, with a stock price that has been relatively stagnant for years.  (Well, its gone up the last several years, but that is down drastically still from 10 in 2002 and 60 during the height of the boom.)

They wind up in a nothing to lose and everything to gain scenario if they let Art give up his salary AND shoulder the cost of streaming.

The caveat here is that the offer isn't what is seems and Art isn't actually willing to forgo salary AND carry the streaming costs.  Maybe I read his messages wrong, but that was my takeaway of his offer.

Unfortunately media execs don't tend to be visionaries. They tend to be boring, passionless numbers crunchers. Much like government workers, really. No vision, no passion, just shilling a product. They don't like change because change means instability and instability affects the bottom line. Even though, in this case, I think you're right. They're just not the kind of people who can see that far ahead. Point in case: HBO cancelling Deadwood. Yeah that's right, HBO! I haven't forgotten! You fucking numbnuts!

[onan]

It's not a soap box and I don't bake cookies for bashers. Maybe I'm old fashioned which seems to be what has happened to common decency. Easy to be an A hole when you're incognito on the web. I have my picture up. Where is yours? Oh!  and mom says to eat your veggies.

First off, I don't care what you look like. This is a forum for statements and hopefully ideas. So far I am not impressed with yours. You're new here, so I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. But within 5 or 6 posts you have decided several things about several posters, who have as much right to post as you do.

I'm sorry you started posting during a time when lots of posters are rather terse. But your "real fans" annoyed the shit out of me. You smack of my way or no way.

So now you have been bashed... bake me some goddamn cookies.

[guildnavigator]

Unfortunately media execs don't tend to be visionaries. They tend to be boring, passionless numbers crunchers. Much like government workers, really. No vision, no passion, just shilling a product. They don't like change because change means instability and instability affects the bottom line. Even though, in this case, I think you're right. They're just not the kind of people who can see that far ahead. Point in case: HBO cancelling Deadwood. Yeah that's right, HBO! I haven't forgotten! You fucking numbnuts!

damn man I was bummed when HBO canned Carnivale...

[samysam1313]

Oh come on, you were one of Arts biggest haters a few hours ago.

It's called DAMAGE CONTROL aka paddling backwards.  :

[Bigfoot]

Unfortunately media execs don't tend to be visionaries. They tend to be boring, passionless numbers crunchers. Much like government workers, really. No vision, no passion, just shilling a product. They don't like change because change means instability and instability affects the bottom line. Even though, in this case, I think you're right. They're just not the kind of people who can see that far ahead. Point in case: HBO cancelling Deadwood. Yeah that's right, HBO! I haven't forgotten! You fucking numbnuts!

Fuck yeah, me neither bro.  They also canceled The Wire at one point, too.  wtf HBO

[guildnavigator]

bake me some goddamn cookies.

If you guys keep talking cookies, I'm gonna call the cops.

[samdean]

A) Does this set a precedence for other hosts (Howard, Opie etc....) If so, Sirius won't do it
B) Could they make more money playing a replay during that timeslot?

A) What's the precedent?  That you have to give up your salary AND bear the costs of streaming?  I don't think Howard or Opie would go for that.

B) They make most of their money on subscriptions.  Even if only a few thousand people are willing to subscribe to have access to the archives, I have little doubt that it is a positive revenue scenario for them.  Further, with a live stream, they could demand higher revenue for spots, since the ads would have a wider reach, so the 50% they get from ad revenue would be higher.

Finally, again, I go back to the outside perception, which is far different than ours.  It's anecdotal, but I had a friend call me up who USED to be a Sirius subscriber and knew I was an Art Bell fan (but didn't know much about him) and say that he doesn't blame him for quitting, he dumped Sirius because it was too frustrating to try and listen on his computer and it only worked well in his car, but since his job moved and he didn't have a commute anymore, it wasn't worth it.

[Marc.Knight]

If you guys keep talking cookies, I'm gonna call the cops.

My two year old calls potato chips "potato cookies".

[guildnavigator]

I think we should call the LVPD and report that theres a man on a building who's gonna jump is Art Bell doesn't come back, and see if we can get it on the scanner at artbell.com.


NOT REALLY, just kidding. That would diminish their ability to potentially help someone. But I thought of it anyway.

[guildnavigator]

My two year old calls potato chips "potato cookies".

Sell that idea to Frito Lay

[Kolchak]

My two year old calls potato chips "potato cookies".

[onan]

If you guys keep talking cookies, I'm gonna call the cops.

Cookie cops?

[onan]

can you dip them in flavored butter?

[DanTSX]

can you dip them in flavored butter?

I figured it out.  Jorch is a stoner.

He probably sits there all night eating ice cream sandwiched between pop tarts and ordering pizza

[Bigfoot]

Art Bell is online! 

C'mon, dude, give us an update.

[guildnavigator]