Yes you’re reading the title right. XM did save radio, actually more like resurrected it, well more like brought it back from the dead. There are many people out there who would disagree with me on this, but AM/FM radio has been taking a turn for the worse over the past 25 years or so. For the heck of it I listened to AM radio on my way to work and FM on my home (actually I was in a hurry when I left this morning and left my Airware @ home) . This was actually a good thing though. I almost never listen to AM/FM radio so this was actually a good experience for me.
One of the things I completely forget about XM that I shouldn’t is the commercial free aspect. Not just when it comes to music, but the one thing that kind of sticks out in my head is Opie and Anthony. When they need to take a break its usually when one of them needs to go to the bathroom and when they are gone I’m not listening to some idiotic commercial, its usually a small promo. I actually timed this as I was driving. I sat through 11 minutes of commercial, which in my opinion is just ridiculous. But when you think about it, how else is local radio supposed to pay the bills? That’s their bread and butter I suppose.
Another thing I noticed that I really forgot was so bad is DJ interruption. It really seemed to be constant and oh so annoying. This point is kind of interesting to me in the sense that you hear a lot of people complain about stations like Top Tracks (XM 46) which never has DJ intervention just self promo stuff like once an hour or so. Even on the XM stations such as the decade stations for example you have DJ intervention, but its so little it doesn’t bother me at all. I think the DJ intervention combined with the commercials was about all I can take.
I think my dissatisfaction with AM/FM comes from my exposure to XM. Before I had XM I really didn’t know any better and I suppose I just tolerated what was out there and just sort of excepted what I was getting, which would explain the minimal time I was spending listening to the radio. XM has truly saved all of us from this and in the long run it may force commercial radio to clean up their act, but I’d seriously doubt it, because commercial radio can’t compete with XM. The only thing XM can do is save us all from having to listen to subpar radio. If nothing else that experience taught me one thing and that’s to never ever forget to bring my Airware with me wherever I go.
I usually don’t comment too much on XM Radio’s Corporate News, but I was real excited to read this . I don’t say too much about the financial state of XM because I truly believe in what they are doing and I can’t criticize the company a heck of a whole lot, but since I am commenting the big thing that stands out to me is that revenues are up 134%.
In all honesty, I do keep up with the company very closely since I am stockholder and the XM radio product gets me very excited, but I’m not too critical of what XM has doing financially, even though the company is doing extremely well in my opinion. Subscriber numbers are up and the content is just getting better. The numbers XM is posting are simply phenominal though and its exciting to see the company grow as it has. All I have to say is let the train keep on going and the XM nation get bigger and better !!!!!