ATR PROGRAMMING UPDATE: 'Premier' choice reversed; Back to square one

[golfer]

Originally Posted by Holland Hacker

So I finally got around to complaining to SiriusXm about their decision to preempt ATR's last two hours of the show. I CC'd S.B. on the e-mail who has my permission to repost the e-mail he sees fit. I must've struck a nerve or sent it to some one with "some juice" as not 15 minutes later I get an e-mail from Steve Cohen asking me for a phone number so he could call me to discuss my e-mail and Sirius XM horse racing programming. I must say wasn't expecting that type of response.

Bottom line is I'll need to subscribe to the "app subscription" or the "Best of XM" as the Show will be broadcast starting Monday on Sirius in its entirety as part of the Best of XM package only on channel 211.

At least all of our complaining isn't falling on deaf ears.

Same here, just spoke to Steve Cohen for about 20 minutes. We are not getting the last 2 hours back on channel 93, but he's a stand-up guy, I'll give him that.

[Fearless Leader]

Originally Posted by golfer

Same here, just spoke to Steve Cohen for about 20 minutes. We are not getting the last 2 hours back on channel 93, but he's a stand-up guy, I'll give him that.

Well, what did he have to say ?

[Holland Hacker]

Basically said that the extra sports programming is for displace Chicagoians (sp) and New Yorkers so they could hear their hometown sports. SiriusXm is not abondoning Horse racing they just don't have the band width to broadcast it at the present. Steve Cohen is pushing for a full time Horse Racing station on the Sat 2.0, but isn't sure if it will be rolled out. He seems to be a racing fan himself and wants to air horse racing programming. He mentioned that he offered Steve the 7 - 10 window but doesn't know what Steve wants to do. Maybe golfer can add more.

[golfer]

Originally Posted by Holland Hacker

Basically said that the extra sports programming is for displace Chicagoians (sp) and New Yorkers so they could hear their hometown sports. SiriusXm is not abondoning Horse racing they just don't have the band width to broadcast it at the present. Steve Cohen is pushing for a full time Horse Racing station on the Sat 2.0, but isn't sure if it will be rolled out. He seems to be a racing fan himself and wants to air horse racing programming. He mentioned that he offered Steve the 7 - 10 window but doesn't know what Steve wants to do. Maybe golfer can add more.

XM has more channels available for sports, which is why it remains uninterrupted on XM. Sirius only has 3 sports "play by play" channels, and the decision was made to run the 3 talk shows, Waddle and Silvie, Lupica and Michael Kay, on 93. He made it clear he is a horse racing fan. I guess the only option we Sirius subscribers who listen in the car, on the radio, have is to add the best of XM package, which will offer ATR uninterrupted. Not exactly sure what else is in this package, I only know I wasn't particularly interested when it first came out.

Not the outcome I was looking for, but it was quite admirable for Steve Cohen to take the time to explain exactly what was going on and why. Seemed like a good guy, and just taking the time to speak to us was above and beyond what I would have expected.

[goodcopy]

Steve,I absolutely love ATR and you and K.C. and the whole gang but I had to cancel my subscription.
as a consumer I felt I wasn't getting any customer service(as evidence by my 1 hr. on the phone to cancel)
that we all should demand.
I truly don't no any other way than to applie real monetary pressure on sirus and I think that we have to learn to listen to ATR any "free"method we can until they feel the sting of bad programming decisions
I'll miss Howard and NFL and the music but most of all the easy access at my car radio to your show.
I'll continue to call as "Tom from San Diego" from time to time and try to catch the show anyway I can without supporting sirus.

Tom Goodman

[Kasept]

As you guys said, and seemingly made happen, "At the Races" is now back 9a-12p on the Sirius dial at Ch. 211. The channel is part of the former 'Best of XM' programming, which is now known for subscription purposes as "Sirius Premier".

In addition to the extra play-by-play channels where ATR and TVG now reside, with Premier you also get the NHL, MLB Radio, PGA Tour, Playboy and Oprah (!) and more... It's an extra $4.04/month for Premier over Select, translating to .20/day for the 20+ editions of At the Races per month!

I hope people don't mind the added expense and inconvenience of upgrading their subscriptions, and I can't thank the Sirius listeners enough for the overwhelming response they gave to the network to make this happen.

Thanks!

SIRIUS SUBSCRIPTION PAGE

So they're going the cable television route with "premier" packages.

Scum.

[2 Dollar Bill]

Originally Posted by Holland Hacker

Basically said that the extra sports programming is for displace Chicagoians (sp) and New Yorkers so they could hear their hometown sports. SiriusXm is not abondoning Horse racing they just don't have the band width to broadcast it at the present. Steve Cohen is pushing for a full time Horse Racing station on the Sat 2.0, but isn't sure if it will be rolled out. He seems to be a racing fan himself and wants to air horse racing programming. He mentioned that he offered Steve the 7 - 10 window but doesn't know what Steve wants to do. Maybe golfer can add more.

I just told Sirius....( three radio's)....that I can understand the ""displaced Chicagoians & New Yorkers"" who want there hometown sports... you can TAKE my ""L.A, S.D.,St.L, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas"" traffic & weather stations OFF...since I drive on the east coast...and put Steve & TVG on one of those statons.