By suspending Opie and Anthony, XM has violated its promise to subscribers.
"Beyond AM. Beyond FM. It's XM Satellite Radio." Those words were all a part of the sales pitch that drove XM to the top of the satellite radio food chain. The product was advertised as an all new radio experience where the old rules and standards would not apply. Commercials weren't a part of the mix because subscribers signed up directly. FCC regulations didn't apply for the same reason that HBO was allowed to have graphic sex and violence on their TV shows. As of yesterday, when XM management decided to suspend controversial talkers Opie and Anthony for 30 days, all the promises and sales pitches started to ring hollow.…
Article comments
26 - Sean
I called XM today and canceled my 2 subs. I told them until the boys are back that I would not be needing my radio's any longer and had no problem paying the $15 reactivation fee per radio. If and when they come back, I will then sign up again.
27 - MikeC
J.J. Hunsecker - Don't you see how wrong your comment is? The government does NOT have to move into satellite radio. You are acting like the victim of a school yard bully. Politicians still answer to you. They represent you. Grow a pair and make sure that it stays that way for future generations.
28 - Sam C
I also cancelled my subscription today. It took a while to get through and they offered me a free three months to stay on, but I declined.
I've been an XM subscriber for over 2 years and O & A is the only show I listen to. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that XM is esentially censoring the content of their programming defeats the purpose of me paying for sattelite radio.
I will miss O & A, but I'm not sure I will reactivate once they are back. If XM has done this to them once, what's to ensure it won't happen again?
My point in PAYING for a subsription radio service was so that I could have uncensored entertainment. If I want to listen to tame radio then I might as well listen to free FM. There's nothing else of value on XM right now as far as I'm concerned. I've gone back to listening to my MP3 discs in the car as of today. This is really appalling. Shame on you XM radio...
29 - micah
I called and canceled my subscription. When they bring O and A back then I will pay. Screw XM. They let their subscribers down.
30 - sal m
what will XM do when people start complaining about the kinds of humor that's broadcast 24/7 on their unsensored comedy channel, XM 150? if people are offended about the rice material, there is way more stuff that prudes can be offended about on the comedy channel.
also, since XM wants to merge with Sirius, they don't want to piss off the feds.
31 - KL
What folks need to keep in mind is that this isn't simply a matter of what O&A/Imus/whomever has said that is so terribly offensive, it's that freedom of speech is being limited. People have the right to offend others. People who are offended have the right to not listen.
Commentors have made mention about if HBO were to decide to censor The Sopranos - this is an exact metaphor as to what XM is doing to O&A. It is also setting precident for those who want to limit the speech of liberal OR conserative talk show hosts because they are offended (personally, I find Rush Limbaugh offensive on many levels, therefore I don't listen to him). This is Big Brother coming.
32 - Eric the Sanjiant
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
33 - Tony D
I called today and cancelled my subscription. The person that I talked with kept me on the phone for 33 minutes and offered me 3 months free if I didnt cancel. I had to tell him that I would cancel the credit card if he didnt cancel my subscription. Their freaking out over there.
34 - Bud Dwyer
XM's attitude on this makes my head hurt, time to cancel.
35 - J.J. Hunsecker
"The difference is it is a pay subscription."
And people want to move in and regulate that. This is about the suits appeasing people and the government, and Sal is right about mentioning the merge being a factor. It's just like MLB appearing to look like they are doing something about steroids to keep the government out.
Mike, who's acting like a victim? It's all the XM babies who are canceling their accounts, taking their toys and going home. Instead you should be jamming phone lines and emails of all the execs.
And where were all you supporters when the FCC was laying out heavy fines? If you had gone after the FCC members, this might not even be an issue. Trying walking the walk instead of just talking the talk.
36 - Galvin
I canceled two subs yesterday. Had been a subscriber for three years. O & A were the only reason I had XM. I doubt I will be back.
37 - Budyzir
Finally a writer who has the facts.
Sorry to those who feel that there is no room for this kind of humor but there is a great number of us who enjoy it and we believed that XM was the place for it. Sadly several "suits" screwed up and lost as subscribers ... their loss. Have you seen the latest price trend for XM stock?
Budyzir - canceled two subscriptions.
38 - SoCalSean
XM has just stepped into the free fm zone. It's bad enough that a lot of their stations play censored versions of hit songs, except of course Squizz. This suspension just shows that we should all drop our satelite subscriptions for failing to meet our needs as a consumer. I listen to "The Virus" for shocking radio, everyone elso can change the dial to hundreds of other stations or have the channel blocked. These pencil pushing idiots have even stopped the best of shows. I love Ron & Fez but where's my O & A. Were the advertisers offended by this show, I don't think so. If this is the result of post Imus cowardness by satelite companies, I have better buy HD radio and listen to filtered, censored, commercial loaded crap. P.S. listen to O & A on free FM online if your as unlucky as the LA market to not have an O & A broadcast. XM + Sirius = spineless, FCC regulated, censored radio. Save your money, buy an HD radio.
39 - Jim Treacher
"Commentors have made mention about if HBO were to decide to censor The Sopranos - this is an exact metaphor as to what XM is doing to O&A."
Considering the O&A Show makes up more than half of the original programming on Ch. 202 every day, an even more exact metaphor would be if somebody complained about The Sopranos and HBO was taken off the air entirely.
40 - joe in nj
I called XM today to cancel my 5 radio accounts. The csr not only offered me 30 days of free service to keep my radios active, he also offered to refund my 3 year prepayment of $384.81 if I would keep my accounts active.I told him that was very tempting but I must make a stand and not put up with XM's censorship of O&A and I cancelled my accounts.
41 - Chris
I canceled 4 Subs yesterday. I'm Out O and A are the only reason I got XM
42 - Bram
I have not had time to cancel my 2 subscriptions yet - probably will shortly.
More importantly (to me), I sold my XM stock yesterday. It had already lost half its value in a year - I predict a huge dip next quarter as sub numbers drop.
43 - NR Davis
NOT an O&A fan. But XM knew what they were getting. If it didn't want that kind of "entertainment" representing the company, it shouldn't have hired them in the first place. (Same with Imus and CBS.) Were O&A less offensive before the homeless man's comment? Not IMO. I would never listen to them, but then, I never would have hired them in the first place. So it appears what we have here are two media firms who *wanted* to have these outrageous shock jocks and then opt to cut and run out of corporate greed. No balls. None. I would have respected them more if they had allowed the market -- listeners -- to make the decision as to whether they choose to hear what many people consider hate comedy. Strikes me as hypocritical to the core.
44 - humpX
My hats off to you Craig for being rational and pointing out how important context was when mentioning what took place. The media at large has, of course, largely ignored that aspect to allow outrage to grow and shuttle more ratings their way.
Moral outrage sells evidently.
the most troubling part is that both the right AND left are having a field day with jumping on their editorial soapboxes (what happened to just reporting news as a neutral party?) and encouraging an environment of fear to speak ones mind or express humor no matter how tasteless one may find it. I fail to see how any logical person can think the firings of Imus, JV and Elvis along with several other pending radio personality suspensions, is a good thing.
45 - Lee Richards
1.) Subscribers have every right to cancel for any reason that suits them. Corporations have a right to set their corporate policies. It is not government censorship of protected speech when a company decides to place certain limits on its employees. Your employer no doubt does the same. Movie theatre managers are within their rights--and responsibilities--to refuse to show a film they decide is inappropriate for their community of customers. XM executives decide how they want their company's image to be perceived, and what they feel comfortable signing on to. Like it or not, that's not a violation of anyone's constitutional rights. If you want to take your business somewhere else, that's free enterprise for you.
2.) XM is a great listening experience for me, with more than enough diversity, choice and quality. My two radios stay on.
46 - Michael Leigh
I too canceled my 3 XM subs.I LOVE O&A and Ron & Fez on XM 202.If XM reinstates them, I may return.
This is an XL PAY service. When I heard the comments made live, I laughed my a@@ off.The mutterings of a crazy homeless guy is radio gold. Nothing other "shock jocks" haven't done in the past.
Should I call my cable provider and complain when I hear a stand up comic do off color humor, on a channel that i pay a monthly fee for?
FINALLY, an article that is a bit more fair and balanced then what I have seen.
Thanks for the great article.
I think not.You know what you are getting with O&A and Stern for that matter.
47 - P Wong
Often the media "reports" that a dj or host is fired due to "market pressure". Really? When Dom Imus was fired, most polls showed people in support of Imus.
With O&A, people are sending a clear message to XM. People are voting with their dollars. Why pay for something you were promised if the company isn't really interested in giving you the product they were promoting.
I say good for the O&A fans that cancel. I hope they set an example for all companies to not listen to the minor vocal groups, but listen to their own customers that actually pays their bills.
48 - Rob in PHX
Thanks for a well-written, full account of the original incident. I'm so tired of the big media outlets taking things out of context and only reporting an offensive line or two for pure shock value. It's sickening. I cancelled my subscription a day after the so-called "suspension", refusing an offer of three free months, refusing an offer of $77 for the year (half off) and not allowing them to cancel when my billing cycle ended on June 14th. I said cancel as of TODAY and credit the balance back to my card. I encourage everyone to do the same. THIS is what "market driven" means. Thanks again for the great article.
49 - chrismgio
Just to clarify, Anthony said nothing about punching women. He actually said "holding her down and down and f**king her". Homeless Charlie made all the punching comments, and he is obviously mentally ill. Otherwise an excellent article.
50 - renee
I understand that some people might be offended by what was said but to go as far as to suspend them?? that's bull. i just want to know how hard it is to turn the damn channel when you hear something that you don't agree with. Besides, if you were listening that day, wouldn't you kind of figure halfway through the show what their humor was based upon? Be responsible and don't listen to it if you don't like it..nobody's forcing you to listen anyway.
~renee~
51 - kevbo
i also like many others have cancelled my account with those folks at Sirius XM until they bring back O&A!!!!!!! I also know of 5 of my friends with multiple subscriptions that are cancelling also. go bankrupt!!!!!