Cancel XM

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:00 pm

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:07 pm

But what they seem to be missing is that the suspension wasn't entirely because of the bit, it was as much because of their reaction (and pretty much their retraction) of the apology at the start of this week. If O&A had just issued the apology and then said nothing more about it, I'm pretty certain they'd still be on air. Quite frankly, their behaviour seems like something an amateur broadcaster would do.

The pictures of people destroying their radios on XM411.com were hilarious the other day. "I'm going to take this radio, which I've already paid for, and SMASH IT! Ha! That'll show 'em."

Schaffer · Post by **Schaffer** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:49 pm

But what they seem to be missing is that the suspension wasn't entirely because of the bit, it was as much because of their reaction (and pretty much their retraction) of the apology at the start of this week. If O&A had just issued the apology and then said nothing more about it, I'm pretty certain they'd still be on air. Quite frankly, their behaviour seems like something an amateur broadcaster would do.

Why does it matter? We PAY for this. XM 202 has a million warnings about it's content, and even gives the number to call and block it from your programming. It's politics, and nothing else.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Thu May 17, 2007 12:54 pm

Schaffer wrote:It's politics, and nothing else.

If it were politics, they would have been suspended before the apology. They fucked up. Feel free to try a similar manuever with your OM/GM/Owner and see how well you fare.

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Thu May 17, 2007 1:50 pm

Schaffer wrote:Why does it matter? We PAY for this. XM 202 has a million warnings about it's content, and even gives the number to call and block it from your programming. It's politics, and nothing else.

No, you're still completely missing the point.

the XM press release wrote:Comments made by Opie and Anthony on yesterday's broadcast put into question whether they appreciate the seriousness of the matter. The management of XM Radio decided to suspend Opie and Anthony to make clear that our on-air talent must take seriously the responsibility that creative freedom requires of them.

http://xmradio.mediaroom.com/index.php? ... &item=1452

fearpeddler · Post by **fearpeddler** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:04 pm

he's not missing the point, thats what "subscription" services were created for. back in teh golden days of tv if you wanted real movies and shows with language and the occasional full frontal you 'paid' for hbo or cinemax and still do to this day.. you 'pay' for satelite radio because you dont want to hear edited shows. Those guys know what they did, and believe me, they appreciate the matter, if anything this is gonna get them a pay raise...

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:10 pm

Subscription or not... you still have a boss, and the boss as has expectations. If the boss says "apologize, and sound sincere", you should expect to do so, or not have that boss/job anymore.

Big Media · Post by **Big Media** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:13 pm

Lester wrote:Subscription or not... you still have a boss, and the boss as has expectations. If the boss says "apologize, and sound sincere", you should expect to do so, or not have that boss/job anymore.

I never though of it from that angle. You're absolutely right.

fearpeddler · Post by **fearpeddler** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:15 pm

Lester wrote:Subscription or not... you still have a boss, and the boss as has expectations. If the boss says "apologize, and sound sincere", you should expect to do so, or not have that boss/job anymore.

I can definitely see that angle, if xm feels bad enough though they should apologize if they are the ones that feel bad though, another heartless apology from a performer is just not gonna do it..

Schaffer · Post by **Schaffer** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:04 pm

If it were politics, they would have been suspended before the apology. They fucked up. Feel free to try a similar manuever with your OM/GM/Owner and see how well you fare.

Apples to oranges, Lester. If I were O&A I would have no problem honoring your request, but alas, I'm on the FM dial. WHO CARES if they apologize? They didn't mean it anyway, and they new the apology made them look like pussies to there P1 listeners. O&A went to XM so they wouldn't have to keep barking out apologies in order to "play the game". If you listen to XM202 you should expect this kind of thing (see my last post for warnings), that's why they walk down the street to the XM studios every morning.

No, you're still completely missing the point

Nope, not even close.

Subscription or not... you still have a boss, and the boss as has expectations. If the boss says "apologize, and sound sincere", you should expect to do so, or not have that boss/job anymore.

This is big time showbiz with millions of dollars being thrown around, it's not even close to being that simple.

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:09 pm

FCC, Govt Etc has no horse in this race.

Perhaps O&A offended the BOSS.
Maybe that what Lester means.

Offend the boss, dont apologize properly and pay the price.

herdgirl72 · Post by **herdgirl72** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:36 pm

Bingo Gen...I told Cam the same thing...there is more to this
story(I think) than just what happened on air...something has
happened backstage(so to speak)....

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:21 pm

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

i just noticed your avatar herdgirl.... i have tears ROLLING down my face i'm laughing so hard....

herdgirl72 · Post by **herdgirl72** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:45 pm

Yeah, well Lester isn't the only one who went to Vegas to
meet Pete....

(funny how we both saw him about a week or two apart and the guy
is wearing the same friggin outfit!)

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:54 pm

He really should be signing your boobs or something.

Schaffer: You're full of it.

As Genlock pointed out, the FCC has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!!!!

Someone, probably a regular O&A listener that decided sexual assault/sexual abuse wasn't that funny, complained to XM. O&A were asked to apologize. They did. End of story... until...

O&A go on a rant, basically rescinding their apology. Their boss got mad, and suspended them for a month. Millions of dollars or not, they have a boss, and that boss has expectations... as do the share holders... as do the customers. Since XM hasn't lost every single one of their customers over this incident, I suspect some of them are OK with how things are going down.

Hell, if this were terrestrial radio, they'd be fired already.

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:58 pm

herdgirl72 wrote:Yeah, well Lester isn't the only one who went to Vegas to
meet Pete....

(funny how we both saw him about a week or two apart and the guy
is wearing the same friggin outfit!)

LOL!!! the look is priceless... at first i thought it was "fictional parody" of Lesters... that's where the tears came from... then i noticed either you put alot of work into the background or it was somewhere local that you recognised and still posed it. the lighting or aperature setting was different in lesters so it kinda looked like 2 different people. that would have INSTANTLY shot up to all time favorite parody of someones avatar.... still funny being a "non-fictional parody"

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:06 pm

Lester wrote:He really should be signing your boobs or something.

Schaffer: You're full of it.

As Genlock pointed out, the FCC has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!!!!

Someone, probably a regular O&A listener that decided sexual assault/sexual abuse wasn't that funny, complained to XM. O&A were asked to apologize. They did. End of story... until...

O&A go on a rant, basically rescinding their apology. Their boss got mad, and suspended them for a month. Millions of dollars or not, they have a boss, and that boss has expectations... as do the share holders... as do the customers. Since XM hasn't lost every single one of their customers over this incident, I suspect some of them are OK with how things are going down.

Hell, if this were terrestrial radio, they'd be fired already.

now shifting paradigm slightly. let's look at this from an artist's stand point, O&A i consider "artists" in our field. sure it's a violent crime that they were making light of... how different is that from musical artists glorifying murder, and other sexist acts. not even gonna go into the race zone, this is nowhere near that arguement. they were testing the limits of their artistry, and their audiences tolerance for their artistry. i personally would never "go there". if anyone has known personally the struggles some victims go through, they probably would not tread those grounds.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Thu May 17, 2007 8:20 pm

That really is an apples to oranges comparison... but only because of OWNERSHIP. If XM owns a record label that allows that kind of music, then O&A can claim their being treated unfairly. Otherwise, how Interscope choses to pick artists vs. how XM wishes to limit theirs, is of no comparison.

As it boils down to a music channel, again, it's on 50 Cent for what he says in a song, not XM or Sirius. However, they directly pay O&A and can chose to limit (or not) what they say.

Interestingly enough, WVRC has decided that they ARE responsible for the music that they play... and have gotten nothing but a ration of shit from most of the members of this board.

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:14 pm

Lester wrote:That really is an apples to oranges comparison... but only because of OWNERSHIP. If XM owns a record label that allows that kind of music, then O&A can claim their being treated unfairly.

But it's perfectly ok to have channels that play music with the same kind of raw/unfiltered mentality?

So it's okay to PLAY it, but not to SAY it?

That's hypocrisy.

Lester wrote:As it boils down to a music channel, again, it's on 50 Cent for what he says in a song, not XM or Sirius. However, they directly pay O&A and can chose to limit (or not) what they say..

They also choose to play 50 Cent. As a matter of fact, they PAY for the right to do so (soundexchange). So how is that any different than paying O&A?

Lester wrote:Interestingly enough, WVRC has decided that they ARE responsible for the music that they play... and have gotten nothing but a ration of shit from most of the members of this board.

Because, frankly, it's a bullshit move. It's posturing in a over-reactionary climate. I've seen this before with Urban radio...the whole "Stop the Violence" movement where certain Urban stations (not CHR because the hip hop attitude had not infiltrated yet) decided to drop any music that was violent or sexual. I remember a DC station doing it (KYS?), a Chicago station, and a few others. Within a year, they were ignoring the biggest hits and went right back to playing what they said they wouldn't. And that's all WVRC is doing: "Taking a stand...For the children" or whatever bullshit they decide to do it for.

It has more to do with running scared than anything else. Not for listeners, from advertisers.

XM knew what kind of show they were getting. To act shocked now is purely hypocritical.

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Fri May 18, 2007 12:24 am

Bob Loblaw wrote:XM knew what kind of show they were getting. To act shocked now is purely hypocritical.

When they were first hired, they had a pre-show with the Man welcoming them aboard.

Panero specifically told them that it's their channel, and that they can say what they want.

Now, fast forward four years, and suddenly there are restrictions as to what can and cannot be aired?

To my knowledge, O&A never got the memo.

As far as I'm concerned, their only offenses were being unfunny and outright stupid in this instance. It violates my personal standards, as I don't find the abuse and rape of women amusing in any form. But, since this was aired on an opt-in, XL channel, I certainly wouldn't have complained... And whoever did was an idiot.

We all know that this is nothing more than political posturing by XM because of the attempted merger. But they still broke their end of the bargain with O&A.

It will likely take months before we know the real truth as to how and why the events went down like they did... Since O&A have not even mentioned the suspension on their CBS show, XM probably put them under a gag order at least until a merger decision is made.