Sirius crushes XM after merger

Some time back I wrote about what I thought might happen at Sirius/XM. I'm just another moron with a blog, but I have worked in radio a long time. I am also a Sirius subscriber since they started.

I was right on some things, wrong on others and don't know yet on a few.

I was pretty sure about a couple of things. Having worked for and watched Mel Karmazin in old skool radio I knew his company loyalty. Since he would be the new man in charge after the merger I thought he would keep the Sirius guys and boot the XM guys. He's pretty loyal like that.

I also thought (knew) he would cut costs and expenses in a big brutal way like a southern California fire.

He's doing both.

Probably the XM subscribers are pissed. Maybe some Sirius subscribers are too. They were looking forward to multiple choices of our weird little formats. But it seems not to be.

Mel is slashing staff, keeping Sirius people behind the scenes and on the air, and will keep the BIG names from both. Oprah, Stern, Martha, all the sports stay. Rumors are that it will be one set of stations broadcast on both XM and Sirius. Hey thats 1/2 the cost with all the superstars.

from Radio and Records

"Among the names we're hearing are caught up in this first round of cuts: Eight-and-a-half-year vet Kurt Gilchrist, senior PD of XM's Decades channels; George Taylor Morris, a jock on XM Deep Tracks and senior director of original programming; Kandy Klutch, afternoon talent on XM '80s on 8; John Clay, PD of XM's '70s on 7; PD Billy Zero and "Dean of Music" Tobi from XMU; alternative channel Ethel MD Erik Range; Rick Lambert, PD of new wave channel Fred and an eight-year company vet; Kevin Kash, PD/midday talent/host of the "Breaking Bone! Hour" on the Boneyard; and Bill Hutton, PD of classic alternative channel Lucy. R&R also hears that while some of these employees are leaving immediately, some are staying for another couple of weeks, when a second wave of terminations may wash over the satellite nation."

"The hemorrhaging continues at Sirius XM as more names of the departing keep rolling in: In addition to everyone we named yesterday, other exits include Marlin Taylor, PD of gospel channel Enlighten and '40s on 4; '50s on 5 PD Ken Smith and MD Matt the Cat; '60s on 6 PD Pat Clarke; Jessie Scott, PD of X-Country; country channel America PD Ray Knight, MD John Welch and show coordinator "Country Dan" Dixon; Lisa Lisa, PD of urban channel the City; and PD Bill Evans, MD Brian Chamberlain and jock Cathy Carter from triple A channel XM Café."

"Another date being tossed around is Nov. 5, when it's rumored that a new combined Sirius XM lineup will be rolled out -- rather than doing an a la carte/pick from both sides dealie like had been previously announced, it's looking like both will consolidate into a single channel lineup that will be beamed out over both Sirius' and XM's networks. R&R hears that both lineups are currently under scrutiny and, where there's duplication, one side's offering will be nixed -- and it's looking like Sirius is winning."

Wow there's some really talented names in that mix. Best of luck to them all.