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

Here is the good news/bad news update regarding the Sirius side of the dial with ATR. Spoke Friday with Steve Cohen, (Developer/Producer of WFAN programming early on including Francessa and Russo, etc.), who heads up Sports at the network.

There does not appear to be an immediate solution to the 10a-7p overlap issue right now on Sirius Ch. 93. They are monitoring programming to find a new home for ATR and TVG from 10a-7p, but have no room as of right now. He also offered the option of going 7-10a to be 'live' on both Sirius 93 and XM 209, but I believe that will only make things more difficult for people to listen, particularly on the West Coast.

Until the network launches their new "2.0" Internet-based option for in-car units, it appears Sirius listeners will have to catch Hours 2/3 on the replay, via SportsZone on their SmartPhones through the App, or streaming from the ATR website. Or make the switch over to XM which remains unaffected by the ESPN programming on Sirius 10a-7p.

The good news is that SiriusXM has been stunned by the reaction of angry racing fans over the pre-empting of ATR and TVG 10a-7p on Ch. 93, and pledged that racing content, including ATR, is still high on the priority list for the network. I apologize to Sirius subscribers for the inconvenience and frustration, appreciate everyone's support, and will continue to try to find easier ways for Sirius listeners to get the 2nd and 3rd hours of ATR.

Steve

That's good to hear. I can only hope that they don't frig it up on XM next.

We racing fans might not be the brightest bunch, by we are loyal, vocal, and generally speaking, Very Angry!

To all of Steve's fans, Lets blow up the the in box for this guy and maybe they will get the point and leave are show alone!

Like it !! Of course never received any sort of promised "24-hour" response from the customer service link off their site - what's Mr. Cohen's email, anyone?? Will be nice, just to the point ...

Does anyone know if it's feasible to switch to XM using existing hardware? My vehicle came with Sirius, but I'm not sure if I can switch over on the fly or if hardware needs to be swapped out, which would make it a no-go.

They are not compatable I was told. :(

This is an epic shanda...

It's good to know that we might have gotten their attention. I think it's important to hit the programming e-mails again a little head of the Belmont Stakes just so they don't forget we're out here and are not happy.:mad:

Go Irish, it would take a hardware change.

Given the way ATR has been kicked around the clock and dial, I am hesitant to invest in any new package or equipment. I did send an e-mail to the customer service address, my contract is up July 1 and I asked to be given the Best of XM package FREE, until they can air all 3 CONTINUOUS, LIVE hours of ATR on Sirius. Once that is accomplished they can roll back the XM package from me -

We shall see if I ever get a response.

If they do it's the end of my three subscriptions to XM. I like some of the music channels, but I love ATR. There isn't reason enough for me to keep XM without the full three hours of ATR every morning.

I have three also, and I'm with you 100%. As it is, I only hear the replays (part of them) daily on XM. It's rare that I get to partake live on XM - usually if I listen live it's via the stream.

I'm lucky in that i listen I my droid. I do have an issue though. Why is it that the broadcast only comes through on 1 channel sound wise. I work and listen in a loud environment ( a brewery ) and its hard to hear. As soon as a commercial comes on (unless its a horse industry ad) both stereo channels come on and the volume is too loud. I know its not my phone. Anyone else find this incredibly annoying?

I listen on a regular Sirius radio and have noticed the same thing, that I have to turn the volume up way higher than normal to hear the show, and if I go to another channel it is way too loud. Perhaps there is a way KC could turn up the volume of the show? Thanks.

The commercials were blaring this AM this morning listening through my home computer! Holy Moly...interesting that when Steve comes back on the air after a break, his voice volume is the same as the commercials and then it goes down a bit! That might be KC lowering it in the studio?!? Thinking that maybe the commercials are done by Sirius/XM in their studios and not KC?

Hello All,

I'm looking these issues & will get back to you as soon as I have more details.

I have a lifetime subscription to Sirius. It doesn't include the XM package. Today, I called customer service and explained I only got satellite radio for ATR and although they were able to help at all with info about the programs future, they gave me 4 free months of internet radio that I can hear thru the iphone app. Will this enable me to hear the full show or does it just let me listen to the same format I get in my car?

Wow. Nice! 4 months free? That's cool. You're in.. The internet service has the full show on SportsZone (Ch. 860). And as Vince from CA explained today, there is equipment out there that will let you hook the phone up to your car radio too.

Would that be considered a redboard? Just askin.;)

Sounded great today...same volume on commercials and Steve's voice..THANKS GUYS!!!!:D

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.

Yeah and you'll conveniently pay more for the service. Really an awful company that inflates subscription numbers to stay afloat.

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 ?

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.

Am I reading this correctly? As of Monday ATR won't be on Sirius AT ALL?

No, read it again.

No. The first hour and the replay will continue to air on Sirius 93.

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.

I cancel my subsciption
 

:mad: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

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.

Glad to know that your listeners were "heard" but I think what Sirius heard was, hmmm, we can suck more money from these people. It may be only a few dollars, however, I think that is rewarding them for kicking your show all over the dial and the clock. I, for one, will not participate - and I intend to call and write, again. They are not doing us any favors, just themselves.

I appreciate your efforts Steve, and your seemingly unending positive outlook!

My question:

I have an iphone and mac computer and have not been able to download the RSS feed or podcast to my phone.

I have looked in ITunes and only find one show from 2007 - is it listed in itunes under a different name?

Are there any other options of streaming straight from the iphone besides the sirius app?

Thanks

Hey now! I am now a new Premier Member !!

I got an email with the secret handshake - now just need the Sirius " I am better than you" Tee Shirt. :p

Good to hear you again Steve :$:

So if you've got a lifetime subscription to Sirius, you'll only need to add the smartphone app (2.99 a month, which also gives you enhanced internet audio streaming as well) and you'll get the full show on the SportsZone via the app, no?

No offense, but I can't see buying the best of XM as there is absolutely nothing of value in it other than ATR / TVG.

I understand the dynamics, and they are making an effort to appease their subscription base which is pretty cool, but a pretty crappy move nonetheless to take legacy program and moving it to the other side in order to get subscribers to shell out more dough for something they bought in the first place.

Hope this isn't the beginning of a trend.

:tro:

SiriusXM will go the way of arcades, new coke, and cd players. They are obsolete and the only chance they had was keeping their word on price increases.

They didn't.