Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

[DXer]

Well, some what. Yesterday, Dish Network added 61 of the Sirius Satellite radio channels to their system. Sirius brands each audio channel with a name and they have DJ's & Artists voice tracking in between songs. For example the Disco channel 6068, is called "The Strobe". Dish Network has numbered the channels in the 6000 range, with the last two numbers corresponding to the channel that you would be able to hear if you had Sirius in your car. (6068-"The Strobe" is ch.68 on the Sirius system)

The variety of channels on Sirius, smokes that Music Choice stuff on Oceanic, as well as the audio channels Dish Network currently offers. Hopefully, Dish keeps these channels as part of their basic package for Hawaii, since this is the only way we can hear satellite radio in Hawaii. For example in the Hip Hop category there are 5 stations:

"Hip-Hop Nation" - Uncut Hip-Hop
"Wax" - Hip-Hop mixes, remixes
"Back Spin" - Old Skool Rap
"Street Beat" - Hip Hop Hits
"Hot Jamz" - Hip Hop, R&B Hits

Ivan, this is what you've been waiting for! Radio style audio channels with almost every format of music you can think of. I've been listening to the Old Skool & Disco stuff, ever since I found these channels.

Dxer

[pzarquon]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Fascinating. So this is a satellite television provider adding audio-only channels to their service here? So I suppose, like Oceanic's cable-based Music Choice, this is something that's for the home? Or does Dish Network have audio-only hardware for cars?

I didn't really know if any of those satellite services worked out here, in the radio space being primarily XM or Sirius (both websites say "Continental U.S. Only"). I take it from your message that since Sirius doesn't reach here via its own systems, it is now carried by Dish Network?

I guess the question of which satellite television providers work here goes in the Hawaii Television section...

[Ninja]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

As mentioned, as part of Dish Network, subscribers with AT120 and above receive the Sirius Music package free. The primary purpose is to get the 8+ million Dish Network subscribers to experience the selection of music that Sirius offers and hopefully buy Sirius for the car. The Sirius music channels are fiber linked to Dish then uplinked at 192k from Dish to you, the fidelity of these channels is outstanding. As far as Sirius itself being available as a standalone service in Hawaii, I have head that they are going to use a ground based service here, Oahu likely first with '05 the earliest we will see it.

BTW, both Dish Network and Directv are available in Hawaii. Voom, the HDTV satellite service, isn't.

[spooky71]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Thanks for the info about the Sirius channels, guys! I will check them out.
I have Dish Network here in New Hampshire, and I love it! One of the big reasons I got it was that it is available in Hawaii, and I am moving there very soon.

[mel]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Satellite Radio Will Not Be Coming To Hawaii

So says Erika Engle in her latest column. No Howard Stern and meaningless car radio options in high end vehicles.

Personally I am not interested in paying for satellite radio or any radio at all. Despite its flaws, regular broadcast radio does fine with me. It's free!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Mel thanks for that statement...and on behalf of every hard working PD or OM, they thank you as well.

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Free is Good!

[mel]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Broadcast radio still keeps local people employed and some of the programs are still local vs. satellite. Having a local source of radio news, sports, information and entertainment is something satellite radio cannot deliver.

[Radiohead]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Broadcast radio still keeps local people employed.

Mel, haven't you noticed the Clear Channel's, The Cox's and now Visionary's have consolidated positions and eliminated jobs, locally. Dude, wake up!!! Mainland philosophy has hit the island radio market for a while here. Look at the staff size at each station today compared to twenty years ago. You used to have a live body at every airshift. Now it's computerized, tracking, or a single jock doing multiple shifts and responsibilities.

Get your head out of your a*# and wake up. What will radio sound like in the future? More corporate B.S. and satellite radio. It will be all mainland corporate radio. So listen to the last breath of local radio while you can, it will go as all things go. Why does Clear Channel need to pay some local yahoo in Hawaii to read the same corporate liner in Hawaii, when they can get a yahoo in San Antonio to do it cheaper?

Mel, remember television in the 70's? It was free, rabbit ears on your TV with four stations. Now it's at least $50+ a month for cable. The more channels you want, the more money you shell out. The bottom line, is the bottom line, money. If you want quality radio, you're going to have to pay for it.

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Ouch! Dude, that's harsh coming down on Mel like that. A lot of what you say may be true, and Hawaii radio as a whole may be sucked into super mega crapville sometime in the future... but for now there are still smaller companys that are Hawaii based and Hawaii grounded. Sure even the smaller ones are falling into the automation trap... but there are still some of us still working in radio... and still lovin' it!


And I dont buy this- "if you want quality radio you're gonna have to buy it" - junk either... you're admitting that the homogenized "music for the masses programmed in Texas and sent to the world via satellite" is good? If not better than the locally produced... tied to the community local broadcasting?...

That's not where the listeners are drawn... I see them drawn to strong on-air personalities- doing engaging shows- that speak directly to the friends and neighbors they serve! All it takes is a tsunami or hurricane or flood to snap attention to what really really matters. The locally programmed radio station that calls Hawaii home and matters to the people here!

The next time the lights go out, think of that as you pick up the phone and dial that radio station for info... Having been a local jock I can tell you- everyone still thinks the radio DJ knows everything, is in the loop, and has all the answers to any of life's little unexpected things. Cable's out who you gonna call! Heavy rain, wondering about school being closed- who you gonna call!

Not the newspaper- not the tv- radio get's the calls, because radio's got the rep! Say you lost your pooch?...

Local radio - it's dakine!

[mel]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Thanks '79 for your thoughtful response.

I did say that broadcast radio was flawed, and that also includes the fact that it does not employ as much local people as it could and did once upon a time. Still there is some local programming around, even on Clear Channel and Cox stations that some people seem to loathe. Sure the radio landscape and economy ain't perfect nor are the working conditions and opportunities.

But as a consumer of radio I still prefer the local, free over the air content despite half of it being either automated or syndicated from an outside corporate source. To me it is better than satellite where everything everywhere will sound and be exactly the same.

There is still be room for local radio.

Sorry to have upset you so much Radiohead with my brief statement. You did not have to be so harsh in your response.

[b4ru]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Mel, haven't you noticed the Clear Channel's, The Cox's and now Visionary's have consolidated positions and eliminated jobs, locally. Dude, wake up!!! Mainland philosophy has hit the island radio market for a while here. Look at the staff size at each station today compared to twenty years ago. You used to have a live body at every airshift. Now it's computerized, tracking, or a single jock doing multiple shifts and responsibilities.

I agree with you 100 percent most of the posters on this board are the same yahoos posting everyday, they are the same people holding on to the 5 jobs left in this town in radio. No one cares about talent in this town any more, it 's who you know that counts.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

I gotta come to Mel's defense on these last two flames. Being a former radio employee (the last for CC), yes a few positions are going to the mainland and some consolidation but there are still positions here that must be held as opposed to satellite radio where there is no one here but the seller and installer.

Really the only major consolidation of job titles is the PD who now has to direct sister stations under one roof. That's tough but it doesn't reflect a major shift in radio hirings overall. So Paul Wilson has to PD what three or four stations? He has his APD's handling it as well so I see no loss in employment. I've been an APD before and there's more than enough work for both the PD and APD to do everyday, I think there needs to be an assistant to the APD! The affidavits alone is daunting paperwork especially if you're a talk radio station with syndicated programming and national commercial inventory and that's just the tip of the responsibility of PD's.

Voice tracking is an issue I have as well and I agree there it's not fair for the jock, but when I hear Paul Wilson voice tracking, that's more of a blessing for him because that meant he couldn't find someone to track that shift, at least he's got that shift covered now and he did his job as the PD.

I'm from the old school of broadcasting but can understand the importance of radio automation. Today's broadcast employee can multi-task because he has to making that person a more viable employee instead of dead wood. In this business you gotta be able to crack the mic as well as do production, produce and write news copy. Kinda like when radio first started before departments were introduced into this field of work. Radio automation allows the employee to complete those tasks assigned. It's not unlike old radio just more work.

So what, if it's more work then hire another body right? Well if the option is to buy automation gear cheaper what would you do? We all streamline our human needs. If it makes YOUR job or life easier then automation is good for YOU right?

Sounds harsh? Well if you go to an ATM to withdraw cash, when you hit the enter button have you considered the fact that your bank just justified reducing its human workforce to better accomodate your need for cash.

Regarding talent, heck talent is what the market will bear. And if the sound requires the jock to sound like a kid with no voice training but sounds like the kid in high school with a skateboard because that's what today's listeners can relate to, then guess what, talent takes a backseat to what sounds real and not what sounds like a broadcaster. Times have changed and Ronny Radio has left the building for good.

And be careful what you say in this business because you're right it is who you know, but by flaming everybody on this board as yahoos is not a good thing in maintaining bridges here. Hiding behind an alias protects you but it doesn't give you any credability in your remarks. You can say anything without regards to consequence because you didn't put your integrity on the line like some of us yahoos! Or maybe you have too much to protect and have to hide behind a name to protect your integrity, but then guess what...you're a yahoo just like us.

You want to talk the talk then be real before you start flaming those who chose to not hide.

[kimohalliway]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

All of you got your heads up your butts...If you are good enough, you will have a job. Stop crying and learn your craft. No matter what happens in radio Mike W. Perry will always have a job, because he is good. All of you burnt out rockjocks and oft fired so called radio announcers are pitiful. You are always blaming everyone else for your lack of talent.

[DXer]

Re: Satellite Radio comes to Hawaii

Why is there so much of this "stay out, it's my town" mentality? I have a few friends on the radio side of the biz. When I would tell them how much I loved "Mark & Brian" on the old 98.5, they would lose it! They tell me I'm a trader, why am I supporting mainland stuff, etc. I would tell them, I still listen to the local news breaks, the local traffic reports, etc. I know it's from the mainland, but when you tie it up with the local news, weather and traffic, it was pretty good. And if a mainland morning show can bring in more listeners for your local afternoon, local drive-home and local evening shows, what's the big deal.

I'll tell you what I can't stand. Listening to some "fresh out of college/broadcast school" newbie, trying to act like they've been around and doing a horrible copy of a radio show they've probably heard on the mainland and trying to give it a local twist. I'd rather listen to the original show from the mainland, than the local person who steals the concept and does a horrible job and adapting it for the "local" crowd.

Here's an example, I won't give the station name, but you can narrow it down. It was a morning show, the dj's were talking, they were playing their music bed while they talked and then they went to break. It was old school day on this station and they were playing "what they consider" old school. I called up and ask, if they could play "Atomic Dog" by George Clinton. Mind you, this was the dj who answered the phone, he tells me what song is that, I've never heard of it. I told him, it's the music bed you've been playing for the last 4 minutes!!!

And you wonder why people turn to CD's and MP3 players.

As for automation, I've been on the television side of things for 17 years now. Automation has allowed stations to go from three people running one station, to one person running seven stations per shift. The negative way to look at it is less positions. The positive side to it is, that free's up those people to explore other interests within the industry (higher paying positions), production, editing, graphics, animation, etc. Technology will eventually hit every work position in our industry. The way you handle it, is the real story.

Dxer