Art Bell, the radio icon that joined the SiriusXM line-up on September 16th is leaving the air after just a month and a half. While passionate satellite radio fans may not want to hear it, his reasons for leaving boiled down to three main things:
– SiriusXM’s web player is notoriously unreliable, causing a loss of subscribers and a degraded listening experience for those who remain listening online.
– For a “caller driven” show, the caller pool for art’s show is just too small.
– International listeners have no legitimate way to hear the show.
Since Bell’s new program arrived to the airwaves on Sept. 16 premiere, there have been, according to Bell on his website, many problems with streaming his show.
“Many thousands of my listeners came on board when it began but they have fallen off because of that reason,” Bell said. “It’s a systemic problem. For a caller-driven show like this one, speaking only to people on cell phones in moving vehicles is somewhat difficult.“The show also is being pirated, oh you have no idea. We are all over the Net right now, from YouTube to a server in England, for example, that’s streaming the show live. And because of all this, I have asked SiriusXM to alter their normal method of doing business and allow free streaming for everybody from artbell.com.
“If we get the opportunity to do this streaming, we will kick some serious butt…If not, we may not have a viable situation going forward.” ~ Art Bell
This is not the first time that we have heard issues relating to the Internet platform offered up by SiriusXM. There have been a host of issues from the functionality to being booted off, to having longer shows reset from the beginning after an hour and a half, making it almost impossible to listen to a 2 hour show on demand.
When signed by SiriusXM, Bell had only glowing things to say:
“SiriusXM is the perfect fit for me and my new show Art Bell’s Dark Matter,” said Art Bell. “Though invisible, dark matter accounts for gravitational forces observed in the universe—expect these forces to be at work in the uncensored, unrestricted creative arena of satellite radio, a medium with truly extraterrestrial reach.”
It would appear that after just a short period of time, second thoughts emerged.
It appears that SiriusXM had decided not to work things out for Bell, as his website now indicates he posted the following on his Facebook page:
“Sometimes when you are ‘all in’ you win, sometimes lose. By mutual agreement, Dark Matter will no longer air as of tonight.”
The departure of Bell, as unfortunate as it is, should be a signal to SiriusXM. The company has a compelling product, great content, and great potential, but in some ways has lost the edge that it once had. The frustrations of Bell can be heard on other channels as well. Opie & Anthony, Howard Stern, Jay Thomas, and others have all at times expressed a great deal of frustration. In some ways, the complaints of on air personalities ring back to the old FM days of terrestrial radio, a path that many consumers and on air personalities could not wait to get away from.
an unnamed source scheduled for an appearance on Bell’s show received an email from someone in Bell’s camp, which stated: “I regret to inform you (and all upcoming guests) that “Art Bell’s Dark Matter” program will no longer be airing live shows effective immediately. I’m really thankful for your efforts with regards to being on the program and I truly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
“Should events change in the future, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
The show had only been on the air since Sept. 16, and tonight’s program is a scheduled repeat, after only being on SiriusXM for just six weeks.
And once again, Art Bell’s voice has gone silent. But not for long.
Art states :
“We are sorry that Dark Matter on SiriusXM has come to an abrupt end. We’ll examine our options and may be able to return in a different format and medium.
We have already identified many ways to bring a LIVE stream to you, it’s now just a contractual issue. Stay tuned…
In the mean time, ArtBell.com will still operate as long as financially possible, hoping for a workable solution to bring Art back to you, soon. Keep checking back here often. “http://artbell.com/
We will keep you posted!!!
UPDATE FOR November 15, 2013 from Mr. Art Bell
You all will never know how much I feel for you for what you are doing in trying to support me
but I am going to ask you to stop. This will only make matters worse.
Here is the bottom line, this is a job I took only because of my love of Radio, not for the money,
heck 75K is not ever going to make me rich and if Sirius does not want me they sure will not take
me because their Web Site is messed up, it will most likely just piss them off. That does not change
the love I fell for all of you for trying.
I still feel I was right in my decision to halt what I felt had no real way forward and would make the
same decision again today, I only took that decision after receiving a no to any further remedy.
Truly I do not understand why they would say no to me wanting a way to stream, then turn around and
replace me with Coast which is doing exactly what I wanted to do, maybe they we just pissed. Either way
thank you for what you are trying to to, I love you all, but please stop.
Art
~The Truth Denied
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DAMMIT ! I REALLY ENJOY ART BELL, BUT I'M AN AUTHORITY AT RECIEVING WORSE THAN POOR SERVICE FROM XM, AND I MEAN BIG TIME POOR SERVICE . . .BUT C'MON BACK TO THE AIR,ART ! THERE MUST BE A DOZEN BROADCASTING COMPANIES THAT WOULD SYNDICATE YOU
i subscribed 2 sirius when art bell joined and havent been able 2 cancel my subscription in the past 3 months. stll paying 4 a service im not going 2 use. Id rather eat shit than listen 2 that scrub george snoory. Death 2 c2cam, Long live Art bell!
Yes, I have turned off c2c because it is garbage at this point. Had a sub with Sirius as well, called them and cancelled it. If you need the number, let me know. Save your money.
I have listened Art Bell since the 70's. when he left Coast to Coast I lasted about 6 radio shows. I started again when he returned to XM radio, and i can wait for his return again. I'm about the same age as Art and appreciate his hosting through the years, from ultridge dissapearing ship, to Mel's hole. Some guests have been the great and others good for laugh. In his kind of bussiness it is what it is, and hopefully other will agree Art has always tryied to do his best because hosting his type of show is something he loves. the person above calling you the flake........
i invite him to listen to Coast to @#$%& with you know who? and may he live long and prosper.
Art Bell is THE man! I'm in New ZEland and would love to listen. Please, Please Art do whateva ya gotta do and get back in the game bro...noone else comes close.
Dear Mr. Bell, have any I am moving to Manila first of the year and have interest in working in radio. I do not have a deep back ground in this medium but have done some volunteer work reading the Christian Science Monitor over KPBS for 6 months. I you advice please let me know.
I would like to help in the some way the Typhoon victims.
Regards,
Sean
Very disappointed in Art. Yes, you Mr Bell. Only 6 weeks, and as a fan who was thrilled I feel deeply betrayed. Production problems or not, you should have given your fans more.
Should have known it would be a disaster, look at his opening show featuring Hoagland. That show will live in the annals of some of the worst crap radio EVER. That whole show was Hoagland bloviating vaingloriously.
I really miss your show Art. It's too bad you happen to be a FLAKE.
Thats ok, xm radio service sucks for reception in canada anyway. Can't wait for you Art to get back on regular airways.