Hearts of Space on XM Satellite Radio: R.I.P.

It's official: Hearts of Space has been dropped by Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.

We've been on XM since the very beginning of the service in 2001, the result of a decision by XM's original Program Director, the legendary LEE ABRAMS. Lee appreciated our taste and our careful approach to program creation. Lee was a music guy from the old school who genuinely loved and appreciated all kinds of music. During his tenure, XM clearly had best music channels in the business.

Lee quit XM in 2006; shortly after, XM merged with Sirius Satellite Radio to create Sirius/XM, and Sirius took over control of programming. From our original home on "AudioVisions" channel 103 under the caring, professional stewardship of RUSS DAVIS, HOS was moved to the new "Spa" channel 72. Russ was unceremoniously fired and others took over programming the Spa and Jazz channels.

Sirius has a completely different, mainstream/star-oriented programming philosophy, which led to them paying Howard Stern over half a billion-with-a-B dollars to move there, more emphasis on sports and other mass-audience channels, and a de-emphasis on their music channels, especially the "niche" channels like Spa. Note to niche music listeners: they're just not into you.

To be clear, being on XM was never a big financial thing for us. In the beginning they paid us less than small market public radio stations, which we didn't think was possible. In 2004 we signed a deal for $2000 a year for 7 shows a week, or $5.50 a show. We were able to negotiate a little more some years, but it was still minimal.

Our contract came up for renewal this year on March 31st. Despite repeated attempts to contact them, we never heard anything about renewal or renegotiation, and the show simply disappeared from the Spa channel on April 1st when the contract expired. When we finally got a hold of someone in their legal department on April 6th, the stated reason was that "Sirius has a policy of not carrying programming that is available elsewhere."

That's obviously corporate bullspin, since they carry major league baseball, basketball, the New York Philharmonic, and many other kinds of programming that are indeed available elsewhere. The real reason is that they just don't care about small audiences for niche music genres. They'd prefer to pay Howard Stern $100 Million a year to (theoretically) pull in the numbers. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working: Sirius has "serious" financial problems and its stock is down to under $1 a share.

With 7 or 8 shows a week, over the years many new spacefans have discovered Hearts of Space on XM. They're a communicative bunch: from farmers to long haul truckers to grandmothers in Maine, we've received email from thousands of them, and we expect to hear from many more in the wake of the drop.

We're sad to lose our satellite radio listeners, and we encourage you to join us online. For a limited time, we're offering a special "transition" discount for XM subscribers to get them used to listening on-demand anytime they like, rather than on XM's broadcast schedule! Please email [email protected] for details.

:: SH

Comments

[Scott]

Bullspin, indeed! I loved the show.... hope to hear you soon! Maybe on HD radio? Good Luck!

Scott in North Branch, MN

[Al Stearns]

Hello Stephen and all,

Well said as always. It seems since 2006, HOS has not gotten the respect it deserves from Sirius/XM and that was the beginning of the end for HOS on Sirius/XM.

I am thankful for online access to HOS (I am listening to program 908 now), especially since radio stations in my area have not carried HOS for sometime.

Now if only a Podcast of HOS would be possible; then us HOS fans could be mobile once again.

Safe Journeys,

Al Stearns
Pisgah Forest, NC
USA

[Patrick Grinaway]

That's very disappointing. I actually dropped Sirius/XM a couple years ago, realizing that instead of paying for Howard Stern to listen to HOS, I could just pay for HOS. I'm a lot happier with that decision, and the only thing that's disappointing is that I can't access your show anywhere, since Adobe seems fundamentally opposed to flash players on mobile devices.

Anyway, good luck, and I'm glad HOS was on XM/Sirius when it was, since that's where I discovered it!

[Steve]

Well now I know why you weren't on when I'd be driving at the appointed time. I've had an XM receiver in my car for years, but now I have an iPhone hookup too, so I'll be thrilled when your iPhone app is released.

[Sir Norman]

Dear Stephen and Steve,
I hope that you will soon show up on the local station in Charlotte. We now have the state of the art HD on the station. Maybe one day soon we can have the shows that we like back and they will cut back on the M-F Yak Yak Yak. HOS has been with me for a long time. Back when I had a Teac Reel to Reel unit to record it late night then play it back. I will miss HOS. I hope soon to have high speed internet THEN I will enjoy the music that helps slow down the fast day.
Sir Norman

[Mark]

Ask the President if he likes HOS. Send his yes back to Sirius. Sirius marketting is like Windows Sticky Keys. 0.001% of people use them, but tap your Alt-key and you get an annoying popup - close it and try again.

[Patrick Harvey]

i have been listening to HOS since day 1 in 182 on a small radio station in Los Angeles. However, when you went on Serius, quality was much better. I will miss you on Serius. I Have signed up to hos.com. Your loss serius!

[Matt]

Those people at xm/sirius has lost their minds. I drive truck for a living and listened to your program everyday and when I slept it was always on. I love your music those people just have no idea what they let go of. My wife at home had your channel on 24/7. I definately miss you guys

[Keith Gillett]

Well, now I know where HOS went on Sirius. Bunch of corporate dunderheads. You can bet that Sirius will be getting an earful from me. Maybe even a threat as a current Sirius subscriber, not that they would care or even appear to care. Such is mindset of the corporate bigwigs. Bottom line is more important than serving to customer base. It's what they can get away with and how much push back they receive. You don't squawk they just walk.

I've been listening HOS for years from a local VPR station. Now that I'm on the road a lot, it is difficult to tune in on Sundays. Just updated my Sunday subscription to help you out a bit. Looking forward to the iPhone app. Great work, Stephen and company!

[Mark Stewart]

I will honestly attest that there are times I am certain that Sirius is driving the recession … Gulf oil spills too, the whole lot. They have two deadly boring online channels I attend, one named Chill and one named Spa. The music is downhill. Maybe they should just make a channel called Downhill. Then they could lump all their cutbacks on this continent’s most expensive radio service, into just one channel to rake in even more cash. Honestly, it all sounds about the same. Some days the corn repeats every few hours, often sooner. But don't let them know I told you so.

Fact is, XM service on the road is a whole different show. It takes one and a half days before the corn-back thing happens. Well, sometimes maybe five minutes, but that's just cheapo glitch. Cruisers beware! A good time to hit your mute button on the beach drive is when that gooey "Serius" ad gunk comes on. As recession deepens, distaste grows. Yes indeed, pick and choose has a lot going for it. Women really like those gentle HOS vibes.

[Michael]

It was a night just like any other, until I heard your station as I was driving to grandma's house in Destin,Fl. Now I'm "Spaced Out".

[Stephen Hill]

It would have happened sooner or later;-)
Glad to have you aboard, Michael!

[di]

I just discoverd HOS on Public Radio. I was hoping to listen to it 24/7.

[Marion Roberson, III]

I've been listening to your shows since I was 16 years old (I'm 38 now) I listened on WNYC 93.9, in New York (I was in Jersey) I listened on the Public radio stations I could find you on in Philly when I went to college, and, in Northern VA, and Augusta, Georgia with 90.7 of Augusta State University when you were on. What I can't stand now is knowing for certain that I can't get you over XM, with that, I know it's time to cancel the subscription. I only listen to a few channels anyway, and for what I am paying them every month, I could have your archive service for a year. HOS radio show has been there at some times in my life that kept my mind opne to 'higher thinking' It's been missed at times, and celebrated in others.
Ultimately, I think it's time to get back to visiting an 'old friend' on a regular basis.

Safe Journey, HOS, everywhere you are.

[Sean Conan Doyle]

I have been listening to HoS since I discovered in the early 80s in California. I love the risk they take to bring music that only a select few know about. I love the variety they offer. In those days the show exposed me to wonderful music: Kitaro, Tangerine Dreams, and many others...As a college student I had a limited budget but I visited record stores and discount music stores to find the albums of the music I had listen to in HoS. Since the Internet was in its infancy it was hard to find what we have today. In those days only cassettes were available or vinyl. So I figured ways to record the show. I still have 100s of shows recorded that I used to listen to in my car. In later years I purchased CDs. I listen to HoS through the years and have exposed the show to many people. I was glad to find them in my Direct TV line up of music genres and sadden by the fact they are now drop. But I discovered the online site many years ago and I always keep returning to listen here as often as I can.

[Tom]

I was sad to discover that, after about 25 years, Houston no longer carries your programme. It has been part of my Saturday evening often over the years. Rice University sold its station to University of Houston (where HOS has been). UH shifted its classical format to the new frequency, changed the old one to more NPR programmes, and dropped HOS and other niche programmes. Like Sirius, the programme director did not respond to my e-mail. I am sorry they have been short-sighted and removed an excellent show like yours from the air. I shall have to subscribe in order to hear your music. It is a sad day for Houston.

[Tammie Griggs]

That is why I signed up with your show after I heard it on sirius. One night at 8pm you were not there and you were not anywhere. So, I started listening to you online more, I always had you online. Thank You Steven Hill and Hearts of Space for all of the work you do to bring me music that I tell my husband 'I can walk in the forest to.'

[Stephen Hill]

Thank you Tammie. Walk on...

[sheila nemeth]

Hello, a few years ago, maybe around 2006 or 2007 ,I heard a song on XM Hearts of Space around October - alien theme - the lyrics were something like “It’s so good to see you. ....your face is perfectly symmetrical ..every eye is in place .....so you know the name of the song?

[Stephen Hill]

Sorry Sheila, but I don't believe that the song you heard was part of a Hearts of Space program. We rarely program music with lyrics, and then even more rarely in English;-)