the GD (in all it's forms) will be considered a treasured public service, hahahaha ~ ; - )
"You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
I didn't take it as having anything to do with the GD Hour's commercial prospects. I figured you were saying the GD channel is a "public service" like CSPAN or something. We may think of the GD as a precious cultural resource, but the world at large may not agree.
Sorry David... didn't mean for that comment to imply your show isn't commercially viable but I'm thinking of down the road in time, when us folks are gone. I certainly hope that your show and the Grateful Dead's music will be seen as necessary to the music scene, as a whole, due to the monumental impact it has had on modern music in general, as well it's own link to more obscure American (traditional) and indigenous music. Listening to the GD Hour on this web site certainly deserves some merit of "public service", imo. Thanks again, btw.
"You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
I can't imagine that the GD Channel qualifies as a "public service," but I don't think we're in any danger anyway.
According to Associated Press writer John Dunbar, fierce critic of the merger, Jonathan Adelstein (FCC Commissioner) has proposed a near perfect solution to this issue that is the best compromise for this situation (of all parties involved, imo) and if accepted, I will gladly endorse the merger, unless it affects our beloved music and David's show. I believe that within the proposed compromise though, there is no way the GD Channel disappears because it will be covered by the Public Service aspect of open programming channels proposed by Mr. Adelstein. He wants 25 % of the programming capacity for public interest content... 10% non-commercial and 15 % for minority sponsored programming, that will include indigenous music. Adelstein's proposal also nixes the current (and illegal) "exclusive" agreements with manufactures of receiver equipment and requires them to have a dual compatible devices within one year, that also are backwards engineered for AM/FM reception. The proposal also included a six year cap on pricing, as opposed to the three year cap offered by the industry. What I like best is the idea of "a la carte" purchasing of some music, as well the different packages that will likely be offered. I don't mind having a program I don't listen to but I hate the idea of being forced to fund those that I find offensive from a cultural and/or personal POV. I won't bother with naming names because I try to adhere to the adage of "to each their own" along these lines.
In any event, I'm please with the current movement along these lines and look forward to the day I can afford to have this service, as well feel that the long term benefits are being addressed by my government.
"You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."
thanks David, keep us informed if you here anything new.
I have very little information, but from what I have heard it seems the specialty channels like GD are unlikely to be affected, except maybe to be available on both systems.
Saw on the news last night that Sirius an XM are gonna be mergin. Are we gonna get more channels, It won't affect the Dead channel I hope!
I too heard the Kingfish concert on Sirius radio taoday and it was my first listen of them. Good stuff. Rock on!
Location
Well it appears the merger went through without Mr. Adelstein's proposed changes (he ultimately voted against the merger). It appears the Republican Deborah Tate cast the deciding vote after both companies agree to pay fines related to the exclusive agreements struck with equipment manufactures. The "a la carte" idea seems to have survived so next year I'll see where that ends up and hopefully I can purchase a system and service (finally). I still think the business plan was unnecessarily complicated for both XM and Sirius and I expect to see advertising at some point in the future. Unfortunately the most greedy folks I've ever met are shareholders of publicly traded business and they will, at some point, demand that revenue from Madison Ave. As for terrestrial based radio, I feel this deal is unfair and a sad footnote to it's history but ultimately their demise was set in motion years ago and included elements not directly related to this argument.
"You know what the trouble about real life is? There's no danger music."