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Mel Karmazin’s Wish List: More Satellite Radios, Fewer Journalists

by Peter Kafka
Posted on November 30, 2009 at 1:23 PM PT

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mel-karmazin-sq-150x150Sales of new satellite radio players are doing just fine, Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin tells Reuters. That’s more important for the company than ever because car sales, which traditionally drove the company’s revenue, don’t seem likely to bounce back for quite some time.

Karmazin credits some of his sales success to a new ad campaign. I guess he has to say that inasmuch as he approved the campaign, but I have a hard time believing it. I’ve seen this ad several times, but until I read this interview, I had no idea it was for Sirius (SIRI):

Meanwhile, maybe it’s just self-interest/projection, but I was struck by the fact that Karmazin seemed to go out of his way to tell the Reuters staff how little he thought of it.

Or maybe he was talking about journalists in general: After being greeted by a dozen Reuters reporters at the company’s Global Media Summit,” Karmazin declared that if he was running the news service, only one of them would be employed.

Here’s Reuters media reporter Robert MacMillan’s account of the exchange, via Twitter:

macmillan karamzin tweet

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  • dawn benko
    I've been reading your commentary for a couple of months now, mostly because when I click on the headline, I don't realize it's yours. But since I'm here I may as well read. And I keep hoping you'll actually have something useful or intelligent to say. However, I find your comments to be quite buffoonish.

    Today for example, you write, "Karmazin credits some of his sales success to a new ad campaign. I guess he has to say that inasmuch as he approved the campaign, but I have a hard time believing it. I’ve seen this ad several times, but until I read this interview, I had no idea it was for Sirius (SIRI)"

    Really, Pete? Really? Come on, seriously?

    It says quite clearly, across most of the screen at the end of the commercial.

    Perhaps English isn't your first language.

    Anyway, I'm going to make an effort to identify and avoid your idiotic commentary in the future.
  • Pat Best
    > You would have a hard time believing it since you didn't read the very obvious What part of the commercial that ends with "...Satellite radio is changing it again by followed by a dark picture with only a bright "Sirius/xm radio" with logo on the screen. What part didn't you get?
    > I take it that since sales are "very much on track" as Mel put it based on ad projections that "most" people get it, most people are able to read it and well, you didn't.
    > Anything from you guys now goes in the spam box.
    >
  • jimmysunshine
    Your little article is tainted with emotional angst either agains Mel or SIRIUS. Either way, you apparently missed or failed the part of the curriculm that teaches the value of journalistic objectivity.

    Your article has no value other than to get a click to the webpage. Your brief appearance on my FAVORITES while I "test-drove your" site is over.
  • jimmysunshine
    This article reeks of emotional angst; either against Mel or SIRIUS or both. Whatever happened to journalistic objectivity!?

    Your webpage on my FAVORITES has been shortlived. It's an unreliable source for untainted news.
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About Peter

Peter Kafka has been covering media and technology since 1997, when he joined the staff of Forbes magazine. Most recently, he has been the managing editor of the tech and media Web site, Silicon Alley Insider. Read more »

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