Left of Center + XMU = Sirius XMU (Sirius + XM = Sirius XM)
Sirius XM Radio, the pay-radio marriage of the two former satellite services, formally combined their program lineups Wednesday.
Some channels from each service went away in the merger, with Sirius and XM Radio subscribers each getting new channels from the other service. Some channels will be moved and/or re-named.
Sirius XM said there will be no increase in the subscription fee or need to change or upgrade existing radios for the basic service, but that doesn’t include the “Best of” packages.
XM subscribers will have to pay extra if they want a “Best of Sirius” package with such premium draws as Howard Stern, Martha Stewart Living, Playboy, NASCAR and the NFL. Sirius subscribers will have to shell out more for a “Best of XM” lineup that includes Oprah Winfrey’s Oprah & Friends, the NBA, the NHL the PGA and The Virus, which is home to Gregg “Opie” Hughes and Anthony Cumia.
Among the Sirius channels going away are Movin’ Easy, Punk, Sirius Disorder, The Strobe, Boombox, Backspin and Universo Latino. XM channels being retired include XM Sports Nation, the Weather Channel, XMX, X-Country, Fungus, Rhyme, Raw, Beyond Jazz, Fine Tuning, The System, Chrome, Viva, Aguila, Caricia. [Chicago Tribune]
In case anyone was wondering, “Blog Radio” survived the cut. Indie/Alternative station Left of Center (Sirius) merged with XMU (XM) to form the new Sirius-XMU, which, although its name is closer to “XMU” is actually more like “Left of Center” (Blog Radio included). The new lineup for Sirius can be found here. The new XM lineup can be found here.
