(via Daniel Mount – www.southerngospelblog.com)
This is a huge blow to the airing of Southern Gospel music all around the world! Sirius/XM management has made the decision to remove enLighten from the satellite service of both XM and Sirius, as well as Dish TV, effective Wednesday, May 4th, in the mistaken belief that’s its listenership is miniscule. (However, enLighten will continue to be offered via the Sirius/XM OnLine Internet service (Channel 805) and via the Sirius/XM SmartPhone App.)
For your information, this action has been taken because – as part of the merger agreement – the Federal Communications Commission is requiring Sirius/XM to make a group of channels available for “community-service” programming produced by minority and special-interest groups, which requires the removal of other channels due to limited bandwidth.
The only opportunity to reverse this decision requires immediate action by everyone who will be impacted by this action. Make a telephone call, send an E-mail, write a letter or do all three!
If you wish to voice your displeasure, here is contact information:
Telephone calls – If a Sirius subscriber, call Sirius Customer Care at 1-888-539-7474 or 1-866-635-2349
If an XM subscriber, call 1-800-XM-RADIO or 1-877-291-5304
In either case, comment on fact that enLighten is to be removed from the satellite service and, if it’s removed and not restored, you wish to cancel your subscriptions (if you do). (Do not be deceived by a rep telling you “it’s only moving to a new channel.)
You can send E-mails to customercare@siriusxm.com.
By mail — send a letter or postcard (now 29 cents) to one or both of these gentlemen:
Mr. Scott A. Greenstein
President & Chief Content Officer
Sirius/XM Radio
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor
New York, New York 10020
ALSO – you might send a copy of your letter to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Complaints
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Remember… while you can be firm in your statements, always be Christ-like in what you say and write. And… pray, pray, pray!
Again: to cause this action to be rescinded, a rapid and massive outcry is necessary!
Thanks for helping spread the word! Lets band together and fight!
Odie
http://Www.boggsblogs.com
I’ve sent an email and letters ready to be mailed in the morning. My fiancée is writing hers too. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I would hate to see Southern Gospel removed from the Sirius/XM lineup.
you have been a blessing to so many
I receive Enlighten 34 thru my subscription to Dish Network. I wrote an email to XM Management but it was returned as undeliverable. I’m assuming the inbox was full. I also called and was subsequently transferred to 3 different people. I don’t believe Sirius is going to change their mind but I made my dissatisfaction & disappointment known concerning their decision.
I also called, and did speak with a sympathetic customer service representative who assured me my concerns would be forwarded to management. I sent an email today, and will also send a letter to the company and the FCC. The decision to remove Enlighten while retaining Howard Stern, Raw Dog and Oprah is distressing, to say the least, and borders on religious discrimination, to say the most.
Not sure, but don’t think FCC regulates satellite radio. That is probably an attempt at PR. Now for the sad reality, a channel being cut is most likely due to polled data and demographics. I know it may be your favorite channel, as I have my fav’s and would be upset if they got axed, but looking at the big picture, probably not as popular as you might think. Truthfully, were it not for Gaither, SGM would have died out years ago. My thought is that this is a market driven reaction, purely a business decision.
“… In the United States, the FCC regulates technical broadcast spectrum only. Program content is unregulated. However, the FCC has tried in the past to expand its reach to regulate content to satellite radio and cable television, and its options are still open to attempt such in the future. The FCC does issue licenses to both satellite radio providers (XM and Sirius) and controls who holds these licenses to broadcast…”