Comment by Scoundreller 14 hours ago
off-topic: As a Canadian, I set up an XM Radio, so I now hear a lot more US ads than I usually do (their music stations are ad-free, but the news channel feeds sub the commercials).
Does everyone in USA need a loan in 24h, has IRS problems and is looking to sell (not buy, but sell) their life insurance policy? It's better than Kars4Kids, but I thought people paying for radio might be in a better financial position?
dunno, but they have 33 million paying subscribers, paying an average $15/month (!)
And that's not including Pandora. That's another 5.8 million subs at ~$6.50/month.
Per their Annual Report for 2024.
They're doing a much better job than satellite TV. At least in Canada, it's in a linear decline. Someone did an analysis and found they'd have like 0 subscribers within 10 years at their trajectory.
Not sure what kind of people listen to XM news, but I’ve never heard any of these ads anywhere here in the US with the exception of an occasional payday loan ad.
I meant their audio-feeds of CNN, Bloomberg, CNBC and... not sure what's on Fox News. That's why those channels have commercials, because the source does, but they overwrite them with XM-specific advertising.
People paying for XM radio today probably paid for XM radio a decade ago, which means they skew older. Maybe they're retirees that now have a limited budget, so they have collateral for a loan and have a health insurance policy to sell.
Unless you live/drive the wilderness, you probably have better radio options from cell phone. And in my neck of the wilderness, the trees ruin xm reception anyway. :P