The Observer, December 8, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 13
SIRIUS VP discusses satellite radio universe
Steve Blatter, Senior Vice President of Music Programming at SIRIUS Satellite Radio, is a very busy man. He is responsible for everything from "all the music channels…to all the air personalities." Understandably, when asked about his typical day, he laughs. "There is no typical day. When you're growing as fast as SIRIUS Satellite Radio, there is no normal, no routine."
He cited an example from that day, walking down the hallway. In one studio was Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, a band which boasts many famous faces: "Fat" Mike Burkett of NOFX, Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters (and formerly of No Use for a Name), and Joey Cape and Dave Raun of Lagwagon. They were performing live and taking requests. Shooter Jennings, a show host, was listening in, waiting for his show to start. Passing by another studio, Blatter saw Alexis Stewart, Martha's daughter, also a show host.
Blatter considers this the best perk of his undoubtedly perk-filled job, getting to "experience a wide range of music and work with a wide range of personalities." He goes on to note that "there's just a slew of personalities at any given time." But when asked about a best or worst celebrity experience, or a favorite celeb tabloid story, he declines to get specific because "In this business, everything is entertainment." The question is simply too hard to answer.
Although Blatter says that he "loved radio as a kid," he never thought to make it a career until midway through his undergraduate years at Ithaca College. Already knee-deep in an economics and business degree, he decided to tough it out, but took a part-time gig at a radio station in New York after graduation. Fifteen years after working his way up the radio ladder, he's a Senior VP at a booming satellite radio company. Magic really does happen in New York.
Satellite radio is certainly a growing industry. Originally, said Blatter, "the business was primarily driven by satellite receivers purchased at retail locations." Now, they are expanding their already existing partnership with car companies. SIRIUS is now offered as an option, and many cars come with it factory-installed.
This new market is definitely helping SIRIUS grow, but Blatter doesn't think it will ever completely take over FM radio. He does expect, however, that SIRIUS will gather a "bigger, wider audience [because] the experience of listening to a SIRIUS music channel is far superior to what you'll get by listening to local radio stations. It's a great value to consumers."
What the consumer gets from SIRIUS is around 60 commercial-free music channels for a monthly fee starting around $13 per month. The company gathers most of its revenue from subscriptions, so it can offer a wide variety of ad-free options. Five country channels range from "new hits" to "classic hits." Jazz and blues channels satisfy listeners who are "not served by FM." They also boast a banquet of celebrity co-producers, from Eminem to Jimmy Buffet. The value for the consumer lies in the variety.
While most of the music industry these days suffers from a love/hate relationship with iTunes and the whole downloading generation, Blatter sees definite advantages for SIRIUS Radio. According to Blatter, "The more passionate people are about music, the more SR benefits."
The curiosity inspired by downloading singles and listening to Pandora.com is further satisfied by the service SIRIUS provides. "There's no better way to discover than by listening to new music channels on SIRIUS," he raves. He cites shows like "Left of Center," an indie-rock-type show, and "Faction," a more hardcore/metal/alternative, as examples of their "new music focuses, close-to-the-street programming."
In search of a more hard-hitting interview to save this article from its fate as a protracted commercial for SIRIUS radio, I asked Steve if satellite radio, with its wide variety and programming control, falls into temptation for payola (cash bribes for airtime, an illegality even practiced by the likes of Jessica Simpson).
Unfortunately for gossip-columnists everywhere, SIRIUS only "does what's right for its subscribers." By offering genre-based music channels, they escape a lot of that pressure to create success by only spinning top 40 hits or the hottest artists. It seems that for music consumers with the means to pay a monthly fee, SIRIUS Satellite Radio is a pretty great deal.
