What Have They Done with My XM?

I really haven’t had much time to pay attention to the outcome of the XM-Sirius merger, or SiriusXM, as it’s now called. I knew there would have to be changes as duplicate channels were merged into a single service.

I guess it’s been about three weeks since I started to notice the program changes. Most of them haven’t really changed anything. In some cases the new names make more sense than the old XM channel names. What used to be Ethel is now AltNation, but it still plays new alternative hits. The Joint still churns out reggae, but what used to be Fred is now 1st Wave, featuring New Wave hits of the 80’s.

I knew I wouldn’t necessarily like all of the changes. However, there is one change that really shows the the programmers’ ignorance, or worse, disdain for a particular genre. What used to be Vox on XM is now the Metropolitan Opera Channel.

While Vox featured operatic pieces, its core programming was choral works. You were just as likely to hear a Schutz motet as something from Aida. Now the programming seems to be exclusively opera.

This reflects a misconception I’ve seen in the general public. Many non-musicians equate any classical singing with opera. Or, they will lump classical oratorios and anthems in with other Christian music and Gospel. Apparently the SiriusXM programmers have this same misconception, and are now neglecting a HUGE wealth of music.

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of opera, but I love good choral music (or I wouldn’t have chosen that as my career.) I hate that SiriusXM has chosen to drop this part of their programming.

[tags]Sirius, Xm Radio, SiriusXM, Vox, Metropolitan Opera, choral music[/tags]