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Southern Gospel Removed From Satellite Radio
Unfortunately, we have just learned that Sirius/XM will be discontinuing the Enlighten channel – which carries The Gospel Greats program, Homecoming Radio, and frequently plays Talley Trio and Lauren Talley music – effective Tuesday night, May 3rd – at midnight ET on their satellite service. It will be removed at the same time from the associated Dish TV channel.
This is part of a major restructuring by Sirius/XM to realign channels on both their Sirius and XM services. But it is also intended to accommodate government-imposed requirements (related to the Sirius – XM merger) to provide channels for public service use. Some organizations, colleges and the Mormon church have been given these channels, according to press reports.
Only an immediate outpouring of protests from subscribers such as yourself brings even the possibility of a reversal of this decision.
We’ll be honest with you- many gospel artists earn a significant portion of their income through royalties paid from satellite radio. The cancellation of Enlighten means a significant loss of income for many. If you want to keep your favorite music available on satellite radio and support your favorite artists, we ask for your immediate help. Make a telephone call, send an e-mail. Yet, by far, the most effective means will be to write and mail a letter – or use all routes.
Here’s the contact information:
Telephone calls –
If a Sirius subscriber, call Sirius Customer Care at 1-888-539-7474.
If an XM subscriber, call 1-800-XM-RADIO or 1-877-291-5304.
You can send emails to customercare@siriusxm.com.
By mail, send a letter or postcard to one or both of these gentlemen:
Mr. Scott A. Greenstein
President, Programming
Sirius XM Radio
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor
New York, NY 10020
Mr. Mel Karmazin
CEO
Sirius XM Radiio
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor
New York, NY 10020
More bureaucracy, it is time for American beleivers to unite together and take a stand. Never before in our country has the government tried to do away with our religious freedom in the freedom of speech, the media, the classroom amd at the religious holidays. Wake up America NOW is the time and He is watching!!!
Chaplain Vinyardi
I called XM and the service rep Sherri told me that enlighten would still be available on the internet and offered a free trial to try it. I was ready to cancel my subscription but agreed to try it. Not sure how truckers can adapt to this new format and the extra charges coming up. In the end we’ll all be in a position where we’re paying extra to listen to Southern Gospel music exclusively. I can see the next step being other Christian channels and content becoming an extra charge service also. I strongly encourage everyone to point this out as a pattern you see coming.
Good for you.
I think truckers frequently drive through areas where there is no wireless internet (or even cell phone service). Satellite will probably be the only option for many truckers.
Very sad to hear this news. Have been writing and calling myself. I’m hoping and praying that enough people will rise up and that this will not happen. I want to be able to listen to it on the RADIO – not just subscribe to the internet – that’s not solving the problem. Rally all your friends, please and don’t let this happen. Thanks for posting Lauren!! I hope all the artists will do the same and get a lot of support for this so we don’t lose Enlighten.
Wow…now I understand the seriousness of this situation – thanks, Lauren! We don’t have Sirius/XM satellite radio, but I know we would certainly enjoy listening to mainstream Southern Gospel via it. How frustrating and aggravating for the artists and listeners to have Enlighten removed!
It’s uncalled for. I sincerely hope Sirius/XM management would listen to complaints and continue to play the best music in the world.
Going to send an email of protest. Thanks for posting.
Marilyn Maurer VanHoose
GOD SAYS WE WILL BE PERSACUTED FOR OUR LOVE OF HIM AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS..I AM APPALLED WITH THIS DECISION AND WILL STOP MY SUBSCRIPTION TO XM AND SIRRIUS OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND FELLOW ARTISTS MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU LAUREN ..YOUR NEIGHBOR SHEILA IN GREENEVILLE, TN
I called and let the company know I was very unhappy. I enjoy Enlighten. Their response (We have other similar channels and I can still hear Enlighten on the internet. My response, I don’t havre internet in my car, please cancel my account.
I try talking to an xm rep.and when I told them what it was about all they wanted to know if I was calling to cancel my subscription ,they sounded like they can care less of my problem .I work on a tow boat working on the miss river and Sirius /xm is only way I can get Enlighten
Wow…this hurts songwriters too. This is the second blow to Southern Gospel in the past couple of week. The Grammys just announced that they are no longer recognizing Southern Gospel. I guess we’re not making enough noise people!
I just checked the Sirius XM website and learned that starting 5 May 11, Enlighten is actually moving from Channel 67 to Channel 805. Please check for yourself at http://www.sirius.com. I believe that God’s people have triumphed as usual.
Roger – regrettably, 805 is an Internet-only channel. The concern is that it’s going off satellite, which is actually how most people access it.
You just let them fool you and get you off the phone. 805 is internet only NOT RADIO. 805 is the lie that gets you to hang up without being mad (just gullible). God’s people have not even nearly triumphed but they still might if they stop being fooled by their own, Roger.
I am a songwriter, a lifetime musician and a listener. I am also the Coordinator of a Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Workshop. I know I’m going to get some negative feedback over this, but to tell you the truth, only about every 3rd or 4th song on our local SG station was even listenable. Inevitably, it closed it’s doors just recently. I switched stations frequently due to the poor quality of the songs. Only about 20%-30% of the songs are any good and although those are very good, the other 70% range from just OK to terrible. I believe it’s partly the fault of the radio programmers for playing songs that most people just don’t want to listen to. The lyric writing is trite, boring and un-inventive — it seems the philosophy is to just write anything old thing to make a rhyme, and the music is same old, same old. Go ahead — take your shots, but the proof is in the pudding. If you have a great product, people will want to listen to it. SG needs to cull out the average and mundane tunes, skim the cream and only play those songs.
I just sent my email to siriusxm. I pray that they will reconsider pulling this channel from their roster. God bless you!!
I have read most of the comments and see one thing in common..confusion..Where does that come from??
Now the trend is not just for radio it is for more of what those whose light has gone dim. There is a movement to redefine redefine causing groups to conflict. This is not new the great mastermind of evil Hitler along with Stalin chose this path and wrote about it. It is a movement to destroy America this destroying a nation that once was founded for the freedom to worship Him.
If you saw the Royal Wedding even the Priest who gave the homily noted the West and how they have gotten away from the principals of life to Love God and others. The first of which we in America are not doing and fortunateness to those whose agenda is to bring social equality prevail…America wake up! Must God bring us to ruins to make us listen?
HA!!! They kicked Jesus out of everywhere he went, Time for us to be sure our hearts are ready for His return. I don’t know about most of you but my spirit keeps telling me that it’s not much longer until we the BRIDE are going home.
What freedoms are they going to cut from us next? We send soldiers overseas to protect our “freedom” we have in America. Yet, we really don’t have true advocates for us here at home because it’s all political. Worse,yet, we’ve all stopped fighting because we’ve been pounded down to believe we can’t change “the system” which allows this political culture to thrive. I move for the biggest Spiritual Revival we’ve ever seen to come and take hold of all of us(Christians esp) that would curb some of this political garbage . We need to get mad and say that we’re tired of all this political stuff and we’re not going to take it anymore! Any AMENS to that?
I agree we need a revival , one that will travel the country and end in Washington DC on the steps of the Capitol. We have to fight for ourselves to gain our religous freedoms back.
PS Lauren, can we have an update on how your grandpa’s doing, and a possible wedding date for you? Thanks!
Enlighten is the main reason I keep Sirrus/XM. When I’m in my car I listen non-stop. I am disappointed that they’ve chosen to taken this action. I certainly will contact them and let them know how I feel. Thank you Lauren for the alert. I hope all is going well with your engagement and wedding plans. Keep the faith and spread it gently.
We turned of Sirrus/SM. We have no need for them if we can not get Gospel Music. That is the only station we use. Thank you for letting us know what they are doing to us.
That’s horrible! Enlighten is my favorite radio station! I’m gonna call, e-mail, and write. If it weren’t for Enlighten I never would have heard about the Talley Trio let alone the Gaithers. I will pray for it. Thanks for letting us know.
Since the time of test-driving the new GM prototype trucks on the side roads and highways of Canada in 2006, I have listened to my favourite Gospel Music on Enlighten. My co-testdrivers and I have experienced great joy feeling how longdistance trips shrink as a result of the uplifting music, since that time. The undemocratic action of Sirius/XM Radio is deplorable to say the least!
Eric L. (spouse of Darlene)
Praise the Lord ! It’s so wonderful to hear that Sirius/XM Radio has relented and reinstated our favourite “Enlighten” Gospel Music on Channel 18 !!!
Thank you Lauren for being instrumental in launching the protest action that helped turn things around.
Thanks also to Sirius/XM Radio for their change of heart.
Eric and Darlene Leeuwner
Toronto, Canada
I have satellite radio in both cars and on our motorcycle that my husband and I ride. This has really just totally blown me away. We travel a lot and listen exclusively to ENLIGHTEN. I don’t even care for traveling anymore as that is what was a lot of the pleasure, being blessed by Southern Gospel Radio. We would ride our motorcycle and had intercom in our helmets and listen and were blessed by the satellite ENLIGHTEN. I cannot get anything out of the people I call or write except it is going to be on the MESSAGE. Yep, on Sunday morning when I am at church and at 9 pm to midnight Sunday night. We sorry but that doesn’t help me or anyone else I have talked to. We listen to Southern Gospel EXCLUSIVELY. Lets all pray and see what God is going to do in this matter. I promise it will be something great.