XM Radio to Drop Southern Gospel Station from Satellite and Dish

Special Email from Karen Peck and New River

enLighten Radio Needs Our Help!


Hey Everybody! Let’s all pull together and try to keep “enLighten” on the air. Please email and call your comments to Sirius Radio. (Sirius 67/XM 34) Together we can make a difference. *See the articles below.

I am so passionate about our music and it saddens me to think that this network would drop Southern Gospel Music.

Thank you so much your prayers and support.

Love and Prayers,
Karen

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From southern GOSPEL Blog: http://www.southerngospelblog.com/archives/11262 :
Sirius/XM to discontinue enLighten next Tuesday
Posted by Daniel J. Mount on Apr 27, 2011

Next Tuesday, May 3, Sirius/XM will be removing enLighten from their satellite service and from Dish TV. It will remain, but as an online-only channel. If you are a Sirius/XM subscriber and want to see Southern Gospel still represented, let them know here:
Phone (Sirius): 1-888-539-7474
Phone (XM): 1-800-XM-RADIO or 1-877-291-5304
Email: customercare@siriusxm.com.
Mail: Mr. Scott A. Greenstein; President, Programming; Sirius XM Radio; 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor; New York, NY 10020
Mail: Mr. Mel Karmazin; CEO; Sirius XM Radio; 1221 Avenue of the Americas, 36th Floor; New York, NY 10020
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From: Paul Heil's The Gospel Greats Program [mailto:paul@thegospelgreats.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 9:36 AM
Dear The Gospel Greats Program listener:
Recently you told us you hear our broadcast each week on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. We have been delighted to find out how many people – a steadily-growing number – have been finding our program and listening each week on satellite. Many of you have told me in the past that you subscribed to satellite radio specifically to be able to hear the Southern Gospel "Enlighten" channel while you travel – or even at home.
Unfortunately, we have just learned that Sirius/XM will be discontinuing the Enlighten channel – which carries The Gospel Greats program – effective Tuesday night, May 3rd – at midnight (Eastern) 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.
Marlin Taylor, director of the Enlighten channel, provides this information:
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To reverse this decision requires immediate action by everyone who will be impacted by this action. 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
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 en masse action is necessary. Then, we must step back and see what our Lord is going to do, how He is going to use this "situation."
In any case, please comment on the announcement 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, in fact, do).
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Here is some additional information...
Sirius/XM, on their website, notes that anyone wanting to listen to Christian music can still do so. They have a Contemporary Christian music channel and a Praise & Worship channel. These channels, of course, do not include Southern Gospel music, so they're really missing the point here.