Edition #36: The latest from SiriusXM.
Webby nods, corporate and talent shake-ups, more temp. channels, Easter, sports, and more.
Friday, April 7th, 2023
Hello there once again! Welcome back to another edition of the SeriousXM newsletter. There’s definitely more news this week so let’s get to it but first…
By the way, I received a paid subscription from a dedicated user last week and I’m overjoyed about that! Keep the donations and payments going! It really does help make a tremendous difference. Without further ado, on to this week from around the world of SXM.
The Latest News
SXM has Webby nods up for grabs.
According to The Desk, congrats are in order to SiriusXM as they’re up for six possible Webby Awards, including one for an ad campaign featuring Pandora and five for its SXM Media podcasts, which include LeVar Burton Reads, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, and Welcome to Provincetown, among others.
Other broadcasters nominated include iHeartMedia and Audacy. The winners of the 27th annual Webby Awards will be announced on Tuesday, April 25th, with an in-person celebration and awards show to take place next month. If you’re unaware, The Webby Awards awards the best of what the internet has to offer.
Thomas Barry is the new SXM CFO.
One departs, and another gets promoted.
That’s what happened this week inside SiriusXM as Thomas Barry gets promoted from senior VP and controller to its Chief Financial Officer, effective April 28th. He’s replacing Sean Sullivan who’s decided to step down and leave the company for another job outside the industry.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Barry has been SXM’s Senior VP and controller, and chief accounting officer since 2009. Before that, he used to work for Reader’s Digest, Xeror, and Avon Products.
Two POTUS hosts are switching shifts.
Starting this Monday, April 10th, two hosts of SXM’s all-political channel P.O.T.U.S. (SXM 124) will be switching timeslots. The morning program, The Julie Mason Show, will be moving later to afternoons from 3:00-6:00pm ET (12 Noon-3:00pm PT) while The Laura Coates Show is moving earlier to mornings from 7:00-9:00am ET (4:00-6:00am PT).
A CNN anchor and senior legal analyst, Coates has been hosting her own show since 2017 when it first appeared on SiriusXM Urban View (SXM 126) before moving to P.O.T.U.S. in 2021. For Mason, a former White House reporter for the Houston Chronicle, Washington Examiner, and Politico, she’s been with SiriusXM since 2011.
As always, both shows are available to stream on the SXM app as well for paid streaming subscribers.
What A Week for Macie Banks!
You couldn’t have asked for a better week than for SiriusXM’s The Highway (SXM 56) host Macie Banks.
First, it was announced earlier in the week that she and her husband, XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons player Cameron Nizialek are having a baby girl in the summer! It’ll be their first child together.
But if the news didn’t get any better than that, it did when it was also announced that Macie Banks will take over for Kellie Pickler for her own midday/afternoon show on The Highway. In addition to her morning co-hosting duties on The Storme Warren Show, in which she’ll continue to do, her own show will be on from 12 Noon-4:00pm ET (9:00am-1:00pm PT).
Pickler was only with SiriusXM for a year, having joined in February of last year before leaving while Banks joined SXM in 2021.
New Channels
Once again, more temporary limited-run channels have shown up across the SiriusXM universe.
Linkin Park Radio is one of them.
Another artist or band has their own limited-run channel. This time, its the hit rock band Linkin Park... again. Linkin Park Radio is available now on the SXM app until April 17th and will be heard this entire weekend on SiriusXM Turbo (SXM 41; XL).
This time, its to celebrate Meteora|20 which is the 20th anniversary of their Grammy Award-nominated multi-platinum album Meteora. On this channel, you’ll hear the band members go behind the scenes towards making each and every one of their songs from that album, plus tracks from their other albums, music from rock and hip-hop artists they’ve collaborated and toured with, and much more.
Expect to hear music from…
Disturbed
Rage Against The Machine
Slipknot
Deftones
My Chemical Romance
Nine Inch Nails
System Of A Down
And more, among others.
Mandatory Metallica is back once again!
Here we go again! The boys from Metallica are back on your SiriusXM radio airwaves!
Mandatory Metallica is back on SiriusXM for, yet, another limited run. This time, its to celebrate their upcoming album 72 Seasons which is their 11th studio album and comes out next Friday, April 14th.
This time, it runs now until Wednesday, May 3rd on SXM 105, one of SXM’s limited-run channels for traditional in-car plans, but of course, its also on the SXM app for the streamers as well. It will feature everything you love about Metallica, their ferocious heavy music with remasters, demos, remixes, live concerts, favorite songs from other artists, and much more.
Not only that, there’ll be a simulcast on both Mandatory Metallica and Liquid Metal (SXM 40) from next Friday, April 14th at 3:00am ET (12 Midnight PT) through Sunday, April 16th for the release of their album, 72 Seasons.
There will also be specials running throughout the limited-time run, including…
Metallica members James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo delivering a track-by-track special about the album with commentary and all plus music they grew up listening to.
Archival content on the SXM app related to Metallica, including Top 40 Best Metallica Songs voted by fans, Metallica’s Apollo Theater performance from 2013, original programming curated by Metallica’s band members, and more.
As part of this, every week in the newsletter until May, I’ll bring you a program note regarding Mandatory Metallica.
First off, SiriusXM host Shannon Gunz interviewed one of the band members, drummer, and co-founder Lars Ulrich. Its been playing all week with one more chance to hear it today at 2:00pm ET (11:00am PT). Also, co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter James Hetfield will be guest DJing this week. It will be heard on the following…
Today, Friday, April 7th at 12 Noon ET (9:00am PT)
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 8th at 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT)
Sunday, April 9th at 3:00pm ET (12 Noon PT)
Monday, April 10th at 9:00am ET (6:00am PT)
Tuesday, April 11th at 6:00pm ET (3:00pm PT)
Wednesday, April 12th at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT)
Thursday, April 13th at 12 Noon ET (9:00am PT)
Events
Time to get to this week’s events which are kicked off with Easter weekend.
Easter Weekend across SiriusXM.
Easter is here as we turn the page to spring and SiriusXM has special programming to celebrate the day.
The Catholic Channel (SXM 129) will have Holy Week and Easter services from across the country plus in Rome, Italy.
Today, Friday, April 7th - Good Friday
12:00 and 9:00pm ET (9:00am and 6:00pm PT) - Meditations on The Seven Last Words from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
3:30pm ET (12:30pm PT) - Solemn Liturgy of The Lord’s Passion from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 8th - Holy Saturday
12:30am ET (9:30pm PT) - Replay of the Solemn Liturgy.
8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) - Easter Vigil Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan (who, btw, is also a host on SiriusXM with The Catholic Channel)
Sunday, April 9th - Easter Sunday
3:54, 7:00am, and 5:00pm ET (12:54, 4:00am, and 2:00pm PT) - Easter Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, celebrated by His Holiness Pope Francis.
10:15am ET (7:15am PT) - Easter Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
1:00 and 9:00pm ET (10:00am and 6:00pm PT) - Easter Sunday Mass from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, celebrated by Archbishop Jose Gomez.
3:00pm ET (12 Noon PT) - Easter Sunday Mass from the Basilica of The Nation Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., celebrated by Cardinal Wilton Gregory.
SiriusXM will also be LIVE in Houston, thanks to Joel Osteen Radio (SXM 128), and being LIVE from Lakewood Church with Joel and his wife Victoria for Good Friday and Easter Sunday services.
Today, Friday, April 7th at 8:30pm ET (5:30pm PT)
Sunday, April 9th at 9:30am, 12 Noon, and 3:00pm ET (6:30, 9:00am, and 12 Noon PT)
The Billy Graham Channel (SXM 460) will also feature Easter programming and has been on all week long until April 9th.
CNN Originals (SXM 121) will also have a marathon on Easter Sunday itself from 7:00am-7:00pm ET (4:00am-4:00pm PT) that’ll focus on topics devoted to religion, the Pope, and Jesus.
Finally, Radio Classics (SXM 148) will have two different two-hour specials to make the occasion featuring Easter Comedy and Religious Easter. It will air on Sunday, April 9th at 10:00am and 8:00pm ET (7:00am and 5:00pm PT).
All of this does not include programming and music that may be heard this weekend on Christian-related channels The Message (SXM 63), Kirk Franklin’s Praise (SXM 64), and enLighten (SXM 65).
Eric Church’s Caught in the Act anniversary.
Its been 10 years since Country music star Eric Church released his album Caught in the Act. He celebrated it in a live show in Chattanooga.
SiriusXM has released a special of that in full plus behind-the-scenes content and more on the online-only channel Eric Church Outsiders Radio (SXM 740). It has already aired on Wednesday, but you got three more chances to do so…
Today, Friday, April 7th at 8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT)
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 8th at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT)
Sunday, April 9th at 12 Noon ET (9:00am PT)
Timothy B. Schmit is guest DJing as well!
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Timothy B. Schmit is currently touring with The Eagles but took just enough time out of his busy schedule to Guest DJ for Classic Rewind (SXM 25).
He’ll share music from artists he’s recorded with and catch us up on his newest release, Day By Day. The special actually doesn’t premiere until next Thursday, April 13th at 5:00pm ET (2:00pm PT). Other rebroadcasts will be…
Next Thursday, April 13th at 9:00pm ET (6:00pm PT).
Next Friday, April 14th at 2:00pm ET (11:00am PT).
Next Saturday, April 15th at 9:00am and 8:00pm ET (6:00am and 5:00pm PT).
Next Sunday, April 16th at 12 Noon ET (9:00am PT).
Sports
Sports time now. The college basketball season is over so congrats to UConn on another National Championship, their fifth one since 1999 and one of the most dominant tournament runs ever (especially since they won every tourney game by double digits).
Also, speaking of basketball, this weekend is the final weekend of the NBA regular season so tune in to SiriusXM NBA Radio (SXM 86) to listen to all the action in the final weekend to see who gets in the playoffs, who gets into the play-in tournament and who gets out of the playoffs completely.
Now its time to focus on other events.
⛳: The Masters is here.
One of the biggest sporting events on the calendar, and certainly the biggest golf event of the year, The Masters, from Augusta National, is finally here. SiriusXM doesn’t miss this event for a second.
All coverage is heard on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio (SXM 92). Since I mentioned it all last week in the newsletter, and I’m not going to be doing this list again twice, check out last week’s edition for more details.
🏎️: NASCAR is in Bristol this weekend.
If golf is not your thing, then maybe its auto racing. NASCAR this week is in Bristol, Tenn., and of course, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (SXM 90) has it all.
Saturday, April 8th
8:00pm ET (5:00pm PT) - NASCAR Craftsman Series: Pinty’s Dirt Race
Sunday, April 9th
7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) - NASCAR Cup Series: Food City Dirt Race
This week’s Driver2Driver channels (all online only)…
Joey Logano #22 - SXM 980.
Kyle Busch #8 - SXM 981.
Tyler Reddick #45 - SXM 982.
That’s it for me with this newsletter for the week.
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