02/11/2016: Premature Death of OutQ
Last night Derek posted a link to rumours of OutQ’s impending demise.
The news was confirmed over night: Advocate News Article.
Also see the following thoughtful pieces from today:
Romaine Patterson on Facebook;
Derek Hartley; Periscope archived on Katch.me;
DNR’s cancellation by OutQ
Update 12/21/2015:
Derek & Romaine present DNR 2.0
DNR’s cancellation by OutQ
Update 06/19/2015:
After taking some time to calm down and contemplate the message behind the message contained in the cancellation of “Derek & Romaine“, I’ve written out my thoughts. I’ve also researched which of the SiriusXM executives listed in earlier sections are still with the company:
- From the company web-site, James E. Meyer became C.E.O. as of 12/18/2012 (shortly after the initial letter);
- According to his bio on LinkedIn, Jeremy Coleman became SVP of ‘The Howard Stern Channels’ as of August 2013;
- Also via LinkedIn, Liz Aiello took over as Vice President, Talk Programming as of February, 2013;
- The web-site still lists Scott Greenstein as President.
DNR’s cancellation by OutQ
Update 06/18/2015:
Late last night Derek Hartley used the new Periscope app to address fans of the D&R Show. Their videos are available for 24 hours, so will be available until late tonight. He said he’d prefer people did not contact individual SiriusXM executives- to contact Customer Care instead. I appreciate his professionalism in the face of being ousted unceremoniously, as one of (if not the only) remaining original OutQ shows. Shades of Married… with Children. He also said that if we, the people do contact anyone at SiriusXM to do so respectfully.
I’ve asked Derek, via Twitter, to let me know if any of the individuals I’ve identified in this post are no longer in the stated office. I will remove anyone that is no longer in the position I’ve listed, but will not remove others as I am a strong believer in our right to share (reasonably respectfully) our individual reactions and concerns as customers of this corporation. I understand someone has created an on-line petition to have the show restored. To be honest I don’t know if either Derek or Romaine would want to return to the company that dumped them; I doubt I would.
06/17/2015: DNR’s cancellation by OutQ
OutQ just cancelled Derek and Romaine.. I am at work so can’t type more… check out Twitter and Facebook.
My initial letter was responded to by Mr Coleman via Jeremy.Coleman@siriusxm.com.
Since that letter, a new contact to address is Liz Aiello, OutQ Program Director:
Liz.Aiello@siriusxm.com. See the 2015 entry above for the latest list of Executives.
09/15/2012
Mel Karmazin, XM CEO: mkarmazin@siriusradio.com
Scott Greenstein, President: Scott.Greenstein@siriusxm.com
Jeremy Coleman, VP: jcoleman@siriusradio.com
derek@derekhartley.com
romaine@eatromaine.com
Greetings;
This email is an attempt to express my disappointment with the recent change in schedule for OutQ channel 108 – “your gay home away from home” (Frank DeCaro).
While most of my concern is with the quality of the new show (Dirty Pop) and the reduction in time and later start time of The Derek and Romaine Show (DnR), I also do not appreciate the casual, uncaring and sloppy way in which the change was foisted upon unsuspecting paying loyal customers.
First, as to the new show. Or rather, a new time and expanded schedule for what is, so far, the same unprofessional show that makes local cable station productions of the ’80s seem Emmy-worthy. A dozen self-absorbed teenagers fighting for attention and sharing insights best reserved for a recreational-chemical-induced experience – “pop culture” at its least enlightened. As much as I love Kathy Griffin’s performances, her short-lived talk show suffered from much the same problem; it was terrible.
As to Lance’s show, the content is more suited to another channel.. perhaps Stars or Cosmo. Oh wait, it’s also on Cosmo.
For the love of gawd please move it there
Or off the air
I really don’t care
No need to share.
The Morning Jolt has better music, great guests, a wonderfully crazy host, and is perfectly suited to its time slot- starts the day off with a bang. The previous incarnation of Lance’s show at least had somewhat of a rational justification for the time; scheduled on Friday night (“having a few drinks with your friends as you’re preparing to go out for the night“).
And since when is DnR marketed as ‘drive time radio’? Oh yes, as a justification for the new, later, start time. From 5pm on the west coast. I guess your experts haven’t caught on that the LA market (while not the entire West Coast any more than NYC is the entire East Coast, it is one of the largest metro markets) drive time really is more like 3-7pm PT. Staggered work hours, extra-long work days, self-employment and numbers of people trying desperately to avoid the peak of rush hours means that few large cities have any real precise Rush Hour anymore. But hey, Marketing had to do something with the project they got.
Also addressing Marketing and the new show’s ‘broad appeal’. The latest generation is much less tied to self-identify as gay or straight and much more open to a fluid sense of self. Much less inclined to avoid content based on sexual orientation (actual or perceived). And that is progress to be applauded. But it does not mean that the concept of ‘gay content’ has disappeared. Anyone who tells you otherwise is leading you astray. Don’t be fooled by the programming changes at Logo-TV; that channel’s decision to ‘expand content’ reflects financial concerns, a different competitive landscape, and short-sightedness.
A deeper discussion about the long-term survival of “gay content” as a viable category is not appropriate here, but is something to be researched if you want to keep OutQ viable. Keep it ‘too gay’ for too long and it becomes stale; surrender to a ‘post-gay world’ too soon and it will indeed ‘jump the shark’.
As to the second issue; I have yet to see any official announcement, as with most listeners I learned about the impending change through last-minute news passed around the Internet. Only after the ‘cat was out of the bag’ did anyone (that is, Derek and Romaine) address the issue. I don’t blame them; I am sure they were under orders not to say anything before hand.
Communications failure at a communications company; did the lessons of the Tylenol® scare really reach no one? Has the expression “get out in front” become strictly a sexual reference? Does the fact that the merged Sirius/ XM have no direct (i.e. satellite radio) competition make it treat its current customers in the style of the once-legendary America On-Line? Will these questions be answered? Do I really care?
Yes, but to quote Torch Song Trilogy (gay reference for a gay channel) “not enough” (more effective, I must admit, in ASL).
Of course I am not going to threaten/promise to cancel my account over this- but I am weighing the value of my Internet subscription. I may not renew. I realize that’s a very small monthly fee, but my displeasure is being expressed much more widely; my on-line presence extends literally from New Brunswick to California and Vancouver to Florida. It is not always true that “any publicity is good publicity” – sometimes disappointed customers really do have an impact. Personal experience is valued over Marketing messages.
Please reconsider running ‘Dirty Poop’ on OutQ.
Brian Gryphon
Columbus, OH
® 2012
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