The Sirius XM iPhone app is currently getting slaughtered in the reviews department thanks to the lack of Howard Stern channels. Of the nearly 24,000 reviews, over 16,700 of them are just a single star rating. Sirius XM has remained tight-lipped on the issue, but Stern himself had something to say, albeit very little.
According to CNet, Stern fielded a call from a fan on Monday who brought up the iPhone app issue, and Stern actually chose to discuss the matter:
“It was a rights thing, a contractual-rights thing,” Stern told listeners. “It was a rights issue and a whole entanglement thing. So, we’re not on it. Maybe one day, we will be.”
Stern sidekick Artie Lange chimed in, saying, “Apple shouldn’t profit off Howard Stern.” After trying to find the words to answer Lange, Stern responded with a simple, “Yeah, that’s it.”
Lange’s comment is extremely puzzling since the Sirius XM iPhone app is available in the App Store free of charge, so there really is no way that Apple could profit off of Stern. That is, unless of course, Lange believes that Stern could help Apple sell even more iPhones and iPod touches, but it is very unlikely that that is where Lange was going with that comment, so let’s just disregard it.
Since Stern didn’t elaborate on what he meant by “rights issues,” we are left guessing. It is very possible that Stern does have an existing contract with some other company that would conflict with his inclusion in the iPhone app, and it is also possible that Stern is just being greedy.
It would be nice if someone would just let us in on the secret, but it is never that easy, is it? Because of the silence we are left guessing, so let’s hear what you have to say about the matter.
The omission makes no sense. Sirius XM already offers hand-held radios (and has done so, for years.) The iPhone app is free, which means Apple does not profit from the app — other than this being one app of 50,000 that make the iPhone a more useful device. The money all goes to Sirius XM. So, the iPhone app simply enables the iPhone to do what Sirius XM’s hand-held devices already do. (In fact, the handheld devices may even do more. I think one of them possibly records shows for later playback on the device.)
You’re correct when you say that Artie didn’t (and doesn’t) understand how the iPhone works. In fact, none of them on the show understand it — except perhaps Richard and Ralph, because they have iPhones. The rest of them regularly make off-hand comments (like the one Artie made) that don’t apply to the iPhone, because they don’t “get” it. The comments typically aren’t mean-spirited; they’re simply rooted in ignorance. (For example, they don’t seem to understand that iPhones are regularly updated with new features via software updates. No one explains these things, and they go off on tangents, based upon misinformation.)
I have familiarity with high-level artist contracts. I suspect there’s language in Howard’s contract that specified (and therefore limited) the types of devices that would carry his program. Remember — when Howard’s contract went into effect (in late 2005), the iPhone didn’t exist. So, although the iPhone app does *not* do anything different (doesn’t allow the user to *record* the show, for example — unless I’m mistaken), the simple fact that it wasn’t mentioned in Howard’s contract is probably a sticking point. Even though he probably realizes (now, after consulting with attorneys) that Apple is *not* profiting off of the iPhone app, he does realize that the iPhone is wildly successful. So, he’s probably looking for some way to monetize this new deployment. He probably wants a share of the $2.99, because the iPhone wasn’t mentioned in his original agreement.
Greed from howard stern? no way
He’s a has been, and clearly doesnt care about his fans. Needs to buy more houses in the hamptons
he isnt on the app because his greedy contract didnt allow it. Plain and simple.
I agree it’s probably in his contrAct that he can only be broadcasted on Sirius/xm official devices and didn’t forsee applications on other devices even being a possible.
Lol sorry about spelling I’m on a 3g s and the keyboard hasn’t learned to be too smart yet.
he’s so full of shit. he tries to act like he’s this down to earth guy but in reality he is just as money/power hungry as everyone else in the industry. oh and artie lange is a HEROIN addict, disregard anything he says. he obviously has no idea what he is talking about.
Eh, if Howards Stern died I really wouldn’t care…so this doesn’t bother me in the least.