Thread: Worldspace India going dark?

Worldspace, other than its Indian operation, is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. India’s Hindu Business Line newspaper is reporting that the pay-radio broadcaster “may fold its India operations too”. The paper could not get hold of the India GM at Worldspace (Mr M Sebastian), but sources close to the development say he has already put in his papers, and employees are believed to be in rounds of internal discussions to figure the way out of the quagmire, says the report. We are clue-less, but keeping our fingers crossed,” said a highly placed official to the newspaper. Rapid TV News has additionally received many, many e-mails from employees and in particular ex-employees of Worldspace grumbling about working practices at the India operation, and complaining about alleged non-payment or slow payment of salaries. Worldspace (in Chapter 11) has seen gross revenues of $4.6m this year to Nov 30 ($349,928 in November), but operating expenses and reorganisation costs that were much higher leading to an overall filing loss for its ‘in Chapter 11 period’, to Nov 30, of $52m ($3.5m in November). It currently has $1.08m in unpaid post-petition debts outstanding (which it says will be paid in December). Early this year, Mr Sebastian told Business Line that the company was exploring various possibilities to continue its services worldwide, and as its India operation was not cash-positive though could manage on its own, “we will continue its services in India”. Hiving off its AsiaStar operations into a separate business unit and finding a suitable buyer for that is an option the company was pursuing seriously, he said then. With over 450,000 subscribers (more than 50% through the Airtel DTH pay-TV package), India accounts for over 95% of the broadcaster’s worldwide subscriber base. Liberty Media is in the process of acquiring Worldspace’s Chapter 11 assets. Rapid TV News

Apologies for bumping this thread.

But it was always my opinion that Worldspace was doomed from the start. Why would anyone want to pay for radio?

Worldwide radio earns solely by advertising and sponsored programs. If you start charging for radio, people are likely to stay away. If people stay away, advertisers will thin out and ultimately the venture will collapse.

Sorry j4k, but i too dont coincide with your thoughts about worldspace. It was actually not an economical but a premium service. The quality of service was the best one can get. I have myself heard hours of it in my friends home, as many hundreds of people subscribed to it in our province. I know Uttarakhand does only make very less consumers for any brand like that but it had many subscriber here. There were many lines of music to choose from. Little rich people who could afford took this service.
I also thought like you do, untill i heard myself. I now feel very bad for worldspace going off like that. It was a interesting adventure which failed in the depression and lack of same kind audience.

Originally Posted by gbaban

Just4kix, lemme ask you one primary question?!! Have you yourself used WORLDSPACE ever?!! If so, you wouldn't have made such disturbing/sarcastic comments on the same?!! It is much better, i repeat, much better than any of the FREE FM or for that matter AM channels available in India!!

Originally Posted by mickey

Sorry j4k, but i too dont coincide with your thoughts about worldspace. It was actually not an economical but a premium service. The quality of service was the best one can get. ....

Oh please, both of you! Did I ever say anything about quality? Did I ever compare it with any other FM? For that matter, I can listen to excellent music via internet radio. If Worldspace is so good (and I never disputed the fact), why did it fold up in India? And world-over it is not doing too good. Again, why is that?

I said the subscription model is flawed - and I maintain my views. People do not want to pay for radio.

Yes you are right about the subscription policy, but thats wrong that people wont pay for radio,...

Originally Posted by mickey

Yes you are right about the subscription policy, but thats wrong that people wont pay for radio,...

If you meant that "it is wrong that people do not wish to pay for radio" then that could be debated.

Another problem that I saw with the whole setup is setting up the dish antenna and receiver at home. Nothing wrong per se. But this meant that the receiver would be installed at one place. People like to move around with the radio.