WorldSpace has confirmed rumours that it will terminate its radio broadcast services to all Indian subscribers from 31 December 2009. In a statement, WorldSpace Inc, the parent company of WorldSpace India, said,”On December 31, 2009, the WorldSpace satellite radio broadcast service will be terminated for all customers serviced from India.” While this termination is well before the end of its prepaid subscriptions, many subscribers are upset over the fact that they will not receive the service, rather the money that they stand to lose.
In the note posted on its website, the company has said that the main reason for the termination was that the potential buyer of much of WorldSpace’s global assets has decided not to buy the WorldSpace assets relating to - and supporting - its subscription business in India.
When the service was launched in India, the annual subscription offered was around Rs1,800 in 2005. The satellite radio network has around 170,000 subscribers in over 130 countries including India. Moreover, over 95% of the subscribers to the service are from India.
On the refund involved in the services which would be terminated well before the subscription expiry date, WorldSpace stated, “The company recognises that you may have paid for services to be rendered beyond the termination date, but is not in a position to offer a refund for any unused portion of your subscription.”
According to reports, US-based Liberty Media has already bought out WorldSpace’s liabilities from its creditors. Liberty Media holds a 40% stake in Sirius XM Radio, and reports quote chief executives of both the companies as saying that there is a possibility of a joint Sirius XM/Liberty Media global satellite radio venture between the two.
(Source: Moneylife)
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on Dec 25th, 2009 at 23:35
Well this news below now brings me to the end of my WorldSpace journey, my BPL Diva receiver will soon fall silent. I loved the service and was so excited when I first received an out-of-footprint signal in Australia. Here is how I did it: http://www.satdirectory.com/–worldspace.html
Cheers, Mark
on Dec 26th, 2009 at 04:43
TO THE HOLDER OF WORLDSPACE
LIFE IS WORTH WHEN THERE IS MAGIC AND MUSIC
LIFE ITSELF IS MAGIC AND ALONG WITH THIS MAGICAL LIFE WHEN WE CAME ACROSS THIS WORLDSPACE MUSIC IT WAS WORTH FOR US TO KNOW IN THIS WORLDLY SPACE WE HAVE A ICON WORLDSPACE I SAY THIS WORDS AS A PART OF INDIAN FOR INDIA (WE DO AGREE)
THE PRESENT FORM OF KNOWLEDGE, ART, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT WHAT MORE PLEASE PRAY WE GET BACK THIS BACKBONE OF ENLIGHTMENT KNOWLEDGE AND SOUL MUSIC WHICH SHALL ALLOW US TO PLAY THIS LIFE WITH MORE HAPPINESS
LIFE IS WORTH WHEN THERE IS MAGIC AND MUSIC
on Dec 27th, 2009 at 14:54
I am a WS subscriber in India & had renewed the subscription for 2 years just 12 days ago!! Never expected that worldspace will go silent. More than money the fact which matters to me is that I will be losing beautiful music here on Worldspace. I only hope that some-one takes over the Indian operations of WS which will help subscribers of WS to enjoy the awesome music.
on Dec 30th, 2009 at 14:34
WorldSpace has confirmed rumours that it will terminate its radio broadcast services to all Indian subscribers from 31 December 2009. In a statement, WorldSpace Inc, the parent company of WorldSpace India, said,”On December 31, 2009, the WorldSpace satellite radio broadcast service will be terminated for all customers serviced from India.”
Free California Service Listing
on Jan 1st, 2010 at 04:33
Well, staying away from our home town listening our mother tongue songs with digital quality, realaising that I am at home enjoying and thinking enjoying my mom given coffee with closed eys and open ears. truly missing WORLDSPACE RADIO.
on Jan 1st, 2010 at 09:20
I’m shocked! Did you hear that? I hope AIRTEL could buy out this beautiful service for millions of music lovers in India.
on Jan 2nd, 2010 at 14:44
I have been a Worldspace fan since 5 years. And it is really disheartening to know that they are closed. I wish some media company in India buys the company and help us to receive their very good service
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 05:24
It is sad that Worldspace is going off the air in India.
What is the exact reason for the new management of Worldspace to do this ?
Indeed the service (read music) was very good and the enjoyment unparalleled !
Come on, Reliance / Airtel / Sony India …. Think of taking over Worldspace\’s Indian operations. Huge market awaits you !
We are prepared to pay even more for this quality service !!
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 06:44
I CAN SEE THAT AFRISAT FOOTPRINT COVERS ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF INDIA.
CAN WE PAY IN DOLLARS SOMEWHERE AND HOW ?
on Jan 3rd, 2010 at 11:33
Mani - the detailed reasons are given in the above article and previous articles about WorldSpace. But in a word - bankruptcy.
on Jan 4th, 2010 at 07:38
The numbers for Worldspace never added up - they were always the king of hype. To have been around so long and achieved tiny audience figures in some of the most populous countries in the world shows that, for most people, Worldspace was not solving a problem. Having seen Sirius give some rather awful presentations at IBC in Europe in the past, I doubt there are the programming skills to make a success of satellite radio outside the US, where even there the long-term future of satellite radio is far from certain. I think terrestrial radio stations are doing far more interesting things - albeit rather slowly.
on Jan 4th, 2010 at 07:46
i bought airtel digital tv only for ws radio. air channels are never be the real sudstitutes of ws radio. why not airtel itself make use of moksha, shruti,gandharv channels in its own? i believe airtel alone can give life to worldspace listeners
on Jan 4th, 2010 at 19:57
I have 2 WS receivers! one at my workplace and the other at home. I was extremely SHOCKED to hear this. A multinational company like World Space quitting on flimsy reason (Bankruptcy)?? Lakhs of subscribers like me who had faith in your world class service of music are really disappointed. Please give us an alternative or beam your service to us from UAE. I think Indian subscribers will not mind paying a bit more for this gesture !!
on Jan 5th, 2010 at 12:44
Had no idea why I lost my service - thought the electrician unplugged my antenna or something….
How do we regain service from elsewhere? Presumably WS is still broadcasting so where else can we sign up? By the way, the SMS to WS India still responds if you say you want to \
on Jan 5th, 2010 at 12:49
No Chloe, India had 90% of the WorldSpace audience. Indian subscribers were duped into believing that WorldSpace was a successful company. In the rest of the world it had virtually no presence at all. WorldSpace has been struggling for years.
on Jan 6th, 2010 at 09:05
I subscribed to AIRTEL Digital only because it was airing Worldspace Radio channels, especially the Gandharva. Now when I have been served this emotional shock on the eve of new year, I plan to move to other services that promise me uninterrupted flow of Hindustani classical music. Can anyone suggest me the wayout? PLEASE…
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 15:16
i md farooque working in worldspace since 3years but when i heard that there is no worldspace service in india i have tears in my eyes well hope someday again worldspace will launched in india i will serve u with bottom af my hearth