Worldspace US filed for bankruptcy in October 2008 and December 31, 2009 is when their Indian arm will go mute, i.e. will cease to exist from January 1st.
The company, in a letter to subscribers have announced the latest developments and subscribers who have paid for services beyond December 31st stand to lose their money.
“On December 31, 2009, the WorldSpace satellite radio broadcast service will be terminated for all customers serviced from India.
This action is an outgrowth of the financial difficulties facing WorldSpace India’s parent company, WorldSpace, Inc., which has been under bankruptcy protection since October 2008. The potential buyer of much of WorldSpace’s global assets has decided not to buy the WorldSpace assets relating to and supporting WorldSpace’s subscription business in India. As a consequence, WorldSpace, Inc. must discontinue its subscriber business in India. Your subscription contract is with WorldSpace, Inc., a US company that is in a bankruptcy proceeding in the United States. The company recognizes 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.
You may have a potential remedy under the U.S. bankruptcy law. You may file a claim under the claims procedure that is intended to protect creditors of the bankrupt company. Sometime early next year, a claim servicing company will send notice to all creditors listed by the company..- source‘
Worldspace Radio - Who killed the DJ?
Launched in 2001, Worldspace India has 35 channels and caters to 4.5 lakh subscribers (majority from Airtel DTH partnership) and contributed 95% to it’s worldwide subscriber base. In hindsight, one can come up with multiple reasons for Worldspace’s failure (great product, bad messaging as it was considered a costly product), what’s really important to note is the debate over niche vs. mass content.
Also, Worldspace catered to niche audience and the hypothesis that niche audience pays premium for niche content may not stand true (lackluster state of English-music-only FM stations is an example, as they fail to attract advertisers).
So things will move back to the normal with listeners flocking to FM stations playing same old ‘hot’ tracks in between the ads.
While Worldspace had technology limitations, I am sure a lot of us will miss the service and the debate of niche content vs. mass content will continue.
What’s your take on subscription content, especially for radio? If you are a worldspace fan, would you pay extra++ for the service (hypothetically speaking)?
Also see: How Local should FM Channels be?, an earlier report that mentions market share captured by pure play Kannada FM stations in a city which has become a hotbed of multiple cultures and languages, i.e. Bangalore.
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It was a cruel mail to see. I loved the concept of turning on one switch and listening to all the music I love legally and high quality, without advertisements. FM channels suck big time. Its back to Last.FM now.
I feel cheated. Its probably naive of me that I did not know it was in bankruptcy. They offered some discount (which I care less about than having to resubscribe every six months) and made me subscribe till Oct 2010. Did they not know that they are going to terminate services in India before that? How mean?
Coming to the quality of content, it was good, though not as good as I had expected. There were no Ads, alright. But, they played ‘self-jingle’ all the time thus eating quality air time. Also their collection was not that impressive. Another unfriendly thing that they did was to reset the password every now and then requiring me to re-enter it painfully. Makes no sense really.
My subscription was valid till August 2010… I feel cheated!!! It is a real shame!!!
My subscription ends in March 2010. They DID NOT even bothered to email me about their IMMEDIATE decision. I was NEVER quite impressed by their services (especially the quality and quantity of contents), however did like few of their channels. Neverthless, they have certainly CHEATED their subscribers in India, we can not even use the equipment, any more. It was a shame that I subscribed for 2 years and could never really listen much due to their quality issues. Atleast I would not have the option anymore now. RIP Worldspace!
Hi,
I am looking to buy World Space(Working Condition) for Rs.150/- Location:Chennai. If interested please contact 99400 54273.
Regards,
Ranga.
Worldspace was such a great product for true music lovers, who didnt care for ads, mindless chatter and banal jokes between songs, and songs to mean the same bollywood hits ad nauseum. Sad to see this model not working out. My subscription ends in Dec 2009, was just thinking of renewing when I saw this.
Will definitely miss the Carnatic/Hindustani and old Hindi music channels.
I agree that they hardly did much to sell it , not to mention the bad customer care. I am not even sure why the Worldspace on car radio model was not tried out in India. That would definitely have helped sales as well. Anyways, adieu, Worldspace!
Hi
I am looking to buy World Space Radio at Rs.150/-. If you are interested in selling please let me know.
Regards,
Ranga
99400 54273.
hi,
do u mean, you will buy te equipment for Rs.150/-?
my contact no 9884001721
I am deeply hurt. After waiting since its inception, for it to settle down and LAST the test of time without advertisements,I finally went in for it on October 29th,2009,with a two yr subscription pack, after weeks of phone/e-mail discussions with Bangalore for the right receiver (the choices being very limited and city specific), and thereafter being pursued relentlessly by their sales staff from both Delhi and Banaglore day and night to purchase a package.
I spent altogether Rs 9000/-on 29-12-09, only to read in the TOI a day back that it was going off air for India on 31-12-09!
It feels very dishonest,mean and heartless. They must have known, surely?
Do all of the World’s Spaces now stand only on deceit and cheating?
The hurt is not only on losing music of my own kind after waiting for so many years,but more because the whole thing reeks of regress not progress. No feeling,no consideration,no bindings at all. Only a profit chart.
Of people’s failing with profit charts.If this is what the US has come to then I find its ‘developement’ and first world status quite worthless.THE COMPANY SEEMS QUITE CLEARLY TO HAVE CHEATED ME.The receiver is rendered useless since there exists no other satellite radio in the country. So whaere do I go with my wasted, hard earned money?
Unhappily,
Aruna Bhowmick
New Delhi.
Dear All,
I am a Radio Sai lover. I would like to buy one set now again for my listening Radio Sai Global alone, at Chennai, India.
I understand that all the channels other than Radio Sai Global is not functioning in India.
Any one in Chennai not utilising the Satellite Receiver can contact me and I shall be too glad to accept the same in Chennai for a reasonable price (stop loss).
My contact details :
mrfsuresh@rediffmail.com
Cell : 98401 18200.
Seriously, the product from Worldspace was excellent. While other ad based fm channels have survived in the face of competition, but it is more so because of financial support from tradiotional businesses.
None of the FM businesses is making any money per se, and a lot of fudging happens on their balance sheets.
I am surely gonna miss WorldSpace…. Stations were too good and collections of bollywood songs after 11 PM were amazing….
It was a wonderful product. Great music, knowledgeable RJ’s passionate about what they were playing…..I will truly miss it. Gandharv and Farishta were an integral part of my day. I had a subscription paid upto Dec 2011. The lost money is not what hurts, I will really miss the music.
Its another sad example of how complete focus on the bottom line erodes quality from our lives.
I had been living with it for past six years. And mourning, now that is dead. http://arvindtm.com/2009/12/heart-breaking-story.html
Hi,
If you are interested in selling your working condition world Space, please contact 99400 54273.
Regards,
Ranga
Hi Ranga,
Noted 99400 54273. Want to know why so interested in buying the Wld space, when its bankrupt. Just curious. Let me know.
Tks
Manna
Dear Manna,
All I wanted is only one channel,Radio Sai Global Harmony, which is still available.
Regards,
Ranga.
Dear Manna,
All I wanted is Sai Global Harmony channel, which is still available.
Regards,
Ranga
WS was indeed a good product & was a campanion to me. It was a delight for music lovers & there were no ads, no-nonsense RJs….pure music. I renewed my subscription on 16th Dec 09 for 2 years & the total validity was upto July 2012!!!! Didn’t expect it to go silent this way. I was aware about its bankruptcy in 2008 itself, but trust was re-enforced when Airtel started WS though just 10 channels on it’s DTH.
The good news for WS listeners remain that 4-5 Indian companies are interested in buying it & maybe Sirus XM & Liberty Group will restart India operations early next year under a different brand name. Let’s hope the satellite radio doesn’t dies here.
Hey Parimal, I really hope you are right about the fact that there are some corporate entities interested in taking it over….
it would be a pity if WS were to just die this sudden death…
Raj, saw this news yesterday on UTV-Bloomberg. Some additional info is here too:-
“Sources pointed out that the new owner of the satellite radio platform may restart the India operation, perhaps with a new brand name. “They would return if the system allows them. After all, they have retained the satellites, technology and the associated assets,” a source argued.”
For more, read here:-
http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_satellite-radio-policy-to-be-shelved_1327588
Thanks Parimal, lets hope a miracle happens.
There are thousands like us who were really
addicted to WS, Any one who takes it over will find a loyal customer base ready to pay for what was unquestionably a high quality product, compared to the junky FM channels.
Hi Parimal!
Anything on the restart of WS? The link on the satellite radio policy seems pretty bleak.They’re saying the instrument/equipment/receiver, in addition to the subscription, will all go a waste.
While the loss of music is a GREAT loss, it seems SMALL compare to the loss of faith, and being duped without any possibility of redress!
WS is indeed beginning to feel like the DEVIL in the garb of an angel, and I dont like that.
So, as the article reads, we are not really looking at WS at all any more, but some kind of a substitute for similar music?
AB.
Sorry if I had hurt your feelings. I am looking to by Ws for RS. 150/-.
Parimal,my dear, I DO hope U r right, and that someone comes along to pick up the threads and resume the WS India operations!U’ve just made the New Year a wee bit hopeful.Otherwise, every time I looked at the radio I thought, when we leave home in the evening on the 31st it’ll still be playing. But by the time we come home, past midnight, it’d have fallen silent.And it made me infinitely sad.But surprisingly, when I said this to my daughter this evening,she said the same thing,”It wont go,see!A little voice inside me says it’ll play on!”
I so hope it does, and it becomes a Happy New Year, after all!I really had waited for it for long years before spending on it.
Amen. My friends said the same; that it will continue to play & personally I remain very, very hopeful about the same. Serious discussions are going on in boardrooms, but nothing is in open coz even Liberty group is confused whether to retai India operations or sell it to someone else. Let me assure you all one thing:- From my info, first hand, few big shot companies are indeed interested in WS though everything is kept under wraps for now. So, please keep WS receiver safe.
Happy New Year & Happy Listening!!
My receiver isnt going anywhere…I’ll be waiting…Aruna, I hope your daughter is right…and parimal, pl keep us posted if you hear anything
Now isn’t that WONDERFUL! Parimal dear, I dont know who U r , except that U’re Parimal, but U sure keep making the New Year feel better by the moments!.Thank God for Internet & e-mail.
Hello again,
Simply look at the following link & read the comments below. You will feel even better!!
http://moneylife.in/article/8/2977.html
I was enjoying the carnatic Music for 24 hrs. I truely miss everthing. I do not know what is the substitute equvelent to Worldspace. I do’nt mind even giving more on their subscribtions if they re start once again
With 90% of their entire customer base coming from India, how cold they let us down like this? Or are they just playing games —haggling with the prospective buyer, if any making us suffer in the process?
Can’t we mount a joint front and seek redress?Whatever they are doing in their boardrooms, cant they keep the music playing?
What are the monetary implications,anyway?
Honestly,between 29th october and now, it was like a visit from the heavens,sweeping me off my feet, and then GONE!The rest of you at least have enjoyed it for much longer than me.I only just tasted it for eight weeks.I dont seem to be able to get over it.It was my New Year gift to myself and the family.
They had a great data-base of Hindi oldies, and wonderful hindustani classical on Gandharv. Often, one got to hear the promising new classical artists first on this channel. Two of their RJ’s on Farishta, Seetal and Rakesh did a wonderful series called Countdown, where they went thru the best songs of all years from 1949 to 69, one year every week for 21 weeks. I cant imagine all that great stuff being junked.
If there is a Santa out there, in the form of a corporate entity, pl consider taking over this wonderful product….you will have a loyal customer base waiting to welcome the music that really enriched our daily life…
As the world space service is terminated for India users from 31 Dec 2009, I could get Sai Radio(SGH) being broadcasted.
Is it possible to provide similar service for Radio Art Of Living(even with subscription fee). We really miss these channels.
i have been s die hard fan of worldspace since 5 years. it was disheartening when i read in Deccan Herald about the service being closed. my fears were confirmed when on 31st dec,09 morning when i switched on the receiver. it was like have lost something very close to our hearts. i wish that the prayers of all of us be answered by some media company buying the service and continue offering the same to us
This is the downside of CORPORATE overtunes… when without a flutter an EXCELLENT SERVICE in the MUSIC WORLD gets it’s \plug pulled out!!!!!
I think there are a number of BIG CORPORATES IN INDIA who can take this over an continue with the YEOMAN service this channel used to provide….
Looking ofrward for the same to be up in air very very soon……
Cheers
Really miss WS. Lousy way to start 2010.
Is there someone who can moot the idea to Reliance or Bharti to buyout WS India and restart this lifeline.
Cant we ask the Tata Group to come to the rescue of us WS listeners by buying up the India rights?
Anyone know how to reach Mr Ratan Tata?
Really miss the service of WS some company should take and restart the WS radio I think there must be thousands of customer who miss.Pleasedo something
I was a fan of WS Sruthi and we did not want to subscribe for a cable or dish TV for that simple reason that it will eat away our listening time to WS. The reason we feel we are cheated is because of the way it closed down. WS could have been ethical and honest (though it cannot refund our unused subscription money) to keep their listeners informed. Instead, I received a text message from WS on Dec 23 trying to sell BPL radio for Rs. 2000/- only, offer valid for just 2 days, for being a valuable customer of WS. This is unethical of WS – trying to collect as much money as possible before winding up.
They did the same to me, pursuing me relentlessly to buy, as recently as Post Diwali. When I queried about the non-availability of all models in all cities, and whether either the service or the models were dying out,they were emhatic in their denial of any brewing trouble.
I believe WS was morally bound to advise their sales personnel at EVERY level of customer interaction.
They have so rudely left us high and dry.
Please let us not give up on WS.
AB.
being one of the first subs in Bangalore, i am simply blown away that WS is dead. i even owned two receivers, always playing in different parts of my home. I cant even begin to say how saddened i am by this. still , some of your comments alight a hope that it may be back someday even if in a new avatar and fresh subscription charges.
Lets hope the rats are not truly bilge rats ….
Alas….
Hi
I am interested to buy World Space Radio for Rs.150/- in working condition (Unit, Remote, Satellite Receiver, Speakers). If interested please contact: Rangarajan V 99400 54273.
I called up one of the authorized service centers of WorldSpace to know what is next. He diverted me to their US website, http://www.worldspace.com and there is a special announcement for all the Indian subscribers.
From what I could understand, the potential buyer of WorldSpace gave up at the last moment and hence World Space was not prepared until recently. To claim a refund, they have given the procedure to provide all our details to one Mr. Rakesh Raghavan of WorldSpace in Maryland, USA to help the claim processing company identify its creditors.
Its not about just the money. The equipmnt is rendered useless,too. And mine is only 9 weeks old!
WE WANT THE MUSIC BACK.
Hi
I can buy World Space for Rs.150/- Location- Chennai. If interested please contact.
Regards,
Ranga
99400 54273
Most of you keep cribbing about the lost subscription amount. Who the hell is interested in getting the money back? I just want the music! I was hooked to alternative rock and now I am going cold turkey. Will someone out there get the music back on air please?
Ratan (Tata), Mukesh/ Anil (Ambani), you listening?
cheater company
So it looks like people liked WorldSpace radio’s content. But their technology was too expensive and could have never worked out. Could a FM channel pick up their content and do well?
I spoke with my friend who is using WS for more than 4 years & he informed that there are some companies who are interested in picking up the operations of Ws here in India. However, the drawback is that there exists a possibilty that existing receivers may be rendered useless.
Hi
If you are interested in selling World Space, I would be interested at Rs.150/-. Please let me know.
Regards,
Ranga
99400 54273
Dear Parimal,
Thank You for your response.
I,for one, would like to be able to use my receiver, because it was only 9 weeks old when WS died out on me.
But let us keep trying, writing,expressing our interest in the music that WS was providing.
Without it, there is no alternate radio channel with similar style and content.And FMs are no comparison. So I personally am WITHOUT any radio at all.
But the bottom line also remains that with nothing, from finance to instrument to back them up, WHY was WS continuing to sell subscriptions,and indirectly, instruments, to new customers? As the sole provider of satellite radio instruments specific to WS, didn’t even BPL have any inkling of what was coming on?
This is DUPING par excellence, as excellent as the music they were providing.Believe me, that too, hurts.
Truly, as someone has said, “what a lousy start to the New Year!”
Sadly,
Arna Bhowmick
Hello friends,
Just an update about WS. People have started signature campaigns as well as groups on facebook. For more, please read the following news article here:-
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/worldspace-rip/382836/
Btw, I was listening to the signature tune of WS which I have downloaded & really felt as if WS came alive, though virtually!!
Hello,
I miss WS a lot!! I only wish it is resumed at the ealiest.
it was a moral duty to inform all their customers..
Shame on them!!
To all of you WS supporters, please go to http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/WorldSpaceIndAfrica
A petition has been started by Neena Dayal(one of the founders of the
Facebook Group to keep WS alive). Please sign it, and get your friends to do so too.
And those of you who have not joined the Facebook group (keep WorldSpace India and Africa Alive”, please do so and add your voice to the ongoing efforts….
I am soo bowered i loved Worldspace all time i brought my set 12 years back i did not stopped listening to it.
This is very said news that World space is no more. However, i heard they me back. Not sure when ..
I have paid my subscription in advance for 2 year, how do i get that back can someone let me know.
9845056967
Ruben
Claims can be made. You can find the details from the World Space web site. Better late than never. Please do it.
Regards,
Ranga
99400 54273.
We want WS back for all AOL Radio Lovers & WS fans.
I had also paid 3years subscription in advance upto Sept’2011.I want WS back as early as possible.
One of my friend told me recently that he got a call from WS in Dec 09 for renewal purpose even when he read the news about WS to go silent in news!! I fail to understand why WS did this at first place? That’s really unethical. Anyways, I hope some sat radio comes back, even if it is under new name. India was WS profitable biz & hence I don’t think that anyone can avoid this. The revenue was about US$ 7mn/annum, good for sat radio in market like India.
Btw, Neena Dayal did good thing by having petition, but as I don’t understand why the target was kept 10L when there are just 4.5L subscribers here, of which people having WS receivers are about a lakh only, while rest are Airtel digital ones.
Hi Parimal,
Good that you raised this question about the target kept at 10L. Actually, I wished that many other people should also join in and raise their voices, apart from the existing subscribers from India and Africa.
We humans try to be sensible, but the sad truth is that we all slip into utopia from time to time. The response to this petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/WorldSpaceIndAfrica
is enough evidence of my folly.
1. See, the way I was roped into buying WS+Receiver,felt just the same as u say. That’s why it hurt more. We trusted it, loved it, and they cheated us! It cud have happened ANY TIME,keeping in view that WS is an American company, and as it appears now, we were completely unprotected as their customers. Who allowed such a company to operate within the country to begin with? Shudnt we approach the Telecom Regulatory Authority about this? It cant,after all, be such a free for all!!
2.Even I wondered about who shud sign a petition like this one, till some one said the subscription is under one name but may have many listeners,e.g.Family/colleagues/friends & so on. They may all be considered WS lovers.So that way the 10L target may well feel justified.
DO YOU THNK WE WILL ACHIEVE SOMETHING @THE END OF ALL OUR EFFORTS?
2.You know, I hade wondered, too. But as someone said, in a family/organisation, the subscription is under one name, but the listeners are many—like family members/colleagues/staff..etc. may be that’s why?
We should definitely try to sue them. They have done it all WRONG by CHEATING their customers and not informing them of their decisions, they can not leave us without informing us and giving us proper notice and refund. As I understand, even when their parent company struggles, their business in India was quite healthy. Hence I could only see one reason behind such sudden pull – TO EXTRACT AS MUCH SUBSCRIPTION MONEY WHILE SUDDENLY DENYING SERVICE FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR FINANCIAL HEALTH. WHY DIDN’T THEY RETURN MONEY FOR OUR INVESTMENT BEFORE CLOSING BUSINESS IN INDIA WHEN THEIR FINANCES WERE QUITE HEALTHY HERE? WHY SHOULD THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT TOLERATE SUCH ACT OF MASS CHEATING?
And now their official website is not working either, though the mother company is doing good.
http://www.worldspace.in/
This is working though:-
http://www.1worldspace.com/
So what do you suggest, should we approach the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India?
Will it help?
As I see it, apart from being an issue of good music, it is ABOVE ALL also a MORAL ISSUE? No?
Yes, certainly. They have very few things to prove their point except for a hollow promise to return our money (not sure if it will ever reach us).
Well, no point in complaining to TRAI as Govt of India still doesn’t have a sat radio policy & hence in no way TRAI can do something in this regard as sat radio is out of it’s purview. Therefore, you need to follow up through US attorneys to take this case forward.
What US attorneys? How & where does one source/access an US attorney to take up this case, assuming that we take the matter up collectively?
AB.
What do you mean, “buy WorldSpace for Rs 150, Location Chennai? I dont understand. Do pl explain.
Maybe he wants to buy WS receiver for INR 150/- & he stays at Chennai. Anyways, I am not going to sell it.
Sorry if I had hurt your feelings. I am interested in buying if your want to sell.
Hey, no need to feel sorry. I am not at all hurt. So, let me put it this way:-
Due to some special affection with WS receiver, I am unwilling to sell it!!
Btw, if you don’t mind, can you please share the reason for buying the WS receiver even when you know that the WS service no longer exists & if at all you are going to tweak it, let us know how to do that as well.
Hello Aruna,
Have you registered yourself at their website? If not, kindly find the details below.
http://www.worldspace.com/index_wsmsg.html
What, if I may know, is “tweaking”?
AB.
Tweaking means either Fine Tuning or manipulating the default settings (mostly by using unauthorised methods).
Tweaking fine tuning for better performance in this context.