AUBURN – Ron Gauthier wants Howard Stern for Christmas.
So, it turns out, do lots and lots of other local guys.
After the controversial Stern made his flamboyant exit off terrestrial radio last week, the countdown started to his new show on Sirius, making satellite radio one hot Christmas gift.
“They’re flying off the shelves,” said Michael Ferris, assistant manager at RadioShack in the Auburn Mall. “Lots of husbands buying for wives, more wives buying for husbands. They’re breaking down and letting their husbands listen to Howard.”
Wal-Mart Supercenter temporarily sold out of Sirius systems Monday. “It’s been so popular,” said Assistant Manager Jared Avery.
Wal-Mart also carries XM Satellite Radio, Sirius’ bigger rival.
Each service has its selling points – Stern vs. Bob Dylan, National Football League vs. Major League Baseball – and scads of overlap, with commercial-free music, comedy, sports and talk-radio channels.
Receiver kits, which start at $30 or so, can be mounted in vehicles or kept portable to go from office to home to car.
XM and Sirius have been selling almost equally well at Radio City where satellite radios are second only to remote car starters in popularity among Christmas shoppers.
“It started out, a lot of people said, No, I’m not going to pay for radio,'” said Brian Hodgman at Radio City on Center Street, also in Auburn. Attitudes have clearly softened. The two systems have millions of customers.
Hodgman bought a Sirius radio for his truck after getting tired of morning DJ banter taking up most of his Sabattus to Auburn commute. He figures the $12.95 monthly subscription fee is reasonable, a little less than it would cost to buy a new CD every month.
“I wouldn’t go back,” said Larry Strout of Monmouth. He got Sirius in April after his parents, who are in their 70s, fell in love with it. They’re into Roadhouse, an old-time country channel. He prefers Underground Garage, a mix of old and new less-played tunes.
“If you can’t find a station that you like at XM or Sirius, then there’s no pleasing you,” Strout said.
Gauthier of Greene said he’s checked every package under his family’s Christmas tree and none, so far, look like the right shape for a satellite box.
With five days still to go, he’s holding out hope.
“I’ve got it on my Christmas wish list. I’ve got five kids, so I should have a fighting chance at it,” Gauthier said.
He’s listened to Stern off and on for 20 years. On good-weather days, he used to catch the raunchy morning show on an AM station out of New York.
Stern’s been on the air in Maine since April 2004 with the launch of the new Bone 106.7 FM. It drew great ratings, according to the station, scoring second in the Portland market among 18- to 34-year-old men.
Gauthier, who said he was peeved by the Federal Communications Commission’s censorship of Stern, enjoys listening to the host talk about politics and news and hearing him interview famous people.
“I think he gets people’s panties (in) a bunch, so to speak,” Gauthier said. “Underneath that potty mouth and oversexed mind, there’s a very intelligent man there. I’ll be listening to that first show (on FCC-free Sirius) one way or the other. I just want to see what he’ll do. If it’s all just swearing and sex, even as a man that can only hold your interest for so long.”
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