'Carmageddon' Gets its Own Radio Channel

Perhaps for lack of sufficient hype surrounding the planned temporary closure of a 10-mile stretch of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, Sirius XM Radio has announced the creation of “Carmageddon Radio.”

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“Carmageddon” is what the media has dubbed the closure scheduled for the weekend of July 16-17, allegedly because it could cause end-of-times style traffic jams in Los Angeles.

Or not.

Sirius XM will broadcast Carmageddon Radio for 55 hours – two hours longer than the freeway is scheduled to be closed – beginning at 10 p.m. Friday, July 15.

The satellite radio service has designated Channel 140 as Carmageddon Radio during the time frame. Makes sense, since Channel 140 typically broadcasts weather and traffic information for the L.A. area, anyways.

Nevertheless, Sirius XM probably saw an easy marketing opportunity to latch on to given the attention the planned closure of the 405 has received.

“Carmageddon Radio will keep drivers informed about delays and incidents in the L.A. metro area, including road speed and flow information, due to the demolition and reconstruction of the Mulholland Drive Bridge,” Sirius XM said in its news release on Wednesday.

Sirius XM often launches temporary radio channels to take advantage of timely events, most recently with "George Carlin Radio," a weekend’s worth of Carlin’s comedy in late June timed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his album, FM & AM.