While CNBC is making their cuts despite record highs in ratings, the guys over at Sirius are trying to find a way to spin the fact that they've lost $4.8 billion this year.

Their current take on it? It's all Howard Stern's fault a write-down because of the crappy economy.

"We think the environment sucks," (CEO Mel Karmazin) said on a conference call with analysts. "It is not like we're doing something wrong. It is that, unfortunately, we do not have a whole lot of control over what cars are getting sold. We do our best."

Hmm…interesting. So maybe NPR's tactic of changing their whole radio idea into a multi-platform experience is just to stave off more losses as the car industry tanks (bye-bye GM)? In that case, the NPR money being spent right now is just a preventative measure to prepare for a loss that could rival Sirius', although Ira Glass isn't half the diva that Howard Stern is.