News Articles From Days Gone BySo you think Howard Stern was sirius when he said that profanity wasn't the most important thing driving his show?
(28 February 2006)
Apparently not, according to FamilyMediaGuide which reported a 34% overall increase in profanity, a 62% increase in F-bombs and a doubling in the number of some of our other favorites.
Visteon has won a contract to supply satellite radios for Hyundai's Sonata.
(28 February 2006)
The system includes XM and is being offered later this year. Said Chris Filipowicz, director of Visteon's Asian customer business groups, North America, "Visteon is extremely proud to have been awarded this business and to further our electronics growth with Hyundai."
WorldSpace is continuing to expand in India.
(28 February 2006)
The international satcaster is launching service in 10 more cities next month. In addition to the 10 cities already being supported by WorldSpace service is being extended to include Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jaipuir, Baroda, Goa, Coimbatore, Madurai, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Nagpur. Newly appointed managing director of WorldSpace India, Shishir Lall commented, "India is the single largest market for WorldSpace. When the company launched its IPO, it declared that over 50 percent of its money from the IPO would be invested in India. So, we are very bullish about India."
WorldSpace has a new exec.
(28 February 2006)
He is Stephen Shenefield, the new Senior Vice President, Receiver Development. He has more than 15 years of consumer product development experience and will be responsible for the overall development, strategy, and production of WorldSpace's next generation receivers. Shenefield had previously served as vice president, engineering at Boston Acoustics where he led MP3 and DVD product development initiatives.
He is Stephen Shenefield, the new Senior Vice President, Receiver Development.
(27 February 2006)
He has more than 15 years of consumer product development experience and will be responsible for the overall development, strategy, and production of WorldSpace's next generation receivers. Shenefield had previously served as vice president, engineering at Boston Acoustics where he led MP3 and DVD product development initiatives.
According to Consumer Electronics Daily a recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow WorldSpace's AfriStar 2 access to Europe is being characterized by Ondas and Delphi as a "spectrum grab." The FCC's International Bureau is being urged to rethink its position by Delphi, hardware maker to XM and Sirius and an investor in Ondas. The ultimate goal is to expand XM and Sirius to European markets.
The folks at Sirius are taking their finances siriusly.
(25 February 2006)
They're presenting at the Bear Stearns Annual Media Conference in Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, 28 February at 3:45 PM (ET). Executive Vice Prez and Chief Financial Officer David Frear is doing the honors for the satcaster. A live audio webcast of the presentation is being made available at the Investor Relations section of the Sirius website.
Canada's East Coast Music Association is getting Sirius.
(23 February 2006)
The organization has announced that Sirius Canada will be the title sponsor of the Entertainer of the Year Award at the 2006 East Coast Music Awards held on 27 February in Charlottetown, P.E.I. "Sirius Canada is delighted to present the 2006 Entertainer of the Year Award," said Andreanne Sasseville, Director of Canadian Talent Promotion, Sirius Canada. "We look forward to working with the artists and showcasing their musical talent to an audience throughout North America on Sirius Canada's 60 commercial music channels."
Fans of Court TV will be pleased to know that the legal cable network is getting a little more Sirius.
(22 February 2006)
The satcaster is launching "Court TV Morning Radio," a live call-in morning show hosted by Vinnie Politan. The program is expected to concentrate on high-profile trials, celebrity cases and "back stories" behind the legal headlines. Said Sirius president of entertainment and sports Scott Greenstein, "The Court TV name is synonymous with compelling and authoritative programming, and provides unprecedented access to the real stories happening in America's courtrooms. On Court TV Morning Radio, Sirius subscribers will be the first to hear the stories so powerful, shocking, and at times, entertaining, that they can only be real." The new show debuts on 20 March from 6 AM to 9 AM (ET) on Sirius Channel 110.
XM is taking its show on the road to the Canadian International AutoShow this week in Toronto.
(21 February 2006)
Hoping further to establish its leadership position as the number one satellite radio service provider in the auto industry, XM, via its affiliate XM Canada, will be at the Rogers Centre and the Metro Toronto Convention Center at booth RC-4. "If you drive and you want ot listen to the best in commercial-free music, sports and entertainment while you're on the road, XM satellite radio really is a must have," said XM Canada President and COO Stephen Tapp. "XM Canada prides itself as being the first and only satellite radio provider in Canada to partner with an auto manufacturer and we look forward to improving the driving experience for more drivers coast to coast."
austriamicrosystems is now even more XM-rated than ever.
(21 February 2006)
The provider of analog integrated circuits for communication, industrial, medical and automotive applications is now providing advanced audio processors for XM's new line of portable satellite radios. The AS3525 is being used as a single-chip media player with on-chip memory, a CD-quality audio front-end and an integrated smart power management system. Said XM Senior Vice President of Technology Paul Marko, "With this platform we are well positioned to implement further leading-edge multimedia products which bring the unparalleled variety of our 160 programming lineup of channels to life."
DaimlerChrysler is getting Sirius in Canada.
(20 February 2006)
The automaker has announced that Sirius units will be offered as a factory option for 2007 Canadian models of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. Customers who purchase a vehicle equipped with Sirius will also receive a free one-year pre-paid subscription. "In the U.S., DaimlerChrysler has been a long-standing supporter of Sirius and we look forward to providing Canadian drivers with the opportunity to have the same unrivaled Sirius entertainment experience in their vehicles," said Sirius Canada prez Mark Redmond.
ESPN Deportes Radio listeners can now get Sirius.
(20 February 2006)
The Spanish language version of the popular sports network is being made available on channel 181. "We're pleased that we have reached this agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio," said ESPN Deportes senior vice president Traug Keller. "This will benefit both parties y giving ESPN Deportes Radio immediate national distribution and giving Sirius the opportunity to tap into the growing Hispanic market via ESPN Deportes."
WorldSpace investors will be pleased to know that the international satcaster expects to release results for the fourth quarter of 2005 after the close of the market on Thursday, 16 March.
(20 February 2006)
WorldSpace boss Noah Samara and CFO Sridhar Ganesan will host a conference call (1-800-291-9234, passcode 81004246) and webcast to discuss the results at 4:30 PM (ET). WorldSpace is continuing to grow its market in India. The company has announced the launch of subscription in Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state and the second largest city in the country with a population of over 11 million.
Raymarine is getting Sirius.
(20 February 2006)
The marine electronics specialist has announced the availability of on-demand access to detailed weather forecast information from Sirius via Raymarine E-Series high performance navigation displays. "We see compatibility with Sirius Satellite Radio as a step in the right direction for revolutionizing the way boaters receive information on the water," said Raymarine president Terry Carlson.
After pursuing new listeners a little too siriusly, Sirius widened its losses during the last quarter to 23 cents per share compared with 21 cents per share a year ago, a number that reflects a cost of more than $145 million to add new subscribers.
(17 February 2006)
Revenue more than tripled, to $80 million, up from $25.23 million in the same quarter a year earlier. The satcaster ended 2005 with 3,316,560 subscribers, a 190% increase in total subscribers for the year. Said Sirius boss "Mellow Mel" Karmazin, "2005 was our best year ever and a major milestone for Sirius, setting new records in subscribers, market share and revenue."
Following in the footsteps of its U.
(17 February 2006)
S.counterpart Subaru of Canada is getting both Sirius and XM. The automaker has announced that Sirius would be optionally available on the Forester and Impreza models equipped with premium audio systems. XM is planned for the 2007 Subaru Legacy, Outback and B9 Tribeca. "We are pleased that XM Canada satellite radio will be included in Subaru's top-selling model vehicles," said XM Canada president and COO Stephen Tapp. Said Sirius Canada Prez Mark Redmond, "We are very pleased that Subaru Canada has made Sirius available in two of its top selling vehicles."
XM's losses during the last quarter of 2005 were the apparent catalyst for the resignation of director Pierce Roberts Jr.
(17 February 2006)
Roberts, an XM director for five years and a former chief telecom investment banker at Bear Stearns, submitted a letter to board chairman Gary Parsons saying he was "troubled." "Given current course and speed there is, in my view, a significant chance of a crisis on the horizon," wrote Roberts. "Even absent a crisis, I believe that XM will inevitably serve its shareholders poorly without major changes now."
Those Sirius Fox fans will be glad to know that the satcaster has finally come to a new agreement with the news and talk organization.
(17 February 2006)
The Fox News team rejoins Sirius starting on 14 March.
The long-awaited XM numbers are finally out.
(16 February 2006)
The satcaster has said that its fourth-quarter loss widened on higher subscriber acquisition costs and marketing expenses. The loss for the last quarter of 2005 was $1.22 per share, compared with 93 cents a share in the same quarter of 2004. Revenue more than doubled to $177.1 million from $83.1 million the previous year. Said XM boss Hugh Panero, "With more then 6 million subscribers today, XM expects to exceed 9 million subscribers by year-end and we're on track to have more than 20 million subscribers by 2010." XM reported that it had more than 5.9 million subscribers at the end of 2005, up 84 percent from a year earlier. Its total rose to more than 6 million in the first week of January.
Wrapping up the last of its immediate commitments to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), XM affiliate Canadian Satellite Radio (CSR) has announced that the CRTC has approved its application to amend the existing conditions to its license.
(15 February 2006)
The amendment increases the minimum number of Canadian French-language channels from three to four. The condition is already satisfied since CSR began service in November with four French-language channels. In an unrelated announcement CSR has announced that it has completed its US$100 million senior notes offering. The principal amount is 12.75 percent senior notes due 2014.
Just in time for March Madness, XM has announced a long-term agreement with the Big East .
(14 February 2006)
The sponsorship gives XM the exclusive satellite radio broadcast rights to the conference's Men's and Women's Basketball Championships together with some regular season games during the football and basketball seasons. "Not only is XM Satellite Radio's new partnership with the Big East Conference and outstanding way for fans to follow their favorite Big East teams throughout the year, regardless of where they call home, it also provides opportunities for XM to further expand our subscriber base and extend our lead as he nation's largest satellite radio provider," said XM veep of talk programming Kevin Straley.
JetBlue is using XM to promote its sixth birthday celebration.
(14 February 2006)
The discount air carrier is offering XM Satellite Radio as one of the prizes offered during a week-long instant-win "Bigblueweek." The XM system comes packaged with a fully-loaded 2006 Acura MDX.
WSI is getting Sirius.
(14 February 2006)
The company is providing aviation weather using the satcaster's services and a system that enables aircraft to receive WSI's leading aviation weather information together with Sirius' programming for passengers. Commented Jim Menard, General Manager of WSI's Aviation Business Group, "The reliability offered by Sirius' satellite network augments WSI's continued commitment to build a robust network of proactive flight decision support tools for airlines, corporate flight departments and aviators world-wide."
The Stones are officially XM-rated.
(13 February 2006)
The satcaster is carrying their performance from Rio De Janeiro's Copacabana Beach live on 18 February. "A Bigger Bang" live from Rio is on Deep Tracks (Channel 40) starting at 7:30 EST.
WorldSpace has announced that its UPop global pop channel will host three days of live broadcasts from Studio 2 at Abbey Road, the legendary recording studio of The Beatles.
(13 February 2006)
Along with live coverage of the 2006 Brit Awards the international satcaster will feature three days of performances and live recording sessions with Katie Melua , Jim Noir , The Infadels , Ellie Lawson and others starting on 15 February.
Subaru is getting Sirius.
(10 February 2006)
..and XM.The automaker has announced that both satcasters' equipment will be available as options for some 2007 models. The 2007 B9 Tribeca SUV will be the first-ever Subaru to feature satellite radio when it goes on sale his June. "Satellite radio is one of today's most in-demand vehicle features because it allows listeners to fully customize and control their in-car entertainment experience," says Rick Crosson Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America Inc.
This year everyone will be able to get Sirius about the Olympics.
(10 February 2006)
The satcaster is providing up-to-the-minute news, interviews with athletes, recaps of each day's best performances and previews of upcoming competitions. The Sirius Olympic Desk will air nightly throughout the Torino Games from 6-7 PM (ET) starting today on channel 123. The program can also be heard 5-6 PM (ET) Sundays and 7-8 PM (ET) Mondays. The series will feature Sirius' Mike Yam and NBC's Tim Ryan.
Oprah Winfrey is ready to become XM-rated.
(9 February 2006)
She's signed a three-year, $55 million deal with XM to launch a new radio channel in September. "Oprah & Friends" is slated to provide programming on health, fitness and self-improvement and should feature a range of original programming from Harpo Radio. Segments hosted by popular personalities from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and an original weekly reality show with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are also anticipated. The new channel should begin broadcasting from a new state-of-the-art XM studio in Chicago. "Together with my friends, we look forward to creating programming that will entertain, inform and inspire our listening audience on XM," Said Oprah.
She's signed a three-year, $55 million deal with XM to launch a new radio channel in September.
(8 February 2006)
"Oprah & Friends" is slated to provide programming on health, fitness and self-improvement and should feature a range of original programming from Harpo Radio. Segments hosted by popular personalities from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and an original weekly reality show with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are also anticipated. The new channel should begin broadcasting from a new state-of-the-art XM studio in Chicago. "Together with my friends, we look forward to creating programming that will entertain, inform and inspire our listening audience on XM," Said Oprah. XM wants to tell the world "Play ball!" The satcaster is carrying the inaugural World Baseball Classic, from the first round to the final championship game. The play-by-play action is being presented on XM channels 176 to 189. The event opens in Tokyo on 3 March and concludes with two semi-final games and a final game in San Diego on 18 and 20 March. Said XM executive vice president of programming Eric Logan, "XM will air every single game of the World Baseball Classic, offering the most comprehensive coverage of the Classic that you will hear anywhere on the radio."
It's time to get sirius about the financial numbers once again.
(8 February 2006)
XM gets sirius during a conference call scheduled for Thursday, 16 February at 10:00 AM (ET). The call can be accessed at (877) 265-5808. The results will also be posted to XM's website. Sirius gets even more sirius a day later, on 17 February. Their conference call is scheduled at 8:00 AM (ET) for that date and can be accessed on Sirius Channel 125. As in the case of XM, the Sirius numbers are being posted to the Sirius website.
For the satellite radio enthusiast who has everything, Speck Products has announced a new line of protective skin cases and other satrad accessories.
(6 February 2006)
Targeted for products like the Sirius S50 and the Delphi MyFi the Speck cases are designed to protect the unit from scratches and accidental drops. "Our customers and retail partners are excited to bring the same success and attach rate that iPod accessories are having to the world of satellite," said Speck General Manager Tim Hickmnan.
Communications Daily is reporting that satellite radio could emerge as an Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ACC) provider if current mobile satellite services (MSS) firms don't join with DBS or wireless on terrestrial plans.
(6 February 2006)
If XM and Sirius want to get into video and MSS want to distribute it, the businesses could mesh well according to TMF Associates President Tim Farrar. Farrar also thinks that XM and Sirius would be most likely to partner with 2GHz licensees TerreStar and ICO, both of which are expected to file for terrestrial authorization soon.
XM is going to the Grammies.
(3 February 2006)
The satcaster is launching "Grammy Radio," a dedicated channel providing unmatched coverage of Grammy week events starting on 6 February and continuing through 8 February on XM channel 200. Said XM Executive Vice President of Programming Eric Logan, "Grammy Radio will provide millions of XM subscribers he closest thing to red-carpet access and front-row seats at the music industry's most exclusive events, traditionally reserved only for music industry V.I.P.s." As part of its commitment to this year's Grammies, XM has signed on to be a co-sponsor of Clive Davis' legendary Pre-Grammy Party, to be held on 7 February in Beverly Hills. The annual event has long been established as the destination for A-list celebrities, Grammy winners, Hollywood stars, sports legends, authors and influential entertainment industry executives. XM boss Hugh Panero commented, "XM's broadcast of Clive Davis's legendary pre-Grammy party brings to life our commitment to provide our millions of subscribers with the most memorable live music programming."
Jeff Foxworthy is getting Sirius.
(2 February 2006)
He and other members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour are starting a new channel for the satcaster beginning in mid-to-late March (Sirius channel 103). The date coincides with the production of "Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road," a film based on a series of performances at The Warner Theater in Washington DC. The new venture features Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall along with many others. Sirius is also programming a block of Blue Collar Comedy for Sirius' Truckers (channel 147). It is not known whether or not Ron "Tater Salad" White will make an appearance.
Canadian "Howardheads" can rejoice!
(1 February 2006)
Sirius Canada is adding the "King of All Media" to its lineup on Howard 100 as of 6 February. Said Sirius Canada President and CEO Mark Redmond, "No one in radio commands more attention than Howard Stern. He is an industry icon with millions of loyal fans throughout the continent who will follow him anywhere to hear his unique form of entertainment."
WorldSpace is adding two new channels to its network.
(1 February 2006)
Jacaranda (channel 25) presents music of South Africa in both English and Afrikaans and is aimed at a mature, sophisticated audience. East Coast Radio (channel 26) is aimed at a cross-cultural audience and focuses on regional news and sports.