News Articles From Days Gone By
Small HD Radio sales exceed expectations.
(31 July 2009)
Sales of the NS-HD01, the Insignia armband HD Radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 13 July), have exceeded expectations. At least that's the word from HD Radio purveyor iBiquity, based on the apparent shortage of the product at Best Buy. "Best Buy is working hard to get more devices available to customers ASAP,' says iBiquity in a newsletter. Those who can't wait can order the NS-HD01 on the Best Buy website. more>>
Sued!
(31 July 2009)
SiriusXM is being sued for trademark infringement over the use of the name "Sunday Baroque." That name is the title of both the Sirius classical music program heard every Sunday at 11:00 AM(ET) and the title of a syndicated program hosted by Suzanne Bona-Hatem. Bona registered the name with the Federal Trademark Office in 1998. The suit filed by attorney Stewart Edelstein says, "Sirius has willfully and intentionally violated Bona's service mark with the deliberate intention of trading on the valuable good will and reputation established...by deceiving the public into believing its radio program is in fact Bona's radio program or in some way sponsored or associated therewith." Bona-Hatem's Sunday Baroque is broadcast on over 90 stations, many of which are affiliated with National Public Radio. more>>
Can Zune HD save Zune?
(31 July 2009)
Sales of Microsoft's Zune have been so bad that the company has been urged to stop supporting it. Unless, perhaps, the new Zune HD (see RUsirius.com story dated 27 May) can save the product line. Zune sales have dropped 42 percent, leading Traditional Capital Management analyst George Kurian to urge Microsoft to exit the MP3 player market entirely saying Zune sales have been "so disappointing" that it leaves no other real alternative. more>>
iBiquity gets sirius money.
(30 July 2009)
HD Radio purveyor iBiquity just raised $42.5 million to continue its digital quest. Investors include Grotech Ventures, CBS Radio, Entercom, Radio One, Clear Channel, FirstMark Capital, New Venture Partners and Union Square Ventures. more>>
Greenstein stays with SiriusXM.
(30 July 2009)
Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM President and Chief Content Officer, has re-signed with the satcaster through July 2013. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Greenstein is due for a raise from $850k to $925k as of 1 January 2010, rising each year to $1.24 million as of January 2013. He also gets options on 27.8 million SiriusXM shares. Greenstein has been with the satcaster since May 2004. more>>
Baba Booey's errant first pitch fetches $18,000
(30 July 2009)
Those who showed up at Citi Field on 9 May to see the Mets play the Pirates watched in horror as Baba Booey (Howard Stern producer Gary Dell Abate) threw the first pitch wildly to the right of the plate, almost hitting the umpire. It turns out that the ball has just been sold at a charity auction for $18,000. The happy owner is now Taylor Mitchell, owner of satellite radio retailer TSS-Radio. Says Mitchell, "I bought the ball for 4 reasons: The proceeds go to a great charity, the ball and jersey provide great publicity towards fellow Stern fans, and we really want to keep this ball alive and viewable to those that wish to see it. Plus, if you are as big a Stern fan as me, this is an important piece of history." more>>
Alpine goes boating...wirelessly!
(29 July 2009)
Boaters will be happy to know that Alpine is helping them listen to satellite radio or iPods without having to run wires. The MC10 commander kit uses an RF transceiver and a wireless mountable remote control together with one of Alpine's marine head units to select songs and programs from either a satrad or an iPod. It sells for about $230. more>>
Get ready for No Shoes Radio Online
(29 July 2009)
Kenny Chesney's No Shoes Radio on SiriusXM (see RUsirius.com story dated 4 July 2008) has been so successful he's launching it on the Internet. The debut of the new website comes on 6 August, while Kenny will be preparing for a concert in Orange Beach, Alabama, with Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum. "It's gonna be cool," says Kenny, "and then it's gonna keep rocking." more>>
On the Fast Road with HD Radio
(28 July 2009)
The National Associations of Broadcasters is conducting a field trial of an HD Radio Electronic Program Guide (EPG) in Boston. The test is part of the organization's NAB Fastroad project to develop a fully interactive, on-screen guide suitable to HD Radio. BIA Advisory Services and Broadcast Signal Lab are managing the Fastroad project along with Unique Interactive, which is responsible for developing the EPG service bureau and client software. more>>
Wireless vs. Sirius
(28 July 2009)
Tests are about to take place in northern Virginia to settle the issue of whether or not there is any interference between satellite radio and wireless operators. Questions regarding mutual interference have been around since the inception of satellite radio, particularly in its use of terrestrial repeaters. The results of the tests are being filed with the Federal Communications Commission to assist in the development of "key operating parameters such as maximum operating power and the out-of-band emissions requirements for mobile transmitters." more>>
The Roast of All Roasts for The King of All Media?
(28 July 2009)
Howard Stern hasn't made any decision as to whether he'll retire or not when his current contract with SiriusXM comes up in 2011. He did, however, say that if he decided to retire he would agree to be roasted by a group of his peers. And, says Howard, there will be no subjects that are "off-limits." In the event of Stern's retirement the cast of roasters would likely include Greg Giraldo, Greg Fitzsimmons, Artie Lange and Joan Rivers. more>>
Sirius Minorities
(28 July 2009)
Remember those minority channels the Federal Communications Commission wants SiriusXM to reserve as part of the merger agreement? It appears they may finally be here in the form of six channels set aside from each of the original Sirius and XM streams. Alphastar and iClick2Media have apparently teamed up to form the Diversity Satellite Radio Consortium to manage the twelve minority channels and have filed a proposal with the FCC. more>>
An HD Radio power calculator
(27 July 2009)
To make it easier for everyone to know exactly how much the power of an HD Radio signal can be increased (see RUsirius.com story dated 23 July), NPR Labs has come out with an HD Radio power calculator. The organization, together with Cavell Mertz and Associates, has performed all the calculations for all licensed stations in the United States and has made them accessible via a website. more>>
SiriusXM fees to rise this week.
(27 July 2009)
As previously reported (see RUsirius.com story dated 26 June 2009), SiriusXM is preparing to raise prices this week. The big bump of $1.98 per month is said to be to offset the higher royalties that the satcaster is now paying to the recording industry. Says SiriusXM in a letter to its subscribers, "A U.S. Music Royalty Fee of $1.98 per month for primary subscriptions and 97 cents per month for multi-receiver subscriptions will be effective upon your next renewal. This fee will be used directly to offset increased payments from XM to the recording industry." But subscribers don't buy it and are complaining to the Federal Communications Commission. The problem seems to be that the royalty fee is increasing by 8.3 percent but the subscription price is being raised by 15 percent. Said one SiriusXM listener in a comment to the FCC, "We just had an increase not too long ago, and they took away what we were getting as part of our subscription...I pray that the FCC will stand up for us little guys." Says SiriusXM in response, "The FCC decision approving the merger between Sirius and XM permits the companies begining July 29, 2009, to pass through to subscribers any increases in music royalties since March 20, 2007, the day the companies first asked the FCC to approve the merger. This U.S. Music Royalty Fee implements this FCC decision." You have been warned... more>>
It's Stooges Radio!
(24 July 2009)
Thanks to Howard Stern, the last available interviews with Stooges Moe Howard and Larry Fine are being brought to satellite radio. Tom Bergeron, host of Dancing with the Stars, had interviewed the duo just prior to their death in the 1970s. After a long search he was able to find the tapes and notified the "King of All Media" who decided to use them for a special later this month. "The Three Stooges: Lost and Found Interviews" spaces on 31 July at 2:00 PM(ET) on Howard 101. more>>
It's Halloween in July!
(24 July 2009)
Halloween's Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) stalks Dee Snider, Debbie Rochon and Tony Timpone on tonight's Fangoria Radio (Sirius 108, XM 139). He'll be talking about the next sequel to the horror thriller. Joining him is director Mike Hartley to discuss his documentary "Not Quite Hollywood," which is about Aussie exploitation films like "Turkey Shoot" and "Mad Max." Also on hand are horror writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan ("Saw") to talk about their latest effort. Get ready for a cheap thrill starting at 10:00 PM(ET). more>>
Not everyone's sirius about more HD Radio power.
(23 July 2009)
In a continuing story being carried by RUsirius.com (see story dated 8 July), there is at least a little resistance to the proposed increase in the power of HD Radio digital signals. HD Radio broadcasters and iBiquity have proposed a higher power level to the Federal Communications Commission after a preliminary series of tests by NPR Labs. Comments made to the FCC by other interested parties, however, have been a little less than enthusiastic. Says one radio engineer in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, "I am a professional broadcast engineer and I absolutely want to see a deferment of the decision on a power increase until NPR Labs completes their studies. The previous HD Interference study by NPR Labs differed greatly in conclusion from iBiquity's internal studies. NPR Labs does thorough research with fully disclosed methodology and peer review, unlike iBiquity." more>>
Time to get Sirius.
(23 July 2009)
After all the hoopla about the merger, the recession, the decline and fall of GM and the bailout by John Malone, it's finally time to open the books and look at the numbers. And SiriusXM is ready to do just that on Thursday, 6 August, when the satcaster releases its second quarter 2009 results. For all Sirius investors, financial analysts and those just looking for a few laughs, the company has scheduled a conference call at 8:00 AM(ET) to discuss the results. The call can be accessed on Sirius 126, XM 90 or at the SiriusXM website. more>>
SIRI...The Movie
(22 July 2009)
SiriusXM investors have been buzzing about "Stock Shock-The Movie," a new film about how the satcaster's common stock has been manipulated. Copies of the movie are being sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission by disillusioned investors who have seen their money evaporate as the result of alleged stock price manipulation through short selling and other tactics. Says one investor, "I enclose with this letter a DVD copy of the movie: Stock Shock. It is the failure of the SEC to so much as ask the right questions that has ruined its reputation among American investors." more>>
WorldSpace wants Indian investors.
(22 July 2009)
Now that satellite radio is legal in India (see RUsirius.com story dated 15 July) international satcaster WorldSpace just needs to find a few local investors to begin operating. To get approval from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Worldspace's Indian operation must find an Indian investment of at least 26%. WorldSpace's bankruptcy in the United States is not expected to affect its India operation. more>>
Flops!
(21 July 2009)
Are satellite and HD radio about to go the way of the Edsel, Betamax and Gigli? CNET thinks so. Both have made CNET's list of the 25 biggest tech flops of the decade. Satellite radio comes in seventh on the list. HD Radio is number 11. Says CNET of satellite radio, "The concept was great, but the business model was suspect. Even with commercial-free music stations and coast-to-coast coverage, how many people are willing to pay for radio after getting it free for so long?" On HD Radio, CNET offers the following commentary: "HD radio was supposed to be the next great thing in 'free' radio, offering clear, digital 'CD quality sound' and more listening choices. But it's been slowed by the manufacturing costs of both the HD Radio chips and the radios themselves-as well as poor marketing." more>>
Pre-owned Beemers get Sirius!
(20 July 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that purchasers of Certified Pre-Owned BMW vehicles will receive an introductory three-month trial subscription of the "Sirius Everything" package. Says Joan Horst, Pre-Owned Manager, Marketing for BMW, "BMW is very excited to be partnering with Sirius XM Radio for this special BMW Certified Pre-Owned customer offer. The BMW Certified Pre-Owned Program is the luxury segment leader, and making Sirius XM Radio available for a three-month trial simply adds value to the already established value leader." more>>
KISS my Ace!
(20 July 2009)
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is the guest today on Opie & Anthony. The show spaces from 6:00 until noon (ET) on Sirius 197 and XM 202. He'll be talking about, among other topics, his new solo album "Anomaly," which is being released on 15 September via Bronx Born Records, his own label. more>>
Sirius does not comply!
(17 July 2009)
SiriusXM apparently is not in compliance with the rules of the Nasdaq stock exchange regarding independent directors. At fault is Jeffrey D. Zients, who was named deputy director for management of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The satcaster said it would comply with the independent director rule by its next stockholders' meeting or by 22 June 2010. more>>
Animal Radio with Jay Thomas
(17 July 2009)
Next Saturday, 25 July, Animal Radio features actor, comedian and Sirius host Jay Thomas (The Jay Thomas Show, Monday-Thursday 3PM on Stars, Sirius 108, XM 139) to discuss his cats and other topics with host Hal Abrams. Says Thomas, "My wife loves to sleep with the cat. All the animals sleep with us. It's a wonder why I've had three kids." Abrams had produced Thomas' Los Angeles morning radio show until 1990 when the two departed until now. "He hasn't missed a beat," says Abrams about Thomas. "...although he has lost a lot of hair." Animal Radio can be heard on XM channel 158 at noon on Saturdays. more>>
NAACP supports Performance Rights Act
(16 July 2009)
Despite its apparent defeat thanks to the National Association of Broadcasters (see RUsirius.com story dated 4 June 2009), the NAACP has passed a resolution supporting the Performance Rights Act. Said Sean Glover, spokesperson for the musicFirst Coalition, "The NAACP recognizes that many black musicians are penniless in old age because Radio One and Clear Channel don't pay royalties. Performance rights is a civil rights issue, it is a workers' rights issue." more>>
Scan the dial with iFM.
(16 July 2009)
Griffin has introduced a new iPhone app that allows users to scan the list of FM stations in any geographical area and get information about them. Designed to work alongside any FM radio, iFM connects to real-time data from Mediaguide to display a list of local stations and the artists currently playing on them. Users can browse by station, artist and genre, see the song title, learn about upcoming concert dates and purchase music. It's free and can be downloaded from the iTunes App store. more>>
New Programming on ReachMD
(16 July 2009)
ReachMD (XM channel 160) is now featuring Diabetes Discourse, a new program featuring renowned health care professionals discussing the latest topics on the treatment of diabetes for the medical community. It is hosted by Steven V. Edelman, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of California, San Diego. more>>
XM Canada continues to be sirius.
(15 July 2009)
The latest figures from XM Canada indicate that the Canadian partner of XM continues to experience significant growth. The company reported year-to-date revenue increases of 40 percent with a 30 percent growth in total revenue and in self-paying subscribers. "This was a great quarter and significantly, it continues a long-term trend we have established with our business," says XM Canada Prez Michael Moskowitz. more>>
Getting Sirius at Salmon Arm
(15 July 2009)
Sirius is sirius when it comes to supporting Canadian musical artists at events like Polaris (see RUsirius.com story dated 8 July). The satcaster is now supporting the 17th Annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival as the presenting partner of six of the festival's 50 acts. "The Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival is a wonderful opportunity for some of Canada's most talented musicians to take centre stage and Sirius is thrilled to make that happen," says Adreanne Sasseville, director of Canadian Content Development for Sirius Canada. The festival takes place in Salmon Arm, British Columbia on 14-16 August. more>>
Satellite radio finally cleared in India.
(15 July 2009)
In what must be seen as good news to international satcaster WorldSpace, the government of India has finally approved the satellite radio guidelines for the subcontinent. The new policy covers issues such as license fees, bank guarantees, technical standards, value added services and terrestrial repeaters. Although commercials are banned, WorldSpace and other potential satcasters will be permitted to provide subscription-based content over the Internet. more>>
Practice Success on ReachMD
(15 July 2009)
In its ever expanding quest to assist medical professionals, XM's ReachMD has begun delivering Practice Success. The new program can be heard on XM 160 and is produced with the assistance of KarenZupko and Associates, a practice management consulting and training firm. According to Karen Zupko, the program's host, "Practice Success is designed to help physicians recognize and resolve practice management issues before they become acute." more>>
Noah and Bill
(15 July 2009)
It has been well known that WorldSpace boss Noha Samara had been involved with former New Orleans congressman, Democrat William Jefferson. The extent of the relationship is now coming to light thanks to court testimony. According to Samara, he and Jefferson had shared political views and books on Africa over the years. The trouble started when Samara was made a recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Award in 2001. At around that time Jefferson asked Samara for a $50,000 loan that has never been repaid. Apparently, Jefferson convinced Samara to support several questionable business deals, a sequence of events that eventually led to Jefferson's arrest. more>>
Magna says radio advertising down.
(14 July 2009)
Magna Director of Global Forecasting Brian Wieser sees only around a one percent compound annual growth in radio and television advertising over the next five years after a fourteen percent drop this year. "Radio has really been a victim of what I call self-inflected wounds in many cases," says Wieser. He also notes the toll taken by iPods and other devices. "So when we think about those issues it's not surprising that advertisers have increasingly shifted out of what is a secondary media, a tertiary media, for many advertisers." more>>
Audiovox says Sirius sales up!
(14 July 2009)
According to financial results recently released by Audiovox there has been a sales increase in SiriusXM products with more to follow. A statement released by the company says "...we expect margins to average more to our normal 17.5% to 18% levels as sales of the consumer and satellite radio products increase as we move into the year." more>>
Getting Sirius About the Open
(14 July 2009)
SiriusXM will be providing listeners with complete coverage of this year's British Open live from The Ailsa Course in Turnberry, Scotland. The big event starts Thursday at 3:00 AM(ET) with broadcasters T.J. Rives, Brian Katrek, Bob Stevins and Earl Forcey. Each day's action will be re-broadcast in the afternoon. Altogether more than 45 hours of live play-by-play from Thursday through Sunday is expected on Sirius 209 and XM 146. more>>
The small HD Radio is finally here!
(13 July 2009)
What was promised a few months ago (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 May) is finally here. It's the Insignia NS-HD01, the first portable HD Radio. Retailing for just $50, it's currently available at Best Buy. It's powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can be attached to any mini-USB connection. It's a little larger than a flash-based music player but smaller than an iPod Classic. more>>
Not everything about the merger is good.
(13 July 2009)
Service contracts for the pre-merged XM Satellite Radio are expiring and apparently not being renewed by SiriusXM. The most recent is a contract with Sitel in Huntington, West Virginia, to operate a call center (see RUsirius.com story dated 28 February 2007). The contract is being terminated, resulting in the lay off of 123 workers at the Sitel site. Around 150 employees had been hired by Sitel to support XM. more>>
If you have a big Sirius you don't need a Mercedes!
(13 July 2009)
Following the lead of Volkswagen (see RUsirius.com story dated 25 June) Mercedes-Benz has announced that customers of Sirius-equipped Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned vehicles will receive an introductory three-month trial subscription of the "Sirius Everything" package. Says Mark Webster, Manager, Pre-Owned Operations, Mercedes-Benz USA, "We are delighted buyers of Sirius-equipped Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned vehicles will now be able to experience all that Sirius exceptional service offers." more>>
Is Pandora more Sirius than Sirius?
(13 July 2009)
The folks at SiriusXM thought they had it made when their iTunes app surpassed 1 million downloads (see RUsirius.com story dated 6 July). It now appears, however, that they have some Sirius competition from Pandora. The popular music website is now ranked twelve in the iTunes standings, three positions above SiriusXM at number fifteen. more>>
NPR says up the power, but not too much.
(10 July 2009)
In a story being followed by RUsirius.com (see RUsirius.com story dated 8 July), HD Radio is apparently prepared to increase its power. iBiquity's propsed increase of up to 10dB is based on tests conducted by NPR. According to NPR's comments, however, NPR supports increasing HD transmission power only if it is based on a managed retulatory policy to avoid harmful interference to analog radio services. Says NPR President and CEO Vivian Schiller, "NPR is committed to the successful implementation of HD Radio by increasing IBOC power to improve HD Radio coverage in a way that preserves existing analog service." more>>
Are you ready for some football? In Canada?
(10 July 2009)
Tired of what seems to be an endless summer of balls and strikes, line drives and ground rule doubles? Get ready for football...in Canada, where the season starts now. Score Media is broadcasting all of the Canadian Football League games on Hardcore Sports Radio (Sirius 98). "HSR listeners, both Canadian and American, are avid CFL fans, and we're elated that Sirius is the home of the CFL on satellite radio," says Mike Gentile, Program Director, Hardcore Sports Radio. "We're looking forward to providing increased coverage and exposure to this great game, and to helping the CFL grow their fan base across North America." Today's CFL game features Calgary at Winnipeg starting at 7:30 PM(ET). more>>
The NAACP Convention on Sirius
(10 July 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that it is broadcasting live from the NAACP National Convention 13-16 July in New York City. The convention marks the organization's 100th anniversary. SiriusXM hosts Joe Madison and Mark Thompson, both longtime activists, are broadcasting their daily shows live and featuring interviews with notable guests. Joe Madison's guests on The Power (XM 169) include Colin Powell, Charles Rangel, Julian Bond and Vernon Jordan. His show spaces daily from 6:00 - 10:00 AM(ET). Mark Thompson is on Sirius Left (Sirius 146) and America Left (XM 167) from 5:00 - 8:00 PM(ET). His show next week will feature a mix of panel discussions, interviews with political and community leaders and calls from listeners. more>>
Play ball!...Siriusly
(9 July 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that it is offering comprehensive coverage of next week's Major League Baseball All-Star Week, including the 80th All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on 14 July. The satcaster will space the big game Tuesday at 8:00 PM(ET). The All-Star Futures Game featuring the top minor league prospects is also being covered on 12 July at 2:00 PM(ET) along with the traditional Home Run Derby on Monday at 8:00 PM(ET). All spacecasts are on XM 175. more>>
HD Radio wants more power!
(8 July 2009)
After several years of speculation and testing (see RUsirius.com story dated 8 May), HD Radio purveyor iBiquity has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission suggesting an intermediate 6 dB increase in transmission power for HD signals with a 10 dB increase down the road. In the comments iBiquity says, "The current power level represents an unnecessarily conservative power limitation, which is having the unintended consequence of delaying the broader adoption of HD Radio technology thereby having a detrimental impact on the existing commercial FM radio industry." The filing goes on to say, "iBiquity believes a power increase will enable broadcasters to bring the full benefit of HD Radio technology to the largest possible audience while maintaining the integrity of existing analog FM signals." more>>
Smooth Jazz is Back!
(8 July 2009)
Ever miss all those smooth jazz stations is in places like San Francisco, Chicago, Miami and Philadelphia? Well, they may be back on the Internet, courtesy of Bob Baldwin. It seems that the keyboardist and bandleader has introduced both a new album and a new website dedicated to the kind of music previously heard on stations like the Bay Area's KKSF and Chicago's WNUA. Newurbanjazz.com combines Baldwin's latest offering with other music of a similar genre. He's currently promoting both for airplay on any stations willing to accept his programming. more>>
A Better Deal for Web Radio
(8 July 2009)
In a story being followed by RUsirius.com (see RUsirius.com story dated 13 May) Internet broadcasters have finally reached a resolution on the royalties they pay for music. Representatives of the recording and Web-radio industries have announced an agreement on a lower set of royaltes that Webcasters would pay to musicians and record labels. Rather than the per-song and per-listener fees that had previously been anticipated, Web radio organizations can pay either lower rates or a percentage of their revenues. The per-song and per-listener fees had been expected to be especially troubling for popular Webcaster Pandora, whose CEO Tim Westergren now says, "Webcasters, artists and record labels have reached a resolution to the calamitous Internet radio royalty ruling of 2007. Pandora is finally on safe ground with a long-term agreement for survivable royalty rates." more>>
Time to get Sirius about Polaris!
(8 July 2009)
The short list for the Polaris Music Prize has been released. The list of the top ten Canadian albums eligable for the fourth annual $20,000 award includes Elliott Brood's Mountain Meadows, Great Lake Swimmers' Lost Channels and Hey Rosetta!'s Into Your Lungs. Says prize founder and executive director Steve Jordan, "If there's a common thread to these records, it's that each artist built on previous succeses by pushing themselves into even riskier artistic dimensions." The Polaris Music Awards are being presented in Toronto on 21 September and are being broadcast on Sirius channel 86. more>>
Cruisin' in Florida
(7 July 2009)
Avis is featuring AT&T CruiseCast in vehicles at several destinations in Florida. Vacationers in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach can rent the new system for $8.95 per day or $62.65 per week. The portable unit provides video screens, headphones and a compact antenna mounted to the roof. The receiver is housed inside a small bag attached to the seatback and plugs into the car's power outlets. more>>
He's Number One!
(7 July 2009)
Radio Ink has released its annual catalog of radio's most influential figures. Topping the list this year is Clear Channel Radio's President and CEO John Hogan. "This annual list is not a popularity contest," said Radio Ink Publisher B. Eric Rhoads. "Instead it is a reflection of the current state of the radio broadcasting industry. John Hogan has become the go-to guy for Clear Channel's new owners and has catapulted himself into the industry's most powerful position." SiriusXM boss "Mellow Mel" Karmazin is number seven in the list. more>>
Health Rocks!
(7 July 2009)
SiriusXM has been presenting the music of Machelle (Mache) Siebel, MD, aka DocRock, on Doctor Radio (Sirius 114, XM 119). HealthRock was founded by Dr. Seibel and combines music and health messaging in an attempt to increase health literacy. "HealthRock creates music to package health information in such a way that people can take it with them and use it whenever they need it." more>>
Sirius iPhone app hits a million!
(6 July 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that its iPhone and iPod app has beeen downloaded over one million times from the App Store, making it the top free app in the Music category. "Reaching more than 1 million downloads so quickly is a strong testament to our world-class programming and Sirius XM's instant brand recognition," said SiriusXM Chief Content Officer and President Scott Greenstein. "Our goal is to give people access to the best audio entertainment wherever they go with what we think is the best music and audio entertainment application available on the App Store." more>>
Scion gets HD
(6 July 2009)
The Toyota Scion brand features HD Radio in the 2010 xB model and to commemorate the occasion the automaker is featuring a gallery of images of the new Alpine Premium Audio system with HD Radio on its website. The site also includes a short video explaining HD Radio and promoting its benefits, including multicast channels. more>>
ReachMD on the iPhone
(2 July 2009)
SiriusXM's ReachMD now has a new iPhone application that includes all of the continuing medical education offerings plus a live SiriusXM stream. Says ReachMD CEO Gary Epstein, "This new app is holistically all of ReachMD. It includes the way you would listen to the radio in your car, archive programming and soime rich search functions." more>>
Mel's Millions
(2 July 2009)
Despite a falling stock price and lost subscribers, SiriusXM has extended the contract of "Mellow Mel" Karmazin until December of 2012. The satcaster is even giving the CEO a raise and new stock options. The options call for Mel to be able to acquire 120 million shares at a price of 43 cents each, the closing SiriusXM stock price on 30 June. Mel has been getting paid a base salary of $1.25 million . That will increase to $1.5 million under the new contract effective 1 January 2010. more>>
Hit Parade in WiFi
(2 July 2009)
Earthworks Entertainment has announced that its Hit Parade Radio oldies programming is now on WiFi Radio. Earthworks boss Steven Humphries says, "This is great exposure for Hit Parade Radio, as WiFi Radio reaches nearly 60 million radio listeners. The WiFi carriage of Hit Parade Radio will allow us to promote the upcoming September 2009 launch of our 24/7 Oldies format, to be broadcast on major radio stations throughout the USA." more>>
Janks' Pranks, Act II
(2 July 2009)
The man known to everyone as Captain Janks from Sirius' Howard Stern Show is finally in court facing charges that he allegedly defrauded bar owners by taking money for personal appearances and not showing up (see RUsirius.com story dated 30 April 2009). Thomas Michael Cipriano waived his arraignment and pleaded not guilty to charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices. Said Assistant District Attorney Bradford Richman of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, "Any one of these cases may seem minor, but when you look at the fact there are numerous victims over a long period of time with several thousand dollars stolen, these are serious theft cases." more>>
A Foxx Fourth
(2 July 2009)
Jamie Foxx is taking his Sirius Foxxhole to Las Vegas for the Fourth of July weekend. The event kicks off his "Blame It" concert tour beginning on Friday, 3 July from the Hard Rock Hotel. The concert spaces at 5:00 PM(ET) on the Foxxhole (Sirius 106, XM 149). more>>
Doctor Radio's July Fourth Special
(2 July 2009)
SiriuXM's Doctor Radio is featuring a family special for the 4th on why kids behave the way they do. 24 Hours About Our Kids will space beginning 3 July at midnight and continue through midnight on 4 July. It's hosted by leading doctors from the NYU Langone Medical Center with, among others, Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Director of the Child Study Center. more>>
Kristen Schaal gets Sirius
(1 July 2009)
Best known as Mel in the HBO series "Flight of the Conchords," Kristen Schaal is ready for satellite radio along with her comedic partner Kurt Braunohler. Billed as an inside view of offbeat news, comdey and music, the show is "unlike any radio show that ever existed" according to Brauhohler. Says Schall, "We're not jumping any sharks here. We're going to ease into it." Named "High Five," the show spaces Wednesdays at 5:00 PM(ET) on Raw Dog (Sirius, XM channel 104). more>>
A Sirius Fourth
(1 July 2009)
SiriusXM has released the details of the events scheduled for this weekend's big Fourth of July celebration. Some highlights include Uncle Sam Radio (Sirius 113, XM 15) featuring a melting pot of songs all about America like Tom Petty's "American Girl", Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A." and The Grateful Dead's "U.S. Blues;" Bruce's Independence Day on E Street Radio (Sirius 10, XM 58)(see RUsirius.com story dated 30 June); The 15th Annual Essence Music Festival on The Heat (Sirius 50, XM 68) live from New Orleans starting on Friday, 3 July at 12:00 PM(ET); Red, White and Blue Rock 'n' Roll Bar B-Q on Underground Garage (Sirius 25, XM 59); and Willie Nelson's 4th of July Radio Picnic on Willie's Place (Sirius 64, XM 13). The satcaster has posted the entire lineup on the Sirius and XM websites. more>>
Sirius FM-5 in Orbit
(1 July 2009)
The Sirius FM-5 satellite (see RUsirius.com story dated 29 June) has been successfully launched by International Launch Services from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan aboard a Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. The newest member of the Sirius constellation has has completed its post-launch maneuvers according to plan and deployed its solar arrays early this morning. Says Arnold Friedman, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Space Systems/Loral, the satellite's manufacturer, "We've seen Sirius XM grow from a small start-up to one of the largest radio companies in the world. Having built all of the satellites in the Sirius fleet, we appreciate their continued trust and the way they have pushed us to new levels of capability and success, with some of the world's highest-power satellites." more>>
Happy Canada Day!
(1 July 2009)
Sirius Canada is presenting a variety of special programming today in celebration of Canada Day. The lineup includes a live concert by Chad VanGaalen and Constantines on CBC Radio 3 (Sirius 86) at 8:00 PM(ET), Julie Doiron, David Jalbert and Marie-Pierre Arthur and Beast on Energie 2 (Sirius 89) at 5:00 PM(ET) and 24 hours of Canadian rock on Iceberg (Sirius 85). more>>
Hertz more Sirius than ever!
(1 July 2009)
Hertz has expanded its Prestige Collection to include SiriusXM in every vehicle. Says Hertz Chief Marketing Officer Mike Senackerib, "Hertz is excited to mark another milestone by being the only rental company to offer both satellite radio and in-car navigation as part of its Prestige Collection. Having an extensive line up of vehicles equipped with satellite radio enhances the car rental experience." more>>