News Articles From Days Gone By

Celebrate the 4th with the Boss and the Band!
(30 June 2009)
SiriusXM has announced that it is broadcasting performances by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band scheduled to be recorded live on 3 July in Frankurt, Germany on 4 July at 12:00 PM(ET) on E Street Radio (Sirius 10, XM 58). Included as part of the big Fourth of July celebration will also be a performance by Southside Johnny from the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey recorded live on 2 July and spaced on Friday, 3 July at 8:00 PM(ET). Just to keep things interesting all weekend long, listeners can also hear archived Bruce Springsteen July 4th concerts from the past and the best loved live "party songs" from various performances.    more>>


Getting Sirius with Eddie Trunk
(30 June 2009)
SiriusXM's Eddie Trunk, star of "Eddie Trunk Live," is launching a new venture, free live video chats on his website. Fans can submit questions and comments while Eddie shares his perspective on all aspects of rock and heavy metal news and events. The first live inteactive webcast is expected to contain material from his repeat appearance as celebrity host of Rocklahoma 2009 taking place 9-12 July in Pryor, Oklahoma. Says Trunk, "Coming back to New York still pumped from the energy of Rocklahoma will get things off to a flying start." Eddie's first live video chat is on Wednesday, 15 July at 8:00 PM(ET).    more>>

Time to face the music in Canada?
(30 June 2009)
Sirius Canada has announced the launch of its national Face the Music tour. Using a "name that tune" style, the satcaster intends to test Canadians' knowledge of musical trivia at kiosks appearing around the country at major events and also online. The highest scorer at the end of the season wins an ultimate concert experience for two in either New York or Los Angeles. "Music lovers are often also music trivia buffs, and we love the idea of putting them to the test in this fun way," says Janet Langille, Vice President, Marketing, Sirius Canada. "The Sirius Face the Music Tour not only challenges Canadians' musical knowledge, it also allows them to discover new artists and genres."    more>>

Sly Crooner gets Sirius!
(30 June 2009)
Starting today at 4:00 PM(ET), Sly Crooner of Swanktown can be heard weekly on Book Radio (Sirius 117, XM 163). The show, inspired by Garrison Keillor's News From Lake Woebegone, has undergone some changes since its inception but remains true to its roots, tales from the lounge lizard mixing martinis and stirring up urban legends. Says the show's producer, Geoffrey Leigh Tozer, "There's nothing else like it out there."    more>>

XM Canada brings back The Verge Music Awards
(29 June 2009)
XM Canada is sponsoring the second annual Verge Music Awards. The awards present $25,000 to winners of Album of the Year and $25,000 to Artist of the Year as voted by Canadians. "The Verge Music Awards are about celebrating and helping elevate the careers of Canadian bands," says Jeff Leake, Director of Music Programming at XM Canada. "What's unique about our awards is that the fans are the ones that choose the winners."    more>>

Get ready for Sirius FM-5
(29 June 2009)
The latest Sirius satellite, the Sirius FM-5, is scheduled for launch this Wednesday, 1 July. The geostationary satellite is intended to improve redundancy, enhance coverage and provide "exceptional performance" according to the satcaster. Said to be one of the most powerful satellites ever constructed, the Sirius FM-5 is expected to have an end-of-life power capability of over 20 kilowats. The satellite is set for launch at 1:00 AM on 1 July from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It will be carried into space by a Proton launch vehicle utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design.     more>>

A Sirius Tribute to Jacko
(26 June 2009)
Sirius is featuring a varieity of tributes to the late Michael Jackson today, starting with a live program hosted by "80s on 8" host Rick Stacy this morning. "70s on 7" features on-air personality Magic Matt Alan with a special look at the life of Michael Jackson starting at noon. Former MTV VJs and Sirius hosts Alan Hunter and Nina Blackwood are hosting a Michael Jackson special on "80s on 8" starting tonight at 7:00 PM(ET).    more>>

A Sirius Rate Hike
(26 June 2009)
As previously reported (see RUsirius.com story dated 9 June), SiriusXM is ready to raise its monthly fees to compensate for the higher royalties the satcaster is now expected to pay for music. In a letter to subscribers, Sirius CEO Joe Zarella says, "Beginning on July 29, 2009, a 'U.S. Music Royalty Fee' of $1.98 per month for primary subscriptions and $.97 per month for multi-receiver subscriptions will be effective" the next time subscriptions are renewed. Royalties have risen steadily since 2007 when the Copyright Royalty Board established performance royalty rates for satellite radio.     more>>

XM raises cash.
(26 June 2009)
Former independent satcaster XM has announced that it is increasing its offer of four-year senior secured notes, from $350 million to $525.8 million. Approximately $500 million of the proceeds are being used to replace a $150 million second-lein credit with Liberty Media. The company had received a $530 million loan from Liberty Media in exchange for a 40% stake in Sirius and seats on the board.    more>>

Another HD Radio Marketing Venture
(26 June 2009)
The HD Radio Alliance is launching another marketing blitzkrieg this summer to educate listeners about the benefits of HD Radio. The new ads feature a "radio airwave explorer" discovering the beauty of the digital broadcasts with the tag line, "If you don't have an HD Radio, you're not hearing HD Radio." Says HD Radio Alliance President of Operations Diane Warren, "Broadcasers hit the airwaves with the new consumer ad campaign for HD Radio on Monday. It maintains the momentum built over the last few years educating consumers about the new free stations and the many HD Radio devices available in retail and in cars."    more>>

Get Sirius about the NBA Draft!
(25 June 2009)
As we approach tonight's NBA Draft, hoops junkies everywhere will be able to listen to all the action on SportingNews.com (Sirius channel 127). The show is hosted by Bob Berger and Joe McDonnell together with draft expert Chris Monter of Monter Draft News. The crew expect a call in from Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy after the team makes the first overall selection, currently expected to be Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. Coverage starts at 7:00 PN(ET).    more>>

Rosie gets Sirius.
(25 June 2009)
Forget The View. Former talk queen Rosie O'Donnell is getting Sirius with a new satellite radio show starting this fall. "Rosie Radio" is expected to feature her expert commentary on news and entertainment as well as the occasional guest. She was approached by the satcaster about the venture after she appeared on Howard Stern earlier this year. Says Rosie, "This is an exciting new adventure -- two hours of talk show entertainment without having to wear makeup. Perfection."    more>>

Old VWs get Sirius.
(25 June 2009)
If you're in the market for a used Volkswagen has Sirius got a deal for you! The satcaster and the automaker have announced a deal whereby purchasers of "Certified Pre-Loved" Volkswagens get an introductory 3-month trial offer of "Sirius Everything." Says Steve Cook, SiriusXM Vice President and General Manager, "The launch of this certified pre-owned program strengthens our shared commitment to give drivers the very best audio experience possible. Volkswagen's award-winning 'Certified Pre-Loved' program is part of our expanded offering of the best audio entertainment in certified pre-owned vehicles."    more>>

JVC takes the prize for HD Radio!
(25 June 2009)
JVC has been chosen for the "Best Buy" award by Consumers Digest for its KD-HDR50 HD Radio receiver. The award is given to products that offer value and merit special attention. "Consumer demand for HD Radio is growing and we are thrilled to be on the cutting edge of this emerging technology," said JVC Mobile Entertainment veep Bill Turner.    more>>

Are you the next Miss Howard TV?
(19 June 2009)
Want a chance to win over $2000 in prizes, a trip to New York, an interview with Howard Stern on Sirius and be the spokes-model for September on Howard TV? Just show up with pictures next Saturday, 27 June, at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas for "Artie's Party." The event will be telecast on Howard TV featuring contest judges Artie Lange and Ronnie "The Limo Driver" Mund. Says Howard TV executie producer Doug Z. Goodstein, "Las Vegas has always been an exciting city for us to produce great shows and specials. What better place to host our return but the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel. The Hard Rock pool has the perfect vibe to host our search for a new Miss Howard TV. We are expecting to find our hottest girl ever during this event simply because we know that Vegas girls are amazing!"     more>>

What's inside the Zune HD ?
(19 June 2009)
The new Zune HD (see RUsirius.com story dated 27 May) is powered by Nvidia's Tegra computing platform. The new Zune will have an HD Radio tuner, HD video out, a 480 by 272 pixel organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touchscreen display, Wi-Fi and a web browser. It will be the first Tegra-powered device when it finally reaches the marketplace some time this fall. Nvidia's Tegra is expected to give the Zune HD the ability to play high-definition video, a longer battery life and flash support.    more>>

HD Alert!
(18 June 2009)
HD Radio purveyor iBiquity is apparently working with two communications-infrastructure providers to expand the capabilities of the Emergency Alert System. Sage Alerting Systems prez Howard Price said that one planned enhancement would be to automatically turn on an HD Radio tuner and tune it to an Emergency Alert station when an emergency signal is broadcast. Emergency Alert text displays are apparently also planned.     more>>

Where's Stern?
(18 June 2009)
As most Sirius listeners know, SiriusXM programming is now available for the iPhone and iPod. What many may not know is that apparently Howard Stern, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and NFL Football are not. According to the official press release, "Some select programming, including MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, Sirius NASCAR Radio, and Howard Stern, will not be available on the iPhone and iPod touch. Listeners will continue to be able to access that programming through the platforms they are currently offered on." Are they Sirius?    more>>

United at last!
(18 June 2009)
The deal to merge XM and Sirius finally completed on Tuesday. The new company is expected to trade under the stock symbol SIRI. But doubts linger as to the company's viability as the recession marches on. SiriusXM is expected to offer units that are capable of receiving both waveforms within nine months. The new satrads, unfortunately, are intended for installation in cars and the automotive industry is not doing particularly well in the current climate. In addition, automakers are generally slow to integrate new audio technology. And has anyone heard that the satcaster is $3.4 billion in debt?    more>>

Ready for Testing
(18 June 2009)
As the movement to HD Radio continues, radio engineers are constantly looking for a better way to test the quality of the digital signals as they propagate from transmitter to receiver. Anritsu finally has a better way. They're the first company to submit self-certification documents to the National Radio Systems Committee for compliance with the group's recommendations for measuring HD Radio signals. Says Anritsu's Vice President and General Manager Donn Mulder, "Anritsu continues to be at the forefront of the wireless test market. We offer the broadcast industry the test tools necessary to make a successful transition to high definition."    more>>

We take your call very Siriusly...
(17 June 2009)
It may not be something that comes to mind immediately when thinking about a particular business but contact centers make a difference. SiriusXM thought enough about them to improve how its contact centers are managed and to improve the satisfaction of agents and customers thanks to the Management Impact Program from Aspect and Touchpoint. "Contact center managers have a huge impact on customer satisfaction -- from motivating the agents, to ensuring consistency, to directly addressing customer concerns. The Management Impact Program goes way beyond the surface of what most human resource certifications or traditional programs cover," said senior vendor manager for SiriusXM, George Kirby. We appreciate your patience...    more>>

Artie sounds off with Joe Buck.
(17 June 2009)
In a story that has the potential to improve Howard Stern's ratings on SiriusXM, "King of all Media" sidekick Artie Lange unleashed a barage of obscene and homophobic jokes on this week's premiere of Joe Buck Live on HBO. After referring to Jessica Simpson as a "fat chick," Lange was thanked by Buck for putting his show to an end after only one episode. Guest Michael Irvin joked, "It's refreshing to see white-on-white crime." "Do I think it went too far? Yes," said Buck. "Will he be back? If it's up to me, no. But again it's live TV man."    more>>

The Big Decline
(16 June 2009)
Radio advertising revenue is continuing to decline at the expense of satelite radio and out-of-home media such as billboards. That's the word from PricewaterhouseCoopers, whose media outlook was released today. All three sectors are expected to decline as the recession continues. U.S. terrestrial radio is expected to decline by a 4.7 percent compound annual rate. Advertising revenue for satellite radio is expected to double from $100 million in 2008 to $230 million in 2013. Subscription revenue is also expected to grow at an 8 percent compound annual rate.    more>>

A Real-Ota
(16 June 2009)
Toyota's getting Sirius. The satcaster has announced that XM satellite radio service would be available as factory-equipped standard equipment on 2010 Camry vehicles with premium audio. XM is also being offered on many other Toyota vehicles throughout 2009. "The increased availability of XM services on the 2010 Camry is testament to our relationship with Toyota," said SiriusXM Prez for Operations and Sales Mim Meyer. "We are thrilled that Camry buyers will now be able to experience commercial-free music from every genre, plus sports, news, talk and entertainment, as well as 'The Best of Sirius.'"    more>>

Siriusly North by Northeast
(16 June 2009)
Sirius has announced that it would be broadcasting live from this year's North by Northeast (NXNE) festival in Toronto. Sirius Canada's CBC Radio 3 (Sirius 86) and Iceberg 85 will be carrying the event live with CBC 3 present live at the XNXE Hub at the Hyatt Regency hotel. The big event occurs on 19 and 20 June and featurews Canadian indie artists In-flight Safety, The Cliks, Wintersleep, Woodpigeon, DD/MM/YYYY, Ruby Coast, Jason Collett, Hot Panda and Lovely Feathers. Said Andy McLean, NXNE's Managing Director, "We are delivering the largest NXNE ever and everyone is thrilled to have Sirius as the festival's top All Access Level sponsor."    more>>

Going Digital in Korea
(16 June 2009)
Forget the nukes! South Korea is researching HD Radio, with Broadcast Electronics supplying the gear for testing by the country's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute. BE President Joseph Roark said the company was honored to be selected as what he called "the standard bearer for HD Radio technology in Korea."     more>>

Siriusly Honored
(15 June 2009)
Sirius took second honors in this year's New York Festival's Radio Programming and Promotion Awards. The Grand Jury for the event selected 166 entries from 18 countries as Finalists in the first round. Top honors went to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, which had 14 Finalists. Sirius had 8. Commenting on the event, Leslie Rasimas, Executive Director of New York Festival's Radio Programming and Promotion Awards, said, "Each year we contiunue to receive work that sets the bar higher in the radio industry. This year's Finalists represent the best work. The competition received more entries than any previous year. Our jury continues to grow by representing more countries where radio is relevant. These Finalists stand out for their superior work and should be recognized worldwide for their craft."    more>>

WHFS returns in HD!
(12 June 2009)
All the new Government employees moving to Washington D.C. (because that's where the jobs are) may want to consider listening to WHFS, a major alternative rocker from the 1970s that is returning as the HD2 subchannel of WTGB on 94.7 MHz. Originally based in Bethesda, MD, WHFS had personalities like Cerphe Colwell, a current WTGB broadcaster who hosted the debut. Those who would rather look for a job somewhere other than the D.C. area can still tune in to the WHFS website. HD Radio purveyor iBiquity notes that WHFS is not the only station being "reborn" in HD. Others include WNEW in New York (WWFS at 102.7-2), KSHE-2 in St. Louis, K-ROCK-2 in L.A. and WBCN in Boston.     more>>

Is Stern leaving?
(12 June 2009)
Despite his claim to having up to 20 million listeners on SiriusXM (the actual numbers indicate an audience of less than a million per week), Howard Stern is apparently considering leaving satellite radio and returning to the terresrial airwaves. Bay Area media commentator Rich Lieberman says that Stern's deal with the satcaster is nearing expiration and "the novelty of satellite radio has waned considerably." If he were to return from space, Liberman predicts that the "King of all Media" would work with a major syndicator such as Talk Radio Network or Dial-Global. He predicts that this will happen some time next year.    more>>

BlackBerry scores!
(11 June 2009)
Score Media has announced the launch of ScoreMobile for BlackBerry. The new app provides up-to-the-minute sports scores and stats from TheScore, as well as blogs, previews and recaps. "With an average 10 million page views per month we've been very successful connecting with sports fans," says Mobile Score Director Dale Fallon. "This application has been built from the ground up for BlackBerry smartphones and we are delighted to be bringing the unique ScoreMobile experience to the BlackBerry community." The application is free, sponsored by Budweiser.    more>>

Le Mans is Sirius!
(11 June 2009)
Forget American Le Mans on Sirius (see RUsirius.com story dated 23 March). The satcaster has the real thing, live from Le Mans, France this weekend. The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans is being carried live starting at 9:00 AM(ET) on Saturday, 13 June on Radio LeMans (Sirius 113, XM 126). "The 24 Hours is truly a one-of-a-kind event, testing both the high performance technology of the race and the endurance of the drivers and their teams," says SiriusXM Chief Content Officer Scott Greenstein. "With satellite radio, Sirius and XM listeners have the benefit of being able to hear every minute of the race anywhere, at home or on the go."     more>>

Volkswagen gets connected!
(10 June 2009)
Volkswagen is joining Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep in getting connected to the Internet via Autonet. A Wi-Fi hot spot can now be purchased for the Volkswagen Routan for $514 plus a $29 monthly fee. Says Autonet Mobile CEO Sterling Pratz, "Now the Routan can come with Internet radio, Facebook and YouTube. That's what people jump on. YouTube is replacing DVD, and Internet radio is replacing satellite radio, and [the car companies] know that. And they also know that IM and chatting are also important in the car." Autonet uses an EV-DO cellular connection, so it's only avaliable in areas with 3G cellphone coverage.    more>>

WorldSpace plan for WorldWide distribution scotched.
(10 June 2009)
Ailing international satcaster WorldSpace seems to have had a good idea. Generate additional revenue by distributing the satellite content it delivers to India throughout the world via the Internet. Unfortunately, the scheme just wouldn't flush with the Indian Government, specifically the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. The FIPB says that WorldSpace's plan constitutes a business-to-consumer activity that requires separate permission. So all the happy Indian ex-pats living everywhere from Adelaide to Hoboken will have to wait just a little longer before they can hear those Bollywood film scores.     more>>

Are we really ready for Dots Radio?
(10 June 2009)
Women's retailer Dots is apparently launching Dots Web Radio, an Internet version of the music heard in their retail stores. The venture is being launched in collaboration with PlayNetwork, currently the manager of XM for Business and other activities. Says Dots prez Rick Bunka, "Since 2007, PlayNetwork has been a vital partner in developing our in-store experience, catering our music mixes to what she likes. We wanted to offer our digital customers a playlist that she can listen live, 24-7 to the hottest pop and dance mixes that are topping today's music charts."    more>>

They don't always like technology, but when they do, they prefer radio.
(9 June 2009)
A recent survey conducted in Canada has allowed BBM Analytics to release its latest top ten consumer trends in media technology. They are 10: Internet video, 9: Internet TV, 8: iPods etc., 7: Podcasting, 6: HDTV screens, 5: HDTV receivers, 4: Digital TV, 3: iPhones, 2: PVRs and 1: Radio! Despite all the hype, most consumers just like the convenience of conventional radio. There is no indication as to whether or not this includes HD Radio.    more>>

Satellite radio may be assisting the demise of print media.
(9 June 2009)
Thanks to innovations like satellite radio, consumers are paying less attention to traditional advertising. Consequently, businesses are turning more and more to the Internet to get their message out. Internet advertising for consumer packaged goods experienced a growth rate of 14.4% last year despite an overall weak economy. According to Andrew Robinson, chairman of the Grocery Shopping Network, "By captivating and engaging their clients through interactive media, grocery retail operators are increasing the transparency of their inventory and the effectiveness of their web based advertising platforms."    more>>

R they Sirius?
(9 June 2009)
Rumors are spreading that SiriusXM is ready to crank up the rates. The reported increase is apparently due to a recent rise in music royalties. According to the merger agreement with the Federal Communications Commission, new fees can be passed along to subscribers as of 29 July of this year. According to a document leaked on the Internet, "The FCC decision approving the merger between Sirius and XM allows the company to pass through to subscribers any federally mandated increases in music royalties that we must pay, since March 20, 2007. The FCC decision allows us to pass through this fee increase to our subscribers and the company has chosen to do this with the U.S. Music Royalty Fee." You have been warned!    more>>

The Calder Cup gets Sirius.
(6 June 2009)
For those of you who are hockey fans, real hockey fans, SiriusXM is carrying action from the Calder Cup finals of the American Hockey League. This year's event features the Manitoba Moose (Vancouver Canucks system) and the Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals system). The games featured this year are Manitoba at Hershey (game 4 tomorrow at 5:00 ET), Hershey at Manitoba (game 6 if necessary at 8:30 ET) and Hershey at Manitoba (game 7 if necessary at 8:30 ET). All the games are on NHL Home Ice (XM 204, Sirius 208).    more>>

Consumers want more gadgets in their cars.
(5 June 2009)
A recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates indicates that consumers looking for a new car in the next six months want more entertainment and connectivity features. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they would like to be able to listen to a portable digital music player and 27% said they wanted a smartphone. Satellite radio was fifth overall in the the rankings of what drivers want. HD Radio came in at the number seven spot. The number of consumers who responded to the April survey was 20,000, about the same number who can currently afford to buy a new car.    more>>

Are A La Carte satrads here?
(5 June 2009)
Remember when Sirius and XM were merging and one of the conditions was that so-called "a la carte" programming be available? Apparently it's finally here. Based on information from a recently filed patent by SiriusXM "a subscriber to a first satellite radio service can be provided with an option to receive, over their current receiver unit, supplemental content, such as a particular show or channel, which is otherwise only available within a relevant jurisdiction as part of a subscription package to subscribers to one or more other satellite radio services." In other words, a la cartte programmimng choices.    more>>

Getting Sirius with Ed Rollins
(5 June 2009)
Veteran commentator and former political hack Ed Rollins is going to be hosting an exclusive limited engagement series of shows on P.O.T.U.S. (Sirius 110, XM 130). The Ed Rollins Show premieres on 7 June at 1:00 PM(ET) and runs through 28 June every Sunday. The show features Rollins and guests talking through the most current political strategies with some insights from his years as a political insider.    more>>

Is the Performance Rights Act dead?
(4 June 2009)
The Performance Rights Act (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 May) appears to have been effectively defeated thanks to the successful lobbying efforts of the National Association of Broadcasters. The legislation, were it to have become law, would have required terrestrial broadcasters to pay royalties to performers as well as to the composers and arrangers of songs played on the radio. Such royalties are currently paid by satellite and Internet radio operators. As of yesterday, there are 218 members of the House of Representativers who are opposed to the bill. This is the number required to block legislation. Nevertheless, the NAB is still fighting for even more opposition. "If we can demonstrate an even greater number of supporters for our side, it sends a very powerful message to House leadership that it would be a mistake to try to bring this bill up for a full floor vote," says Dennis Wharton, NAB executive vice president of media relations.    more>>

It's official. CruiseCast is here.
(3 June 2009)
AT&T has finally confirmed what has previously been reported about its new CruiseCast service (see RUsirius.com story dated 22 May). It's here! The in-vehicle satellite television service developed in collaboration with RaySat will be available from authorized installers and aftermarket retail outlets for $1,299 and a monthly subscription fee of $28. So when the kids ask "Are we there yet?" you can finally say "Just shut up and watch TV."    more>>

DJ Skee gets more Sirius
(3 June 2009)
Popular Los Angeles-based hip hop host DJ Skee is launching Skeetox, a new SiriusXM show starting on 6 June. His current program, "Live from LA," is moving to Tuesday nights starting 2 June to make room for the new venture. "I am excited to be expanding my visibility with XM/Sirius," says Skee. "Skeetox will be the perfect companion to listeners on Saturday nights -- whether you are partying at home or getting ready to go out, Skeetox will bering the energy needed with new music for all listeners." Both shows are 2 hours long and will space on Hip Hop Nation (Sirius 40, XM 67) at 10:00 PM(ET).    more>>

Animal Radio Pet-Adoption Tour on XM
(3 June 2009)
Animal Radio, heard on XM 158, is kicking off the North Shore Animal League (NSAL) nationwide adoption tour on 6 June. The tour starts in Pico Rivera, CA and proceeds along the length of historic Route 66, 2000 miles all the way through Barstow, Kingman, Winona, Flagstaff, Gallup, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Joplin and St. Louis. The kick-off show features Animal Radio correspondent Susan Sims and starts on 6 June at 1:00 PM(ET). She returns throughout the tour with weekly updates.    more>>

Steve Earle on Sirius
(3 June 2009)
He's apparently gone pretty far with twenty-seven dollars and a cheap guitar. Steve Earle is now launching a second season of "The Steve Earle Show: Hardcore Troubadour Radio" on SiriusXM. The new season starts on 6 June at 9:00 PM(ET) on Outlaw Country (Sirius 63, XM 12). The first show features a tribute to Earle's friend and mentor Townes Van Zandt and includes tracks from Earle's new album Townes. Included in the show are covers of Townes Van Zandt songs by Lyle Lovett, Cowboy Junkies, Gillian Welch, Robert Earl Keen, and Emmylou Harris.    more>>

Yucking it up with XM Canada
(1 June 2009)
Think you'd like to join the ranks of Martin Short, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis, Jim Carrey or Norm MacDonald? XM Canada is presenting Canada's Next Top Comic, a nationwide contest starting today to give some lucky fool a chance to perform live at Global ComedyFest Vancouver. "We Canadians aren't just 'nice,' we're funny; really funny." says XM Program Director, Comedy, Richard Maxwell. "We've got a great talent pool in Canada and XM's nationwide contest gives every Canadian the opportunity to show just that; whether they are amateur comedians or Regular Joe's or Jane's looking for their big break."    more>>