News Articles From Days Gone By

Elettronika is sirius about HD Radio.
(31 May 2008)
The Italian electronics manufacturer has signed a licensing agreement with iBiquity to develop and market AM and FM HD Radio exciters for broadcasters. Italy joins the HD Radio club of nations, a group that includes Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, INdonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand and the Philippines.     more>>


The Italian electronics manufacturer has signed a licensing agreement with iBiquity to develop and market AM and FM HD Radio exciters for broadcasters.
(31 May 2008)
Italy joins the HD Radio club of nations, a group that includes Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, INdonesia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand and the Philippines. Eddie Money is a rock 'n' roll animal. He joins actor Ed Begley Jr. for this weekend's Animal Radio on XM. "God created animals to keep us company," says Money, "and now I gotta replace a $2000 rug the dog went on." Animal Radio can be heard on XM channel 158 today at noon and tomorrow at 9:00 AM(ET).     

Pioneer doesn't want to be told what to do.
(30 May 2008)
The manufacturer of the popular XM Inno (see RUsirius.com story dated 12 December 2007) is against iBiquity's request that the Federal Communications Commission force HD Radio capabilities on satrads as part of a Sirius/XM merger (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 March 2008). Says a statement by Pioneer, "The iBiquity conditions would limit the breadth of radio product offerings to consumers, limit which radio suppliers' products be designed into radios, have the effect of decreasing AM/FM tuning performance, unnecessarily increase costs to consumers uninterested in HD Radio and interfere with the useful and healthy free market mechanisms extant in radio electronics purchases."     more>>

The manufacturer of the popular XM Inno (see RUsirius.com story dated 12 December 2007) is against iBiquity's request that the Federal Communications Commission force HD Radio capabilities on satrads as part of a Sirius/XM merger (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 March 2008).
(30 May 2008)
Says a statement by Pioneer, "The iBiquity conditions would limit the breadth of radio product offerings to consumers, limit which radio suppliers' products be designed into radios, have the effect of decreasing AM/FM tuning performance, unnecessarily increase costs to consumers uninterested in HD Radio and interfere with the useful and healthy free market mechanisms extant in radio electronics purchases." It's time for Sirius futbol! The satcaster has announced that it will be the exclusive satellite radio broadcaster of the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, with spacecasts in both Spanish and English. The festivities start on Saturday, 7 June with live play-by-play of Switzerland vs. Czech Republic at 12:00 PM(ET) on Sirius channel 121. The Spanish version is on Sirius channel 181. Says Scott Greenstein, Sirius' President, Entertainment and Sports, "Euro 2008 is a very exciting addition to Sirius' extensive slate of soccer programming, which already features the English Premier League, Champions League, every Clelsea FC match and Celtic FC matches from the Scottish Premier League."     more>>

Can't receive HD Radio with your new Polk system?
(29 May 2008)
Maybe it's the system, according to Richard Menta of MP3newswire . Menta says that despite cries from HD Radio execs for more transmitter power (see RUsirius.com story dated 22 May) the real problem is in the receivers. The new units made by Polk Audio and other high-end manufacturers just don't perform as well as older, non-HD radios. That's why, says Menta, they have a hard time deciphering the digital signal.     more>>

The Two Koreas are XM-rated.
(29 May 2008)
The Toronto rockers are making their recent XM sessions recorded at The Verge in Toronto available in stores through Unfamiliar Records on 12 June. It's being released both digitally and on vinyl.     more>>

C3SR is still sirius.
(28 May 2008)
The Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 2 October 2007) has filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission calling the proposed marriage of Sirius and XM an anticompetitive merger to monopoly that would harm consumers. C3SR has opposed the merger in previous filings but is now urging the public to participate by filing comments.     more>>

Finally, a gadget for confusing times.
(28 May 2008)
The Azentek Atlas CPC-1000 is a fully integrated in-car multimedia PC. The "Best Aftermarket Device" award winner at the 6th Annual Telematics Awards gives users AM/FM, satellite and HD radio. It also includes GPS navigation, WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities and accepts CDs, DVDs,and MP3 players. Based on the IntelT architecture with a Core Duo processor, it runs Vista and provides computing capabilities. It's rumored that the next version will actually drive the car or at least hang up the cell phone if the driver encounters traffic.     more>>

Calls for restrictions keep coming.
(28 May 2008)
As the Federal Communications Commission nears its final ruling on the merger of Sirius and XM, U.S. Electronics is asking that an "open device" condition be imposed. "We believe that this condition will benefit consumers by allowing openness, competition, and innovation in the design, manufacture, and distribution of satellite radio hardware," said U.S. Electronics spokeswoman Kathy Wallman.     more>>

A new HD Radio may be on the way.
(27 May 2008)
iBiquity has announced the release of new chipsets that are expected to make possible the development of low-power, low-cost HD Radio designs. Says iBiquity prez Bob Struble, "These next generation chipsets, modules and software development kits from Samsung and other major technology companies will enable a much wider range of low cost radio receivers in new form factors, with new features."     more>>

Maybe they should go to Warren Buffett.
(26 May 2008)
XM has warned in a regulatory filing that its financial position may be threatened if it cannot come up with $120 million to satisfy the boys of summer. The satcaster is required to set aside the big bucks in an escrow account as part of its eight-year contract with Major League Baseball to space scores, highlights and game coverage. In the filing XM said, "We are continuing to have discussions with MLB about this escrow and related matters, and there may be further developments." There has been no word as to whether XM has solicited financial support from Alex Rodriguez.     more>>

The Canadian Government is still sirius about satellite radio.
(25 May 2008)
The federal cabinet has upheld a recent decision by the CRTC to issue two new satellite radio licenses to the CBC, partnered with Sirius and CSR, partnered with XM. The deal includes a requirement that all applicants include more Canadian and French-language content.     more>>

Is the FCC finally sirius?
(24 May 2008)
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin says that the group may be ready to reach a decision on the proposed merger between Sirius and XM by the end of June. The item, however, is not on the agenda for the commission's monthly meeting on 12 June.     more>>

Clear Channel has been doing some sirius lobbying this year.
(24 May 2008)
As part of an effort to defeat the proposed merger between Sirius and XM the terrestrial radio giant has spent more than $760k so far this year. In the first quarter, Clear Channel has lobbied Congress and the Federal Communications commission according to the form filed 21 April with House clerk's office.     more>>

HD Radio may be getting a boost in 2008.
(23 May 2008)
That's the word from consumer electronics stores and mobile electronics specialists who say that sales have been picking up and will like get a boost from a more affordable product selection and the launch of iTunes Tagging. Says iBiquity retail business development veep Bernie Sapienza, "We always had a vision it was about the additional applications it would bring, but out of the gate, the only thing we could say was it sounds better."     more>>

Emmylou Harris loves animals.
(23 May 2008)
..and XM.The twelve time Grammy winner is on Animal Radio (channel 158) on XM this Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 May. "Animals, that's what I want to devote my life to now," says Emmylou. "Animals can teach us how to be better human beings."     more>>

Michael Schumacher is Sirius.
(23 May 2008)
And so are all his Forumla One buddies. The satcaster is entering into an agreement that will make Sirius the exclusive North American radio broadcaster for all Formula One races. The action starts this weekend with the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo on Sunday, 15 May at 8:00 AM(ET) on Sirius channel 125.     more>>

HD needs more power.
(22 May 2008)
That's the word from the National Association of Broadcasters with one engineer quipping that HD Radio "is dead" otherwise. At issue is the elevation of FM transmission power levels to provide more signal strength for the digital signals. A power increase of as little as 3 dB is said to be capable of permitting smaller antennas and improving the ability of the signal to penetrate buildings. HD digital signal power levels have conservatively set by the Federal Communications Commission to mitigate interference problems.     more>>

It's time to get Sirius about summer.
(22 May 2008)
The satcaster has a complete lineup of special programming for Memorial Day weekend to get everyone ready for the summer season. The big events include Neil Diamond "In Concert" (channel 3), "Em-orial Day" featuring Eminem (channel 45), a celebration of Nancy Sinatra's one-year anniversary on Sirius (channel 75), a Memorial Day of Jimmy Buffett concerts on Radio Margaritaville (channel 31), and a Bruce Springsteen concert marathon on E Street Radio (channel 10).     more>>

Kia's Sirius.
(21 May 2008)
..in Canada.The automaker has announced that it has signed a long-term exclusive agreement to make the satcaster's equipment a factory-installed option for Kia vehicles beginning this June. "This partnership with Sirius furthers Kia's commitment to offering vehicles that are exciting and enabling," said Jay Chung, president of Kia Canada.     more>>

Are you ready for some hockey?
(21 May 2008)
XM is. The satcaster is carrying three broadcasts of every game of this year's Stanley Cup Final between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins starting on 24 May at 8:00 PM(ET). Said NHL Radio Director Gregg Baldinger, "The NHL is proud to partner with XM to deliver for hockey fans three unique radio broadcasts of each game of this year's compelling Stanley Cup Final." The NHL broadcast is being spaced on XM Channel 204. The home team broadcast is being featured on channel 205 and the away team broadcast on channel 206.     more>>

Mexico is going HD.
(21 May 2008)
The Federal Telecommunications Commission (CoFeTel) announced that it is authorizing radio stations within 200 miles from its border with the United States to begin transmitting in the new format. The move makes sense given that Radiorama of Nogales has already purchased 13 HD transmitters for installation in cities along he border (see RUsirius.com story dated 6 October 2007). Said iBiquity prez Bob Struble, "We're deeply grateful to the Mexican broadcasting industry for its decision to join the HD Radio phenomenon."     more>>

Lee Kalt is XM-rated this Memorial Day.
(21 May 2008)
The famed House Music DJ is being spaced by the satcaster live from Miami this Saturday, 24 May in between performances at the Luxor and the Venetian in Las Vegas on 23 May and 25 May respectively. Those who can't be in either Miami or Las Vegas this weekend can check out HouseMusicTV.com . It features Kalt's music videos created for individual songs.     more>>

You've heard him on XM, now hear him on your phone.
(20 May 2008)
Austin Hill , frequently heard on XM's POTUS'08, is producing an a-political, non-partisan, sixty-second daily feature for Foneshow , the leader in short-form audio content for mobile phones. "I look forward to leveraging Foneshow's short-form audio format to deliver some fun, witty non-partisan election commentary throughout the summer to their targeted distribution network," said Hill. "Austin Hill's Campaign Update 2008" debuts today and runs through Election Day.     more>>

CBS Radio is still alive and kicking.
(19 May 2008)
So says Dan Mason, CBS Radio Chief Executive, during a whirlwind tour of Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, New York and other venues. Mason is promoting his business, saying he is ready to rebut any claims it's not capable of withstanding satellite radio, iPods or a soft economy (see RUsirius.com story dated 6 May). "We were asking our advertisers to rethink how they think about radio and of course it gave us an opportunity to present our whole digital presence," said Mason.     more>>

XM is still rolling with NavTraffic.
(19 May 2008)
The satcaster plans to offer the feature in 40 vehicle models for 2009. In addition, XM is launching an advertising blitzkrieg with the tagline "Get There Faster" to get consumers ready to buy. NavTraffic is going to be available with the purchase of GM, Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti and Toyota vehicles.     more>>

WorldSpace may want to reconsider its India policies.
(19 May 2008)
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has finally moved into the consultation phase of its plan to raise the cap on foreign investment in satellite radio to 74 percent (see RUsirius.com story dated 19 March 2008). The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had suggested the consultation process after requesting modifications in the original TRAI plans. more>>

WorldSpace is finally sirius.
(16 May 2008)
The international satcaster has announced its results for the first quarter ending on 31 March 2008. WorldSpace ended the quarter with 171,470 subscribers, a loss of 2,696 resulting from the planned cessation of marketing efforts in India and the company's efforts to build a listener community in Europe. Said WorldSpace boss Noah Samara, "I am pleased with the accelerated progress we are making in Europe and believe these achievements are adding substantial value for our shareholders."     more>>

Lou Reed gets Sirius.
(16 May 2008)
The satcaster has awarded the rock 'n' roll animal his own weekly radio show. "Lou Reed's New York Shuffle" premieres this Sunday, 18 May 2008. Says Lou, "I've always been a fan of eclectic radio, such as FM radio in the past when you could hear stations play widely divergent music, ranging from rock to country to jazz to opera. I loved the days when the DJs who did their own programming set the bar high. I learned from these DJs and it's a delight, with my friend Hal Willner, to do this type of radio today on Sirius." Fans can take a walk on the wild side with Lou on Sirius Disorder (channel 70).     more>>

Play ball!
(16 May 2008)
The folks at XM are expanding their college baseball programming to more than 70 regular-season and tournament games including every game of the Big 12 baseball championship. "The popularity of college baseball is at an all-time high, and fans all over the country can hear their schools on XM," says Kevin Straley, XM senior veep for news. sports and talk programming.     more>>

Start your engines, put out the green flag and find Jim Nabors.
(16 May 2008)
It's time for the Indianapolis 500 on XM. The satcaster is providing extensive coverage of the 92nd running of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" on 25 May live from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race is being spaced on IndyCar Series Racing (channel 145) starting at 1:00 PM(ET).     more>>

iBiquity is making friends in China.
(15 May 2008)
The HD Radio purveyor has conducted an "HD Radio Business Conference and Technology Training" session in Shenzhen in conjunction with this week's Hong Kong Electronics Fair. There were over 300 attendees representing consumer electronics firms in an event featuring suppliers, manufacturers and platform designers. Said iBiquity COO Jeff Jury, "Our goal is to bring together the range of companies that build HD Radio products, from design through receiver manufacturing."     more>>

Dolly's siriusly upset with Howard Stern.
(15 May 2008)
And she may sue Sirius over it. "King of All Media" Howard Stern recently conducted a new gag in which he cut up and edited Dolly Parton's new audio book to make it sound as if she were making inappropriate, vulgar and racist remarks. Said Dolly of the incident, "I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me. In a blue million years, I would never have such vulgar things come out of my mouth. They have done editing or some sort of trickery to make this horrible, horrible thing." Stern has pulled the same prank on William Shatner, Oprah Winfrey and George Takei, among others.     more>>

HD Radio is siriusly competing with the satcasters.
(14 May 2008)
The HD Digital Radio Alliance has announced that member companies will launch the second generation of HD2 programming. Said Alliance prez Peter Ferrara, "The Alliance members and many other engaged broadcasters know it's up to them to drive and deliver excellent programming on their HD2 and HD3 stations. It's also imperative that broadcasters market that programming to listeners." The new programming includes local and unsigned acts in formats similar to "iChannel," Local 107-Local Artists," and "Rock Independent Radio."     more>>

Subaru is Sirius in Canada.
(14 May 2008)
The automaker has announced that it would feature the satcaster's equipment exclusively on Canadian Legacy Outback and Impreza models. Said Mark Redmond, President and CEO, Sirius Canada, "Subaru's decision to offer Sirius exclusively in the majority of its vehicles in Canada underscores Sirius' superior content, broadcast coverage and business success to-date."     more>>

Sirius is not as sirius.
(13 May 2008)
At least not when it comes to financial losses. The satcaster reported a first-quarter net loss of $104.1 million, narrower than the loss of $144.7 million a year ago during the same period. Sirius reported that there are now 8.64 million happy listeners, 31% more than at the same time last year.     more>>

The 1972 New York Knicks are Sirius.
(13 May 2008)
Earl "The Pearl" Monroe and Willis Reed join former teammate and New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley for an exclusive interview at the NBA Store in Manhattan today at 1:00 PM(ET). The three NBA legends join MIke Yam and Mitch Lawrence, hosts of the daily NBA talk show Full Court Press, to discuss the exciting 1972-73 NBA season which culminated in the Knicks defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games to claim their second NBA title. The spacecast is on Sirius channel 127.     more>>

XM had some sirius things to say about its revenue .
(12 May 2008)
During the first quarter of 2008 the satcaster's revenue rose to $308 million, a 17 percent increase over that of the same period last year. In addition, XM increased its subscriber base by 18 percent to 9.33 million happy listeners. Said XM boss Nate Davis, "In first quarter 2008 we delivered the largest number of new customers from the automotive channel in XM's history, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of record OEM gross additions."     

Monday is for money.
(10 May 2008)
At least that''s the story for Sirius. The satcaster is joining rival and possible partner XM (see story below) in reporting its earnings on Monday, 12 May. The Sirius execs are prepared to open the books with interested parties during a conference call at 4:30 PM(ET). Anyone looking to hear some informative comments regarding the past, present and future of satellite radio should prepare to be disappointed.     more>>

Greater Media's Peter Smyth is sirius.
(9 May 2008)
He wants the merger between Sirius and XM to be stopped by the Federal Communications Commission. The merger, says Smyth, contradicts the FCC's policy of not allowing a single company to own more than a small number of radio stations in a given market. Says Smyth, "The Department of Justice's conclusion about the market in which XM and Sirius compete directly contradicts the FCC's recent decision when it decided not to relax its broadcast local ownership caps."     more>>

XM is sirius about money.
(8 May 2008)
The satcaster has scheduled a conference call for Monday, 12 May, at 11:30 AM(ET) to discuss its first quarter results. XM investors or those just interested in listening to some weak excuses can call (877) 265-5808. The call can also be accessed via the XM website.     more>>

Don't forget the blues.
(8 May 2008)
XM doesn't. The satcaster is carrying the Blues Music Awards tonight at 6:30 PM(ET) live from the Birthplace of the Blues, the Mississippi Delta. Says Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, "I can think of no better location to host the Blues Music Awards than the undisputed birthplace of the Blues, right here in the Mississippi Delta." The event takes place at Harrah's Casino Tunica in Tunica, Mississippi. It is being spaced on XM channel 74.     more>>

Satellite radio is getting a little more competition.
(8 May 2008)
Cliff Burnstein is jumping into the fray with a company called Primosphere (see RUsirius.com story dated 13 September 2007). Burnstein had been an original bidder when the Federal Communications Commission opened the bidding for digital radio but lost out to Sirius and XM. He's looking to compete by purchasing assets from existing communications satellites without having to launch any of his own. His plan is similar to that of Georgetown Partners (see RUsirius.com story dated 18 March).     more>>

The WORD is on XM.
(8 May 2008)
Popular top-40 station WORD in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is being revived as it was in the 1960s on the satcaster's Sonic Sound Salutes this Friday, 9 May. "We're going to create WORD exactly the way it sounded," said Terry "Motormouth" Young. The spacecast takes place on XM channel 6 at 4:00 PM(ET).     more>>

Harris is cool.
(7 May 2008)
The company, along with the National Association of Broadcasters and iBiquity, won a "Cool Stuff" award for its FlexStar HDE-200 Exporter (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 April). Designed to help minimize HD Radio technology implementation costs, the HDE-200 supports the delivery of multiple program streams over a single, dedicated connection.     more>>

XM is going on the road for kids.
(7 May 2008)
The satcaster has announced the second annual XMKiDS Traveling Roadshow cross-country initiative to help Wal-Mart raise $10 million for Children's Miracle Network. The show kicks off next Monday, 12 May, from Orange County, California. The XMKiDS on-air team, including "Absolutely Mindy," Kenny Curtis and Jinx, broadcasts a live show from Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on Friday, 23 May. Stops in between include Seattle, Denver, Chicago and Boston.     more>>

CBS Radio is taking on the satcasters.
(6 May 2008)
As part of a series of presentations, CBS Radio boss Dan Mason has revealed a new online media player. Saying broadcast radio "is not dead," Mason introduced Play It. It includes contextual ads, links to advertisers' sites and content from CBS stations. It also allows listeners to create their own, personalized custom stations.     more>>

Joe Madison is now completely XM-rated.
(6 May 2008)
The WOL talker is leaving the Washington station, the flagship station of Radio One, to join the satcaster's payroll. "Historically, Madison's show has been available on both XM and WOL/Radio One," said Radio One general manager Michelle Williams. "Talks between XM and Radio One to continue that arrangement are in the very early stages."     more>>

Get ready for some hockey!
(6 May 2008)
The American Hockey League and XM have announced that the satcaster will be carrying three games from the 20087 Calder Cup Playoffs. The action consists of Games 3 and 4 of the East Division Finals between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranon Penguins and the Philadelphia Phantoms, and Game 3 of the North Division Finals between the Toronto Marlies and the Syracuse Crunch. All games or on XM channel 204.     more>>

Terrestrial radio is siriusly searching for the next Howard Stern.
(4 May 2008)
The elusive quest for the next "King of All Media," however, has proven tougher than many radio execs thought it would be when they started. One thing's for certain. He's not Adam Carolla, Danny Bonaduce, David Lee Roth or Shane French.     more>>

Holly holy he's Sirius.
(3 May 2008)
Neil Diamond is hosting an exclusive music channel for two weeks on Sirius channel 3. "Neil Diamond Radio" features four decades of his music including a preview of songs from "Home Before Dark," his latest offering. A solitary man no     more>>

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
(2 May 2008)
That seems to be the attitude taken by two prominent Democrat members of Congress regarding the Federal Communications Commission's pending approval of the satellite radio merger. Reps. John Dingell, Mich., chairman of the House Commerce Committee, and Ed Markey, Mass., chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, told FCC Chairman Kevin Martin in a memo that price constraints should be followed should the deal be approved. They also said that device manufacturers should be allowed to incorporate other technologies, including HD Radio, into new satrads without interference from the satcasters. "It would be contrary to the public interest, for example, to permit the merged company to bar HD Radio chips or iPod compatibility" from being included in a new satellite radio device, "whether that device is freestanding or installed in an automobile," the memo to Martin stated.     more>>

It's time to get Sirius about Mom.
(2 May 2008)
The satcaster is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mother's Day with "Radio Mom," an exclusive channel beginning tomorrow and continuing through Mother's Day, 11 May. Sirius greetings and memories will be shared by Sirius hosts like Martha Stewart, Barbara Walters, Deepak Chopra, Richard Simmons, Jane Pratt, Jim Breuer and Mary O. Sirius listeners are also being encouraged to share their personal messages about their mothers by calling 877-33-SIRIUS. "Radio Mom" is being carried on Sirius channel 119.     more>>

Bill Bradley is Sirius about Jimmy Carter.
(2 May 2008)
The former senator interviews the former president on Sunday, 4 May at 9:30 AM(ET) on Sirius Stars (channel 102). In the interview, Carter shares his views on, among other topics, the Middle East, religion and the current Democrat primaries. Carter also hawks his new book, A Remarkable Mother, written about his late mother Lillian Carter. On why a lasting peace has never been forged in the Middle East, Carter has this to say in the interview, "The main reason is that no succeeding President has really made a major effort with any chance to succeed and of course the Israelis have got to have the United States making a major effort. I can't say that Bill Clinton didn't try but he didn't start until the last year of his term because of political consequences."     more>>

Not so fast!
(1 May 2008)
That's the word from Sirius and XM as they extend their merger deadline yet again, giving the Federal Communications Commission more time to decide whether or not to approve. The deadline had been extended on 1 March (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 March) to today. The second extension moves it to 15 May. Is this the final offer?     more>>