News Articles From Days Gone ByHyundai continues to be XM-rated.
(31 October 2007)
The automaker is continuing its XM rollout in the 2008 model year with the addition of the Tiburon, Accent and Tucson vehicles to its fleet of XM-equipped models. XM is also going to be a factory-installed standard feature on the 2009 Elantra Touring. XM has been a standard feature in the Azera, Elantra, Santa Fe, Sonata and Veracruz vehicles starting with the 2007 model year. Says XM''s executive vice president for automotive Steve Cook, "With the addition of the Accent, Tiburon and Tucson, approximately 95 percent of all new Hyundai vehicles will now come equipped with standard XM Satellite Radio." more>>
Garth Brooks is getting Sirius.
(31 October 2007)
The satcaster has announced that it is turning over the reins of Prime Country (channel 61) to the country star to celebrate the release of his new 3-disc set, The Ultimate Hits. "Garth Brooks Radio" will feature music with personal introductions by Garth, along with some of his favorite country acts. "Garth Brooks is an unparalleled, worldwide star and we are excited to have him take over an entire Sirius channel bringing his unique blend of creative energy and singular charisma to our airwaves" said Sirius President of Entertainment and Sports Scott Greenstein. more>>
Satrad and HD Radio enthusiasts alike should commend Sony for prominently featuring its Xplod system (see RUsirius.com story dated 25 September) at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association's ( SEMA ) annual trade show in Las Vegas.
(31 October 2007)
Said Sony's director of mobile electronics Mike Kahn, "Connectivity is the key trend this year. Consumers want to listen to their music their way. We are providing head units that offer those options at very attractive prices." more>>
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant are getting Sirius.
(31 October 2007)
The bluegrass legend and Led Zep front man are sitting down for an interview with Sirius host Meg Griffin to discuss, among other things, "Raising Sand," their new duets offering. They'll talk about how their mutual love for "roots music" made the new partnership possible. The album was produced by T Bone Burnett, and contains covers of The Everly Brothers , Tom Waits and the late Townes Van Zandt . The interview spaces on Disorder (channel 70) on Saturday, 3 November at 4 PM(ET) with replays on 4 November at 6 PM(ET) and Monday, 5 November at 2 PM(ET). more>>
Proving itself worthy of its name, Sirius reported a narrower third-quarter loss and a 50 percent increase in new subscribers for the latest reporting period.
(30 October 2007)
The satcaster reported a loss of $120.1 million or 8 cents per share for the three months ended 30 September compared with a loss of $162.9 million or 12 cents per share in the same period a year ago. Sirius also added 524,938 subscribers during the quarter to bring its total number of subscribers to 7.7 million. Sirius boss "Mellow Mel" Karmazin said in a statement that the company hopes to close its merger with rival XM by the end of the year, by which time it expects to have a total of 8 million subscribers.
Traditional country singer Elizabeth Cook kicks off a new weekly show on Sirius' Outlaw Country (channel 63) next month.
(30 October 2007)
Cook, who released "Balls," her fourth album produced by Rodney Crowell earlier this year, starts her gig from Nashville starting Friday, 2 November at 6 AM(ET). "Apron Strings" is a mix of music, recipes and household cleaning tips. more>>
The proposed merger between Sirius and XM has been picking up more support, this time from Members of the House of Representatives.
(30 October 2007)
In a letter sent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, eleven Members of Congress voiced support for the deal, stating that "the merger of Sirius and XM will create new opportunities for this type of diverse programing that has been overlooked by terrestrial-radio broadcasters. This merger will allow the companies to offer even more diverse content b consolidating programing and better utilizing capacity to offer even more unique and diverse programing to currently underserved populations." The letter was signed by Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Danny Davis (D-IL), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ralph Hall (R-TX), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Greg Meeks (D-NY), Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Edolphus Towns (D-NY). more>>
It's time to get Sirius about Halloween.
(30 October 2007)
The satcaster is presenting an all-day, all-night special on Broadway's Best (channel 77) featuring the cast members of The Phantom of the Opera to celebrate the year's scariest day. The festivities begin at 6 AM(ET) on 31 October hosted by cast members including the "Phantom," Howard McGillin and including moments from Little Shop of Horrors, Sunset Boulevard, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wicked and The Phantom of the Opera. more>>
It seems Europeans are anxious to participate in the HD Radio revolution.
(30 October 2007)
A group of broadcasters from the continent has formed the European HD Radio Alliance to promote and support the new digital format. Chairman Juerg Bachman of Switzerland's Energy Zurich commented, "With a number of countries in Europe testing or deploying HD Radio technology, we believe that now is the right time to form an organization to share our experiences and help coordinate our collective marketing efforts. We look forward to working together to raise awareness of HD Radio technology and its many benefits for European broadcasters and consumers."
WorldSpace may begin to encounter some resistance from the Indian government.
(29 October 2007)
Currently, foreign ownership of satellite radio is completely allowed but the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is considering imposing a cap of 49 percent. This could mean trouble for the international satcaster, which sees India as one of its major markets. Foreign ownership for Indian television news channels and newspapers is capped at 26 percent, FM radio at 20 percent. more>>
According to Arbitron (see story dated 24 October below) the popularity of programs on satellite radio mirrors the popularity of programs on terrestrial radio.
(29 October 2007)
The top two satellite radio channels are Howard Stern's two streams on Sirius, followed by XM's "The Blend," an adult contemporary format, Flight 26 (modern adult hits), Willie's Place (traditional country), Top Tracks (classic rock), Top 20 on 20 (top 40), 60s on 6 (60s oldies), The Virus (Opie & Anthony etc.) and Sirius' New Country.
International satcaster WorldSpace has decided to get sirius about its financial results.
(26 October 2007)
The company has announced that it expects to release them on Thursday, 8 November. At that time WorldSpace plans to host a conference call and webcast hosted by chairman and chief executive Noah A. Samara and chief financial officer Sridhar Ganesan. The call can be accessed at (866) 770-7129 using passcode 91730183 or via the WorldSpace website. more>>
A study conducted by Bridge Ratings in August (see RUsirius.com story dated 16 August) indicates that listeners are planning to spend less time with traditional radio and more time with other media such as satellite radio, and MP3 players.
(26 October 2007)
The study, conducted with a panel of 2,533 persons age 13 and above selected at random, indicates that 31 percent of satellite radio subscribers expect to be listening more, as do 22 percent of MP3 listeners. more>>
XM is currently offering free coverage of the California wildfires on Emergency Alert (channel 247).
(25 October 2007)
The channel is carrying the latest information from KOGO , San Diego and KFI , Los Angeles as well as from the Red Cross and AP Radio. The satcaster is also providing for free its 24-hour traffic and weather channels for the two stricken areas (channels 222 and 223). more>>
Although its operating loss was larger than expected, XM showed it was pretty sirius during the last quarter.
(25 October 2007)
The satcaster's revenue increased approximately 20 percent year over year to $287 million and the number of subscribers increased to 8.57 million. Said Nate Davis, president and chief executive officer, "During the third quarter, XM achieved year-over-year gains in both gross and net subscriber additions despite weakness at retail, driven primarily by a record number of new automotive subscribers. We're already seeing the early results of the ramp in production of XM-equipped vehicles, which will provide XM with sustained subscriber growth for 2008 and beyond."
Rural America is letting its voice be heard in favor of the planned Sirius/XM merger.
(25 October 2007)
In a joint letter to Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein five independent groups cited increased benefits for rural consumers including greater programing options and enhancements to rural information services. The organizations are the Federation of Southern Cooperatives , the League of Rural Voters , the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association , the Intertribal Agriculture Council and the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project . Said the letter, "This merger is clearly in the best interest of rural consumers because it would allow a combined company to expand upon its existing services with increased efficiencies, and at the same time provide rural listeners with more diverse programming and lower pricing." more>>
Apparently not content just to be the fastest growing technology company (see story below), Sirius is also the winner of the Fast 50 .
(24 October 2007)
The ranking of the fastest growing wireless companies is the result of a partnership between Deloitte & Touche USA LLP and CTIA . Said Deloitte vice chairman for U.S. technology Phil Asmundson, "Given the increasing influence of wireless technology on lifestyles and business models, the time is right to supplement Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 rankings with a stand-alone assessment of the wireless market. Our WIreless Fast 50 underscores the potential for both innovation and business performance in this evolving sector." Rounding out the top winners with the satcaster are SkyBitz , TeleNav , BTI Systems and Tira Wireless . more>>
Arbitron has released its 2007 spring estimates for satellite radio, breaking everything out channel by channel.
(24 October 2007)
XM led significantly overall in the survey, with 10.3 million compared to 6.6 million for SIrius. Howard Stern's channel tops out the list for Sirius with 1.2 million. XM's top is its Top-40-formatted "Top 20 on 20" with 1.1 million.
XM's Opie & Anthony have been dumped by terrestrial station WYSP.
(24 October 2007)
The station has announced that it would return to rock and just play music during the morning drive time hours. The syndicated and satcast program with Greg Hughes and Anthony Cumia had been tapped by the Philadelphia station to replace the lackluster David Lee Roth who had the unenviable task of replacing Howard Stern after he got Sirius. more>>
The station has announced that it would return to rock and just play music during the morning drive time hours.
(23 October 2007)
The syndicated and satcast program with Greg Hughes and Anthony Cumia had been tapped by the Philadelphia station to replace the lackluster David Lee Roth who had the unenviable task of replacing Howard Stern after he got Sirius. As John McEnroe would say, "You can't be Sirius!" The satcaster tops the list of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 as the fast growing technology company in North America. The award is based on percentage revenue growth over five years. Sirius reported a revenue growth rate during the years 2002 to 2006 of 79.06 percent. "We congratulate Sirius Satellite Radio and all of our Fast 500 winners on their tremendous growth during a time when globalization is creating an extremely competitive environment," said Phil Asmundson, vice chairman, U.S. Technology , Media and Telecommunications, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. This is the first appearance of Sirius on the Fast 500 ranking. more>>
Why is Bob Dylan like XM?
(23 October 2007)
Answer: They're both featured in Cadillacs. The music icon and now XM disk jockey is in television ads for the automaker that also feature a plug for the satcaster. Featured in the commercials is Dylan behind the wheel of a Cadillac driving across a remote desert listening to XM. He looks at the camera and says "What's life without taking a few detours"? Dylan is also steering his "Theme Time Radio Hour" show on XM toward a Cadillac theme next week. New episodes premiere Wednesdays at 11 AM(ET). more>>
If you enjoy boating and satellite radio but need regular reports to avoid icebergs Digital Antenna has just the thing for you.
(23 October 2007)
It's the DA-2330 antenna, optimized for use with satrads and weather radios. It's designed specifically for large boats with multiple staterooms or in situations where more than one receiver is installed. Said Joanne Johnson, Vice President of Operations at Digital Antenna, "As more boaters demand satellite radio and weather, it was clear that we needed to come up with a way to customize the installation." more>>
Evidence continues to build that HD Radio is here to stay.
(22 October 2007)
It now appears that HD Radio stations are responsible for 57.5 percent of all station revenues generated in nationwide markets in 2006. Said Mark Fratrik, vice president of the BIA Financial Network, "In many markets, the major radio stations have already made the commitment to this new technology and are well-suited once receivers are in the hands of consumers and are embraced through mass market penetration." The majority of HD Radio penetration into the marketplace appears to be occurring in the Northeast region. Detroit is in first place on the HD rankings. A 97.9 percent share of its revenue comes from HD. more>>
HD Radio continues to be of interest to Asian product manufacturers (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 October).
(20 October 2007)
so much so that iBiquity had to enlarge a recent seminar in Shenzhen, China to accommodate the larger than expected crowd. The event was held on the eve of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair for executives, product planners, design engineers and production managers. more>>
Like the chinook blowing in from the Rockies, HD Radio is blowing into Denver.
(19 October 2007)
The Mile High City leads he nation in rolling out the new medium according to an analysis prepared by the BIA Financial Network for Radio World and the HD Radio Scoreboard. Denver, Stockton, CA and Washington D.C. have the highest percentage of stations with HD Radio on the air. Others in the top ten include Tampa/St. Pete, Los Angeles and Miami. more>>
The Grand Ole Opry is finally making its debut on XM tomorrow night (see RUsirius.com story dated 27 September).
(19 October 2007)
The show features Tony Romo's rumored girlfriend Carrie Underwood, Country Music Award-nominated group Emerson Drive , Travis Tritt and Ronnie Milsap. The debut falls on the Opry's annual Birthday Bash Weekend and spaces at 7:30 PM(ET) on "Nashville" (XM 11). more>>
Lydia Criss is getting Sirius.
(19 October 2007)
The ex-wife of original Kiss drummer Peter Criss is featured on the satcaster's Maxim channel (Sirius 108) this Monday at 11:00 AM(ET) for a live interview about her book "Sealed with a Kiss." The book describes the history of Lydia and Peter's relationship and the band's rise to the top. Said Lydia of Kiss' beginnings, "It was a really wild time in New York and, well, in America, you know? It was the '60s, and it was Flower Power, and - what was it, 'the Summer of Love,' and you know, that's an exciting part of my life." more>>
General Motors continues to be XM-rated.
(18 October 2007)
The automaker has announced hat it is making the satcaster's equipment a standard feature on all 2008 model year Buick, Hummer and Saab vehicles. "XM Satellite Radio has been one of the most successful entertainment offerings ever launched by General Motors," said GM executive director Rick Lee. "The XM service has a broad appeal, with a growing number of our customers asking for the service in their new car or truck." more>>
The automaker has announced hat it is making the satcaster's equipment a standard feature on all 2008 model year Buick, Hummer and Saab vehicles.
(18 October 2007)
"XM Satellite Radio has been one of the most successful entertainment offerings ever launched by General Motors," said GM executive director Rick Lee. "The XM service has a broad appeal, with a growing number of our customers asking for the service in their new car or truck." Get ready for the "Stewies." Sirius and Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion have announced the "Stewie Awards," honoring the best, boldest and funniest moments of the 2007 NASCAR season. The awards will be presented on Thursday, 29 November at 6:00 PM(ET) during a special live spacecast of Tony Stewart Live (channel 128). Said Stewart, "After almost a year of doing Tony Stewart Live, we have been able to view the sport from a different perspective. And after being able to dissect all the events that have happened on and off the track, we've seen some pretty cool things and have come to appreciate all that goes into a race weekend." more>>
Both satcasters can finally start getting sirius about money.
(17 October 2007)
Sirius has announced that it plans to release its quarterly financial and operating results on 30 October 2007 . The satcaster plans to hold a conference at 8:00 AM(ET) on that date to discuss the results. Not to be outdone, XM is releasing its numbers a little earlier, on 25 October at 10:00 AM(ET). The financial results of both companies are being posted to their respective corporate websites. If the merger between Sirius and XM is finally approved, this is one of the last times they will be conducting separate financial reviews. more>>
Satellite and HD Radioheads who are into boating will be pleased to know that Sony is launching new marine head units, including its first splash-proof receiver.
(17 October 2007)
The company debuted the new unit and three new water and UV resistant receivers at the International Boatbuilders' Exhibition and Conference . Said Mike Kahn, director of mobile electronics at Sony, "Our line-up gives you choices for connecting digital music players or HD Radio and satellite radio adapters at an attractive price." The widely promoted unit is the CDX-H905IP. Ahoy! more>>
Get ready for more classwork, folks.
(17 October 2007)
iBiquity has re-launched its retail sales training web site at hdradiouniversity.com . HD Radio University, developed with Chalk Media Corp., is designed to educate retail sales people currently selling HD Radio products. Said iBiquity veep for retail business development Bernie Sapienza, "The sales staffs at more than 10,000 retail locations, including Best Buy, BJ's, Circuit City, Fry's, Pro Group members, RadioShack, Sharper Image, Wal-Mart and online at Crutchfield and Amazon.com, and many more, are crucial to the consumer experience of HD Radio broadcasting." more>>
Thanks to XM it's now possible to get a satrad that connects directly to any satellite-ready car stereo.
(16 October 2007)
The XM Direct 2 from Audiovox is a streamlined unit capable of working with both car stereos, XM-ready home audio products and XM2go portable radios. It's also programmable and should sell for $130 when it hits retailers today.
The HD Digital Radio Alliance marches forward.
(15 October 2007)
The group has renewed its charter with a commitment of $230 million in additional marketing funds for 2008. The renewed charter contains new elements designed to drive ongoing growth including a kickback to local outlets to raise awareness of their own HD2 content, local partnerships, events and promotions. The Alliance has also revised its ad-free policy to allow companies to monazite their HD2 stations on a limited basis, accepting "name-in-title" sponsorships and limited sponsor mentions per hour. more>>
The power behind "XM 169 The Power" (see RUsirius.com story dated 28 July 2007) is getting sirius about its ratings.
(15 October 2007)
Radio One, the largest broadcasting company largely targeting African-American and urban listeners has signed a five-year deal with Arbitron for ratings services. The service includes the use of Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings services in major markets. Said Radio One's chief executive officer Alfred C. Liggins III, "I commend Arbitron for its willingness to address the concerns expressed by urban broadcasters. I look forward to helping guide the process of enhancing the sampling of African-Americans in the PPM service in order to improve the utility of the PPM ratings for all broadcasters." more>>
After its stunning defeat of Colorado, Kansas State might be expecting its next game against Oklahoma State to be televised.
(15 October 2007)
It's not but it is still Sirius. The satcaster is spacing the game play-by-play this Saturday from Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma at 6:05 PM(CT). K-State fans, consider yourselves notified. more>>
Asia is getting sirius about HD Radio.
(14 October 2007)
iBiquity has been reporting that HD Radio manufacturing capacity on the continent has doubled in the past year, including modules and components to support features like iTunes Tagging (see RUsirius.com story dated 12 September 2007). In its announcement at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair iBiquity has said that increased demand for receivers "has resulted in a doubling of partner manufacturing capacity in Asia during the past year. Nearly 60 companies are licensed and certified to manufacture HD Radio modules, components, receivers and tuners." more>>
The National Association of Broadcasters wants the Federal Communications Commission to suspend its efforts to consider the merger between Sirius and XM.
(12 October 2007)
The stoppage of play is being requested apparently to permit the NAB to go through documents it said it is getting through a Freedom of Information Request filed in March. Oddly enough, the NAB's request was made on the same day that some Wall Street analysts predicted that the Department of Justice would eventually approve the deal and that the FCC would follow suit. A ruling is expected by the end of November. more>>
In its quest to merge with rival XM Sirius has had 80 attorneys submitting more than six million pages of documents during the three months it prepared its presentation to the Department of Justice.
(12 October 2007)
Said SIrius boss "Mellow Mel" Karmazin, "Our photo-copying bill alone was more than $1 million." Karmazin added, "Its been extensively time-consuming, frustrating and painful. But we're optimistic it will go through." more>>
The satellite radio business in Canada seems to be on track to surpass one million subscribers by the end of the year.
(12 October 2007)
Sirius Canada (see story below) and rival XM Canada have reported a combined 806,000 subscribers in the past month. Each company has a slightly different way of defining a paying customer, making direct comparisons difficult. more>>
International satcaster WorldSpace is turning to Accenture for application development strategies and maintenance services.
(11 October 2007)
Of interest are services that would help WorldSpace get its products and services to market quickly, increase operational efficiency, reduce operating costs and enhance revenue opportunities. WorldSpace Chief Information Officer Mike Berkley says the satcaster chose Accenture for their process-compliance, Oracle Billing and SAP application capabilities. more>>
Mark Thompson is getting Sirius.
(11 October 2007)
The African-American talk show pioneer is making his show, "Make it Plain" exclusive to the satcaster starting this fall. In the daily 3-hour show Thompson discusses political, social and economic issues from an African-American perspective and welcomes listeners to dial-in. Said Thompson, "At this hour of increased anxiety amongst America's diverse cultures, Sirius thoughtful decision to air 'Make It Plain' should leave no doubt about its commitment to informing and empowering all of its listeners." more>>
There are now more than half a million Sirius Canadians.
(11 October 2007)
Sirius Canada has announced that their number of subscribers has now reached 500,000, meaning that more than 200,000 customers have been added since February. "Achieving 500,000 subscribers in Canada in such a short time is a major milestone for our company and underscores the strength of Sirius' exclusive content," said Sirius Canada prez Mark Redmond. more>>
XM is getting sirius about portables.
(9 October 2007)
The satcaster has announced that it plans to introduce new portable radios next year and that it expects car buyers to account for more than 64 percent of new subscribers. New CEO Nate Davis said he expects his company to compete aggressively with rival Sirius should their proposed merger not be approved. Said Davis, "Our strategy will be that we need to partner with more people (such as) portable navigation devices and cell phone providers," more>>
The satcaster has announced that it plans to introduce new portable radios next year and that it expects car buyers to account for more than 64 percent of new subscribers.
(9 October 2007)
New CEO Nate Davis said he expects his company to compete aggressively with rival Sirius should their proposed merger not be approved. Said Davis, "Our strategy will be that we need to partner with more people (such as) portable navigation devices and cell phone providers," Bubba the Love Sponge performed a good deed. The Sirius radio personality formerly known as Todd Clem took a call last week from someone threatening suicide. He then managed to keep the suicidal man on the line for 40 minutes while the call was traced to a phone in South Punta Gorda Heights, Florida. A sheriff's deputy was able to find the man, who was held under the Baker Act, which allows those dangerous to themselves or others to be restrained. more>>
New CEO Nate Davis said he expects his company to compete aggressively with rival Sirius should their proposed merger not be approved.
(8 October 2007)
Said Davis, "Our strategy will be that we need to partner with more people (such as) portable navigation devices and cell phone providers," Bubba the Love Sponge performed a good deed. The Sirius radio personality formerly known as Todd Clem took a call last week from someone threatening suicide. He then managed to keep the suicidal man on the line for 40 minutes while the call was traced to a phone in South Punta Gorda Heights, Florida. A sheriff's deputy was able to find the man, who was held under the Baker Act, which allows those dangerous to themselves or others to be restrained. Sirius hip-hop queen Lady B is back in Philly. The BackSpin personality who helped bring old-school hip-hop to satellite radio in 2002 is now back on WRNB, Philadelphia, where she started. Wendy Clark, her real name, helped start the careers of Tuff Crew, Schooly D and Will "Fresh Prince" Smith on her former station, WUSL, before joining Grandmaster Flash and the Sirius hip-hoppers. "Lady B's lived and continues to live hip-hop. She walks it like she talks it," says Michael Coard, a Philadelphia lawyer who started a series of Hip Hop 101 classes at Temple. "She promotes the lets get together and have fun mentality of old-school hip-hop and the nonsexist and non-bling positive side of new jack hip-hop." more>>
RUsirius.
(8 October 2007)
com regrets to report the death of Sirius Heavy Metal DJ Tawn Mastrey after a long battle with hepatitis (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 July 2007).She died Tuesday at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. She had been the host of "Hair Nation" until she became too ill to work. "Tawn was a key figure in the heavy metal scene and was a DJ at influential hard rock and metal stations in Los Angeles, San Jose, Portland and Minneapolis," said the satcaster in a statement on its website. Tawn Mastrey was 53. more>>
com regrets to report the death of Sirius Heavy Metal DJ Tawn Mastrey after a long battle with hepatitis (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 July 2007).
(6 October 2007)
She died Tuesday at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. She had been the host of "Hair Nation" until she became too ill to work. "Tawn was a key figure in the heavy metal scene and was a DJ at influential hard rock and metal stations in Los Angeles, San Jose, Portland and Minneapolis," said the satcaster in a statement on its website. Tawn Mastrey was 53. In a move reminiscent of Wolfman Jack at XTRA Radiorama, of Nogales, Mexico, is purchasing 13 Natuel HD Radio transmitters for installation in cities along the Mexico-USA border. Said Natuel Prez Peter Conlon, "Radiorama has been a market leader in broadcasting for many years and has decided to boldly introduce this next phase in broadcast technology along the entire Mexico-USA border." more>>
In a further sign that the satellite radio merger is Sirius, the satcaster's stockholders have been summoned to a special meeting to consider and vote on the deal.
(5 October 2007)
The meeting takes place on Tuesday, 13 November 2007 at 9:00 AM(ET) at The Auditorium at the Equitable Center in New York. Sirius stockholders of record as of the close of business on 2 October are entitled to vote. more>>
Odd as it may seem, Byzantine is Sirius.
(5 October 2007)
The West Virginia based rockers debut their forthcoming recording "Oblivion Beckons" on the satcaster's "Hard Attack." Says vocalist Chris "OJ" Ojeda, "This is the very first Byzantine album in which all 4 members have contributed songs and to my ears, it makes for a much more varied and interesting album from start to finish." more>>
"iTunes Tagging" (see RUsirius.com story dated 12 September) is rapidly becoming a reality.
(4 October 2007)
CBS Radio , Cumulus Media , Cox Radio , Entercom Communications and Greater Media have announced that they are committed to the new technology. They are joining Clear Channel in installing iTunes as part of the HD Radio standard. Says Dan Mason, president of CBS Radio, "This announcement is proof positive that HD Radio technology is a significant advancement for the radio industry, one that will afford our listeners with greater access to the music they discover on our stations." more>>
George Washington is XM-Rated!
(4 October 2007)
George Washington University has been teaming with the satcaster in producing a program called "Politics: From the Nation's Capital" for "POTUS '08" (see RUsirius.com story dated 22 May 2007). Says Kevin Straley, senior veep of news, talk and sports programing at XM says of the venture, "GW has produced a wide variety of programing heard by XM listeners across the country, and we're very pleased to be working together on this latest project." The show spaces weekly for the next 18 months. more>>
He may not be Sirius but at least he's back.
(4 October 2007)
Don Imus is apparently close to finalizing a contract with Citadel Broadcasting to return his program to the airwaves, probably on WABC in New York. He'll be joined by newsman Charles McCord but possibly not the controversial Bernard McGuirk. Rumors had been circulating that the "I-Man" might be headed to satellite radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 13 August). more>>
Just how good are the chances that Sirius and XM will be allowed to merge?
(3 October 2007)
A lot can be learned simply by looking at the options activity in the financial markets, in particular the ratio of calls to puts for Sirius stock. During the past ten days, the International Securities Exchange has seen 34,512 Sirius calls purchased as opposed to just 758 puts. This makes the call/put ratio 45.53. What does it mean? Investors are pretty confident that the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice will eventually approve the merger. more>>
Citing something known as the "Horizontal Merger Guidelines" the Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio ("C3SR") has submitted a report against the proposed Sirius/XM merger to the Federal Communications Commission.
(2 October 2007)
The report , authored by antitrust expert J. Gregory Sidak of Georgetown University, is in response to a submission by Charles River Associates (CRA) that claims a satellite radio monopoly would not be harmful because of adequate competition from other sources. In contrast to the CRA study, the C3SR finding claims that the relevant product market is no larger than of satellite radio itself, in violation of the Clayton Act, which forbids mergers that may tend to lessen competition. more>>
XM is truckin'!
(2 October 2007)
.The satcaster is now featuring the 38-year-old Midnight Trucking Radio Network. The program, hosted by Eric Harley and Gary McNamara, features news and entertainment for truckers. Says Walter Kerner, General Manager, Vertical Markets for XM, "The Midnight Trucking Radio Network is the perfect compliment to the breadth of programming available to truckers on XM's Open Road. We're pleased to add this institution in trucking entertainment to our exclusive lineup, providing the up-to-the-minute information and news that keeps truckers running safely and efficiently down the highway." The program is being spaced from 1-6 AM(ET) seven days a week on Open Road (channel 171) starting 8 October. more>>
Add the Seattle Thunderbirds to the growing list of sports franchises turning to HD Radio for their play-by-play coverage (see RUsirius.com story dated 9 August 2007).
(2 October 2007)
The minor league hockey team expects to use the new medium to attract a larger audience that that available over their flagship station, KKNW in Seattle. Says Marc Kaye, Vice President and General Manager of Sandusky Radio Seattle, "We have just begun to release the potential of HD Radio and we are proud to be working with the Thunderbirds in uncovering one of these possibilities. The Thunderbirds games broadcast on KKINW 1150 AM AM will also, for the very first time, be rebroadcast on HD Radio." more>>
In a clear indication that HD Radio is not going away, the 1500th HD station is now on the air.
(1 October 2007)
The honor belongs to WROV in Roanoke, Virginia. Says David Carwild, the station's market manager, "We are very pleased to be a part of the future of HD Radio technology and at the forefront of Roanoke. HD Radio sound clarity and the ability to offer our listeners new music choices will certainly help propel the radio industry into the future." more>>
As promised by XM Canada Boss John Bitove (see RUsirius.com story dated 11 September), the XpressRC (see RUsirius.com story dated 14 August) is now available in Canada.
(1 October 2007)
Featuring a full color split screen display, 60 minute song buffer and a real-time programming guide, the unit is expected to be in stores this month. more>>
XM"s Cinemagic (channel 27) is apparently a big hit among movie buffs.
(1 October 2007)
Known for featuring film scores from a variety of diverse motion pictures, the channel has played themes such as "Star Wars," and "Gone With the Wind" as well as "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Black Hawk Down." Says composer Mark Isham of movie music, "Almost by definition, it is an accompaniment - part of something larger. Sometimes you're scoring for a film that's really busy and has a lot of dialogue or action going on. One of the challenges is to make that music strong enough to stand on its own." This is, more or less, what Cinemagic does. more>>
HD Radio is coming to Algeria.
(1 October 2007)
Harris Corporation has been awarded a $15 million contract to deploy two new radio transmission stations for the Algerian Government's Telediffusion D''Algerie. The stations operate in Fkirina and Sidi Bel Abbes and are part of the government's program to modernize the radio and television infrastructure. Says Abdelmalek Houyou, Telediffusion D'Algerie managing director, "With hundreds of DX(R) high-power transmitters installed worldwide, the digital-ready DX(R) series was selected based on its superior technical merits for our application at Telediffusion D'Algerie." more>>