News Articles From Days Gone By

It's hockey time again.
(30 September 2008)
Forget the hockey moms who look like pit bulls with lipstick. This is the real thing, the National Hockey League, and it's time for Hockey Night in Canada on Sirius. The program is lanuching its second Sirius season this week with host Jeff Marek and analysts Ron MacLean, Kelly Hrudy, Graig Simpson, Elliotte Friedman, Cassie Campbell, Scott Morrisen and Don Cherry. Mike Milbury and Marc Crawford join the crew this year to offer some perspective on NHL-related matters. The program spaces on Sirius channels 122 and 97 every day from 7-10 PM(ET)    more>>


Meet Insignia HD
(30 September 2008)
Best Buy has introduced two new HD Radios under its Insignia brand. They are the NS-HD3113 and the NS-HDTUNE. The former features a CD/DVD player, embedded iPod dock and iTunes tagging and retails for $199. The latter is a component-style HD Radio tuner and sells for a suggested $149.    more>>

Congress is sirius about HD Radio
(29 September 2008)
On a day when the financial markets collapsed because of Congressional inaction, it's good to know that lawmakers are enthusiastic about HD Radio. Rep. Ed Markey took time off his busy schedule to introduce a bill that would require satellite radio and receiver manufacturers to include HD receivers in all satellite radios. Said Markey, "Millions of Americans today rely on local broadcast radio for news, public safety bulletins, sports, weather, traffic and other information. As the broadcast radio industry migrates to digital broadcasting technology, this legislation will ensure that consumers are able to readily receive free service through consumer electronics systems that are otherwise receiving satellite digital audio radio and traditional AM or FM stations." He did not indicate how he thought consumers would pay for the new hybrid radios.     more>>

The Isle of Wight gets Sirius.
(26 September 2008)
Tracey Newkirk, curator of the Isle of Wight County Museum, is scheduled to be a guest on the Jay Thomas Show next Thursday, 2 October, at 5:35 PM(ET). The museum, known for a ham that dates from 1902, is due to reopen on 15 November. It has been recovering from flooding caused by a storm in 2006. The program spaces on Sirius Stars (channel 102).    more>>

XM's Animal Radio is on the Road to Rescue.
(26 September 2008)
Animal Radio is partnering with DogTime to produce "Road to Rescue," a regular segment featuring real-life stories of people dedicated to rescuing animals. The program is expected to feature interviews with pet experts, volunteers and industry luminaries. Says Hal Abrams, Animal Radio vice president for programming, "Animal Radio is excited to bring to light the work being done everyday by the hundreds of volunteers across the country." Animal Radio can be heard weekly on Saturdays at noon (ET) and Sundays at 9:00 AM(ET) on XM channel 158.    more>>

XM comes to Alabama.
(25 September 2008)
Thanks to XM's Student Exchange Program, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's radio station, Blazeradio (WBLZ), is going nationwide. The campus station has been relatively unknown, even at UAB, until now. Says General Manager Lonnie Greenberg of the event, "The importance of getting Blazeradio on XM Satellite Radio is the factg that we've never had a potential listening audience this large before." UAB students, and anyone else out there in XM-land, can check out Blazeradio on XMU (XM channel 43) this Sunday at 3:00 PM(CT).    more>>

Finally, a new agreement.
(24 September 2008)
In a deal that may have profound implications for webcasters, satcasters and podcasters, music groups have come to a new agreement with publishers over royalties. The groups include the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Digital Media Association, the National Music Publishers' Association, the Nashville Songwriters Association International and the Songwriters Guild of America. The new agreement sets rates for downloads and music that is streamed online. It calls for a mechanical royalty rate of 10.5 percent of revenue, including revenues for subscription and advertising. Says Mitch Bainwol, RIAA Chairman and CEO, "This agreement provides a flexible structure to support innovative business models in the digital music marketplace that will benefit music fans, creaters and online services."     more>>

Polaris is Sirius!
(23 September 2008)
Astronomers might disagree but Polaris is Sirius this year as the Polaris Music Prize Gala comes to the satcaster's spacewaves on 28 September. Canada's premiere independent music award featuring a $20,000 prize for a full-length Canadian album is being announced during a live Sirius broadcast. Says Andreanne Sasseville, Director of Canadian Talent and Industry, Sirius Canada, "Sirius Canada is proud of its continued support of the Polaris Music Prize and thrilled to give this year's nominees a North American audience on Sirius Satellite Radio." The show is hosted by Grant Lawrence and includes performances by Basia Bulat, Two Hours Traffic and Kathleen Edwards.    more>>

David Frear presents!
(23 September 2008)
SiriusXM Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Frear is presenting at the 2008 Deutsche Bank Leveraged Finance Conference. The event takes place this Thursday, 28 September, at 10:55 AM(ET). Mr. Frear should be fairly knowledgeable about leveraged finance given his recent experiences at Sirius (see RUsirius.com story dated 16 August 2008).    more>>

Pandora goes commercial.
(23 September 2008)
Taking a little advice from Sound Exchange (see RUsirius.com story dated 21 August 2008), internet radio operator Pandora is introducing commercials. Ads are planned as overlays on the mobile site in two consecutive partnerships with Best Buy and Beck's. Users can click on advertising to purchase products or to explore the brand's website without stopping the music stream.    more>>

XM lobbied to be merged.
(22 September 2008)
The former independent satcaster spent $240,000 in the second quarter to lobby on its acquisition by rival Sirius according to a recent disclosure. As part of its lobbying efforts, XM also visited the subject of digital music copyright issues in the April-June period according to a report filed with the House clerk's office (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 July 2008).    more>>

Drivers are more Sirius than ever.
(21 September 2008)
As part of the announcement of an award honoring Delphi for quality vehicle entertainment performance, J.D. Power and Associates noted that 55 percent of new vehicle owners now have satellite radio capability, up from 39 percent a year ago. Said Allison LaDuc, J.D. Power's senior research manager of automobile product quality, "New-vehicle buyers are looking for the latest technologies in audio systems and the presence of features such as satellite radio and navigation systems will only increase as manufacturers try to meet consumer demand."    more>>

Opera is always Sirius.
(21 September 2008)
The satcaster has announced that it would be carrying the Metropolitan Opera this year starting tomorrow, 22 September. This is the third season for the Met on Sirius. The season opener on channel 78 includes coverage of opening night ceremonies featuring Renee Fleming performing in some of her most acclaimed roles, beginning with Act II of Verdi's La Traviata.    more>>

ClearChannel continues to lobby.
(19 September 2008)
Terrestrial broadcasting giant ClearChannel spent nearly $1.2 million during the second quarter to lobby against the Sirius/XM merger and in favor of its own privatization. Other subjects of its lobbying efforts were local radio ownership rules, broadcast decency enforcement and regulatory incentives to improve diversity in broadcast ownership.    more>>

Kevin Costner gets Sirius!
(19 September 2008)
Together with his band Modern West, Kevin Costner is making an exclusive appearance on the satcaster's New Country (channel 60) tonight at 8:00 PM(ET). The event precedes the release of his new recording, "Untold Truth," expected in stores on 11 November.    more>>

1worldspace continues its quest for cash.
(19 September 2008)
The company formerly known as WorldSpace has apparently been granted a 10-day extension to repay debt while it searches for better options (see RUsirius.com story dated 15 August 2008). The company now has until 25 September to pay up to the tune of $19.97 million plus interest. If the loans are not paid by 25 September the note holders can request the resignation of 1worldspace boss Noah Samara.    more>>

Get ready for an HD/iPhone combo.
(19 September 2008)
Sony has introduced the XDR-S10HDiP. It's an HD Radio with iTunes Tagging that works with iPods and 3G iPhones. It comes with an iPone and iPod dock and charger.    more>>

HD Radio is going to school.
(18 September 2008)
iBiquity has announced the launch of HD Radio University for broadcasters. The offering is an interacvive web site that serves as a source for all facets of HD Radio technology. It's expected to be updated daily with the latest information on receivers, technology breakthroughs, retail specials and general news. Says Don Kelly, Director of Broadcast Marketing for iBiquity, "HD Radio University is a great way for broadcasters to learn about some of the best and easiest ways to leverage HD Radio technology to increase their stations' ROI."    more>>

HD Radio rolls on.
(18 September 2008)
iBiquity has announced significant momentum in the expansion of HD Radio content for HD2/HD3 subchannels, including new audio formats and consumer data services. The announcement was made at the National Association of Broadcasters annual Radio Show in Austin, Texas. Said iBiquity boss Bob Struble, "We're seeing a renaissance in radio programing and a whole new group of consumer services that have never existed before."    more>>

AC/DC is Sirius!
(18 September 2008)
To celebrate the release of their new Brendan O'Brien produced album, "Black Ice," the band has been awarded their own satellite radio channel. AC/DC Radio (Sirius channel 29) features a blend of classic AC/DC selections along with some rare items and Black Ice tracks. Angus Young, Malcom Young, Cliff Williams, Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd begin their new U.S. tour in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on 28 October. AC/DC Radio is expected to run through 15 January 2009.    more>>

ESPN is going HD.
(18 September 2008)
In cooperation with Cumulus Media and Red Zebra Broadcasting, ESPN is launching an expanded lineup and 24/7 on-demand option for HD subchannels. Participating stations gain access via an Internet portal and a special network appliance. Available programming includes ESPNEWS, SportsCenter and Baseball Today. Said ESPN senior vice president Mo Davenport, "ESPN has a long-standing passion for using new technology to reach sports fans wherever they are, and FM HD radio is part of our overall strategy." ESPN HD kicks off in Houston, Dallas and Seattle.    more>>

Radio Sherpa is no longer independent.
(18 September 2008)
The real-time program guide for HD Radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 28 February 2008) has been acquired by RadioTime. Says RadioTime CEO Bill Moore, "Listener and device manufacturers value an electronic program guide that shows what's available to them, because without that information, finding specific shows would be as difficult as finding specific television programs without the on-screen channel listings."    more>>

Papua New Guinea Radio is getting a facelift.
(17 September 2008)
Thanks to International Datacasting Corporation (IDC) the island nation's radio network is being upgraded. The Papua New Guinea Satellite Radio Project is incorporating IDC's SuperFlex Pro Audio system to deliver state-of-the art audio quality and network management capabilities. Says IDC prez Ron Clifton, "This cutting edge solution using IDC products and technologies is exciting and will make the Papua New Guinea network one of the most advanced systems in the world." The project is being carried out under contract with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.     more>>

The Copyright Royalty Board is finally satisfied.
(17 September 2008)
After driving Pandora out of business with high royalties (see RUsirius.com story dated 18 August 2008), an attorney for the Copyright Royalty Board is finally speaking. Says Richard Strasser, senior attorney for the Board, "It was uninvited. I don't think anybody was jumping up and down with joy in the government that they have this responsibility, but the former systems just weren't working out."    more>>

Attention Slackers!
(16 September 2008)
Get ready for the G2. The new Slacker internet radio is out in a 4GB and 8GB model (priced at $199.99 and $249.99 respectively), each with 100-plus professionally programmed genre stations. The G2 connects wirelessly to any nearby Wi-Fi network to download all the programming a user would want in just minutes.    more>>

The times they are a changin' at SiriusXM.
(15 September 2008)
Due to a heavy debt load, high expenses and sluggish subscriber growth the company is planning numerous changes during the coming months including an offer to re-activate lapsed satellite radios at a lower cost, satrads that allow more programming flexibility and the re-financing of the corporate debt via bank notes.  The company's even introducing a special 50-channel plan that costs $6.99 per month.  Unified satrads that can receive either Sirius or XM are expected to be out next year.    more>>

There's a new XM device in town.
(15 September 2008)
It is believed that the new XMp3 will be able to record up to five satellite streams concurrently.  It is not known exactly when SiriusXM expects to put the XMp3 on the market.  A price has also not yet been set.    more>>

HD Radioheads, get ready to be surrounded!
(13 September 2008)
MP3 creators Fraunhofer together with Dolby, LSI and Phillips are introducing MPEG Surround. The new technology promises to provide surround sound without excessive overhead, something the developers say should benefit HD Radio in the United States and DAB in Europe.     more>>

Awareness of HD Radio continues to rise.
(12 September 2008)
According to a study by Mark Kassof & Co. , 67 percent of 18- to 64-year olds have heard of HD Radio, up from 38 percent in 2006. Consumers also have a better understanding of what HD Radio is, with 21 percent noting that it delivers better sound quality. Nevertheless, 7 percent think that HD Radio is satellite radio. "The results of this survey show significant progress," said Kassof & Co. prez Mark Kassoff.     more>>

Get ready for college football on XM.
(12 September 2008)
Texas Tech and SMU fans will be able to listen to the game on XM 242 starting at 6:00 PM(CT) as June Jones attempts to build a team similar to the one he had at Hawaii last year. Oklahoma plays Washington on XM 195. Oklahoma State plays Missouri State on XM 241 and Georgia plays "The Ol' Ball Coach" and South Carolina on channels 141 and 199. Finally, there's this weekend's big game on XM 144 as Ohio State takes on USC at the L.A. Coliseum.     more>>

The results are in.
(12 September 2008)
And they're not good for HD Radio. According to a study by NPR Labs (see RUsirius.com story dated 1 August 2008), increasing the current reach of HD Radio would cause interference to regular FM radio signals. Interference apparently could be doubled should HD Radio's power be boosted, with 41 percent of public radio stations losing at least a third of the car radios they currently reach.     more>>

Seattle gets ready for HD hockey.
(11 September 2008)
Thanks to an agreement between Clear Channel and the Seattle Thunderbirds, the local network of terrestrial and HD stations will be carrying all the games of the regional WHL hockey team. The deal marks the second season for the T-birds on HD Radio (see RUsirius.com story dated 2 October 2007). Says T-Birds Vice President Colin Campbell, "We are looking forward to having a presence on all six CLear Channel stations in the Seattle market." The primary T-Birds station is KFNK (104.9 FM, Tacoma).     more>>

HD Radio is going south.
(10 September 2008)
..Asian. Emmis Communications and WorldBand Media have announced a partnership to broadcast targeted programming to the South Asian communities in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago using HD Radio HD3 subcarriers. The stations are WQHT (97.1 in New York), KPWR (105.9 in LA) and WLUP (97.3 in Chicago). Says WorldBand Media CEO Prabha Selvadurai, "North America's ethnic communities have been virtually ignored by radio over the years. Through this exciting partnership, South Asians in these markets can now enjoy our unique blend of local and international programming."     more>>

Satellite radio is in trouble.
(10 September 2008)
SiriusXM boss "Mellow Mel" Karmazin told investors that subscriber growth would slow significantly during 2009, adding only another 2 million during the period. To make matters worse, Mel went on to say that in the current environment national radio advertisers are leaving the medium "in droves." "As our subscriber base grows, we should become more attractive to national advertisers," said Mel. "I still prefer our model to terrestrial radio, which is entirely based on advertising." SiriusXM stock is now selling for less than a dollar a share.     more>>

Wendy Diamond is coming to XM's Animal Radio.
(9 September 2008)
The editor for Animal Fair Magazine and one of the judges for CBS's "Greatest American Dog" is joining BeKind.org founder Frances Hayward, who will be reporting about the animals being evacuated and brought to shelters during this year's hurricane season. The program can be heard on America's Talk (XM 158) this Saturday, 13 September, at noon (ET).     more>>

Zune, Zune Zune!
(9 September 2008)
That appears to be the song for many leading terrestrial broadcasters as they unite to bring FM song tagging to he world. Using Microsoft's Zune portable media player (see RUsirius.com story dated 18 July 2006), more than 450 FM stations from nine leading broadcasters have announced their commitment to broadcast programming on FM stations that includes song tags. Said Chris Stephenson, General Manager of Global Marketing for Zune at Microsoft, "Radio is one of the primary ways people discover new music, which is why we have built an FM tuner into every Zune portable media player."     more>>

The Beatles are finally Sirius.
(8 September 2008)
The satcaster has announced the launch of "Breakfast with The Beatles," on Little Steven's Underground Garage Channel (Sirius 25) starting this Sunday, 14 September at 9:00 AM(ET). The weekly program features host and Beatles expert Chris Carter.     more>>

Is payola coming back?
(8 September 2008)
The practice of paying broadcasters to play certain songs and artists has long been banished from commercial radio but it may be the only way to save Internet radio. Because of the high royalty fees being charged for Internet operations such as Pandora (see RUsirius.com story dated 21 August 2008) payola may prove to be a reasonable way to offset the costs. Whether intentionally or through oversight the practice is still perfectly legal in the Web and iPod world.     more>>

The University of South Florida is Sirius.
(6 September 2008)
The satcaster has picked up a package of USF football games after the athletic department apparently reached a partnership with ISP Sports. Today's game against the University of Central Florida can be heard on Sirius channel 125.     more>>

HD Radio is going to the NAB Show.
(6 September 2008)
The National Association of Broadcasters Radio Show this month in Austin is expected to include a panel discussion on how broadcasters can generate additional revenue from HD Radio channels. Titled "HD Radio: From Novelty to Viable Commodity," the session will be held Friday, 19 September, moderated by WHUR , Washington Program Director David Dickinson.     more>>

Sirius is shaking down the thunder.
(6 September 2008)
The satcaster is adding an exclusive Internet offering of Notre Dame sports broadcasts to its existing broadcast package. It marks the first time that coverage of live sporting events will be available on the Sirius Internet Radio platform.     more>>

Is SiriusXM sirius?
(6 September 2008)
Apparently as part of the merger the combined company hopes customers will pay more for more programming as part of its "a la carte" option. In keeping with its marketing relationship with the satcaster, General Motors is sending email to its customers advising those with XM satrads that they'll have new options and packages that will work with the same radios. The effort is aimed at priming customers to get ready to shell out more money to get the best of both Sirius and XM.     

Are you ready for some football?
(5 September 2008)
Sirius is. The satcaster kicked off its fifth straight year of NFL football with its coverage of last night's opening game in which the Super Bowl champion New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 16-7 at Giants Stadium. In addition to broadcasting all 256 regular season NFL games and playoffs, Sirius also features "NFL Radio" on channel 124. Live play-by-play is provided by the broadcast teams of both home and visiting teams for every NFL game. But wait! John Madden is also returning for his fifth season of "The Tailgate Show," which spaces Sundays at 9:00 AM(ET).     more>>

StreamSerf is sirius.
(5 September 2008)
The company that has provided independent auditing capabilities to the music industry has launched an enhanced version of its website . It's now possible to monitor satellite, terrestrial and Internet radio throughout the world.     more>>

The HD Digital Radio Alliance is three!
(4 September 2008)
The organization is celebrating its third birthday today by noting successes across consumer awareness, accelerated demand, broader distribution and lower price points. Said Alliance boss Peter Ferrara, "When we began putting the pieces in place for the Alliance in the fall of 2005 there was little attention being paid to HD Radio and the industry lacked a plan to make it a reality." Thanks in part to the work of the Alliance, Ferrara went on to say, "Today, it is gratifying to know how far we've come in three short years." Ferrara will assume a new role as Strategic Advisor once Diane Warren becomes Alliance prez (see RUsirius.com story dated 10 January 2008),     more>>

Todd Alsup is getting Sirius.
(4 September 2008)
The recording artist is making an appearance for an interview and studio performance with Larry Flick on Sirius' OutQ (channel 109) tomorrow, 5 September at 10:00 AM(ET). The event kicks off a busy fall for the artist. He's also giving a free show at New York's Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday.     more>>

Markey's still at it.
(4 September 2008)
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) still wants the Federal Communications Commission to force SiriusXM to put HD receivers on all future satrads as part of the merger deal between Sirius and XM (see RUsirius.com story dated 16 July 2008). Said Markey in a letter to the FCC"s Kevin Martin, "Without meaningful, enforceable conditions this proposed merger should be blocked as inconsistent with the public interest.," Markey is apparently following through on an inquiry from the FCC dealing with HD Radio compatibility for satellite radio receivers (see RUsirius.com story dated 29 August).     more>>

Two stars of satellite radio have been named to Forbes Hollywood's 10 Top-Paid Talking Heads list.
(3 September 2008)
Heading the list is Oprah Winfrey, star and producer of the Oprah Channel on XM (channel 156) along with numerous other ventures including her popular television show and Harpo productions. Last year Ms. Winfrey earned $275 million. At number two is Sirius' Howard Stern at $70 million.     more>>

ReachMD XM is standing up to cancer.
(3 September 2008)
The XM channel (XM 157) is offering exclusive satellite radio coverage of "Stand Up To Cancer," a cancer research fundraising event, on Friday, 5 September. Prior to its coverage, ReachMD is broadcasting exclusive interviews especially for health care professionals on cancer research and this ground-breaking research grant program.     more>>

HD Radio is hitting the high-end.
(3 September 2008)
iBiquity has announced expanded movement in the high-end and mid-range receiver category. The announcement was made at the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) EXPO this month at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.. On display were seven newly announced Integra, McIntosh and Yamaha products for the home installer as well as custom systems from Audio Design, Denon, Marantz, Niles Audio, Onkyo and Polk.     more>>

"Mellow Mel" is helping Merrill Lynch get Sirius.
(3 September 2008)
SiriusXM boss Mel Karmazin is presenting at this year's Merrill Lynch Media Fall Preview Conference in Marina del Rey on Tuesday, 9 September, at 8:00 AM(PT). A live audio webcast is being made available at the Sirius website,     more>>

Wiley Rein got Sirius when it had to.
(2 September 2008)
The famed law firm apparently played a major role in the recently completed merger between the satcaster and its one time rival XM. Wiley Rein assisted Sirius in obtaining the approval, which had to clear a host of regulatory hurdles.     more>>

SiriusXM is pitching in.
(1 September 2008)
The satcaster has announced that both Sirius and XM are broadcasting 24/7 comprehensive emergency news to help in the preparations for Hurricane Gustav. The emergency channels will chart the course and the effects of the storm as well as provide evacuation, safety and life-saving tips.     more>>