XM is now the Exclusive Satellite Radio Carrier of NHL

The National Hockey League and XM recently announced that XM is now the exclusive satellite radio home of the NHL. XM currently broadcasts more than 1,100 NHL games per season to hockey fans across the U.S. and Canada. XM also offers the first and only 24-hour nationwide hockey radio channel, Home Ice—featuring news, commentary, interviews and play-by-play analysis from hockey experts such as Phil Esposito, Bill Clement, Denis Potvin and Gary Green.

XM's first day as the exclusive satellite radio home of the NHL, July 1, fell on the same day as Free Agency Day, the annual start of the free-agency period for NHL players. Home Ice provided round-the-clock coverage of the latest signings and negotiations.

"We are proud and excited about our exclusive partnership with the NHL," said Eric Logan, Executive Vice President, Programming for XM Satellite Radio. "Being able to provide our fans with full access to games, analysis, and overall coverage truly establishes XM as the premier satellite radio destination for hockey fans."

The 2007-08 NHL season will mark XM's third season of NHL coverage and its first season as the exclusive satellite radio provider of the League. XM and the NHL have a long-term broadcast partnership, through 2015. As the exclusive satellite radio partner of the NHL, XM is officially rebranding the Home Ice channel to NHL Home Ice.

"This is a great opportunity for the NHL to reach hockey fans by using this exciting outlet," said John Collins, Senior Executive Vice President, Business and Media, NHL. "Through this partnership, we can take advantage of XM's extensive network coverage to give fans across North America the ability to follow their favorite team and players."

Through its coverage, XM provides hockey fans exclusive access to the action, from the first drop of the puck to the hoisting of the Stanley Cup. XM's year-round carriage of hockey programming includes special events such as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL All-Star Game and the NHL Awards.

"We are excited with this new partnership, and as the only satellite radio provider to air NHL games, XM will continue to be the premier destination for hockey fans across Canada," said John Bitove, Chairman and CEO of XM Canada. "Not only do we cover the games, but we also deliver up-to-the-second highlights and analysis. No matter where you live, you can catch your favourite team face-off against your rival—know I'll never miss a Battle of Alberta or a Leafs-Habs game again!"

For more information, check out the XM press release.

XM Radio Exclusive Satellite Radio Network of BCS National Championship Game

XM Satellite Radio announced earlier this month that it has reached a multi-year agreement with FOX Sports to become the exclusive satellite radio network of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game and other BCS games, beginning January 2008.

"College sports is a very important element of our programming strategy, and these games are a must for college football fans," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming, XM Satellite Radio. "These games help reinforce XM Radio's position as the ultimate destination for people who love college sports. FOX Sports is a longtime partner of XM, and we're very excited to be working together to bring live coverage of these games to fans across the country."

"FOX Sports is pleased to have reached a multi-year BCS rights agreement with XM, the nation's leading satellite radio service," said FOX Sports COO Larry Jones. "The BCS is a true jewel in the nation's sports landscape, and everything we do in conjunction with it needs to be top-notch."

"The BCS is pleased to have XM as the exclusive satellite home of the Allstate BCS National Championship Game as well as the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the FedEx Orange Bowl. College football fans all over the country now will be able to listen to these BCS games virtually anywhere," said BCS Coordinator Mike Slive.

The games are the latest addition to XM's line-up of college sports programming. XM is the official satellite radio network of the college sports conferences ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10, and SEC. More than eight million subscribers across the U.S. listen to XM on radios for the car, home, and portable use. XM puts a special emphasis on serving "displaced" sports fans who cannot hear their favorite teams on local outlets.

For more information, check out the XM Satellite Radio press release.

XM Announces Baseball 'Call Stars'

XM says it is now offering baseball fans the opportunity to send personalized voice messages from baseball stars Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Cal Ripken, Jr. to their friends and family.

"Call Stars" is geared to enhance baseball fans' awareness of XM's comprehensive coverage of Major League Baseball. XM airs every MLB game for every team from Opening Night to the World Series.

Fans can visit www.xmradio.com/mlb to send a customized voice message from the New York Yankees' Jeter, Boston Red Sox slugger Ortiz, or Hall-of-Fame-bound Ripken. When fans arrive at the site, they choose a ball player and enter a friend's name, favorite team, hobbies, and other details. Friends will receive the voice message on their phone, email or by AOL Instant Messenger.

"Call Stars" offers the baseball fan a wide variety of choices for creating a personal message from Jeter, Ortiz, or Ripken. Messages from Ortiz are available in Spanish or English. This campaign marks the first time that this type of audio service has been available in Spanish.

"With baseball season underway, XM is truly thrilled to provide fans an interactive way to get excited about the game," said Vernon Irvin, Chief Marketing Officer at XM. "This viral marketing campaign engages fans in a way that is fun and effective, and it provides XM an ideal platform to
communicate directly to consumers."

In addition to carrying the games, XM has the nation's only 24-hour talk radio channel dedicated to Major League Baseball, MLB Home Plate (XM Channel 175). The channel covers every aspect of the sport 365 days a year with call- in shows, round-the-clock news updates, specials, and classic games.

For more information, check out the XM press release.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Now a Factory Installed Option from MINI USA

MINI USA and SIRIUS Satellite Radio last week announced that SIRIUS is available as a factory installed option with a lifetime subscription on the all-new 2007 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S hardtops produced beginning this June. The lifetime subscription is transferable with the car from one owner to the next.

The factory-installed SIRIUS radio with a lifetime subscription will be available for an MSRP of $950. MINI USA will also offer SIRIUS, with a lifetime subscription, as part of its upgraded Audio Pack that also includes MINI's Hi-Fi sound system, for an MSRP of just $1,400.

"We are excited to offer our customers factory-installed SIRIUS radio with a lifetime subscription." said Rich Steinberg, head of MINI Product Strategy, "Now it makes the choice even easier for them to enjoy SIRIUS radio in their new MINI."

"With over 130 channels of The Best Radio on Radio, SIRIUS offers the ultimate choice in radio," said Doug Wilsterman, Senior Vice President and General Manager OEM Division for SIRIUS. "By including a lifetime subscription, owners can listen to SIRIUS for as long as they own their MINI."

Read the SIRIUS press release for more details.

Baseball is Back on XM Radio

Baseball has long been regarded as the sport best suited to radio. The pace of the game allows legendary announcers like Vin Scully and Bob Uecker to "paint the picture" in the listener's mind.

Americans have been tuning into baseball on the radio ever since Pittsburgh's KDKA became the first station to air the game 85 years ago. Historically, you could hear the home team on a local station, and with some effort, you could pick up a game from a different city through the crackle.

But now, thanks to XM Satellite Radio, Major League Baseball fans can listen to every game for every team on the radio. XM airs the full line-up of 2,400-plus MLB games every season from Opening Night to the final game of the World Series. XM customers hear the games live and nationwide on satellite radios for the car, home, office, and portable use.

No matter where they live, baseball fans can listen to Scully calling a Dodgers game from Los Angeles, then turn the XM dial to hear Uecker wax profound about Milwaukee, then flip to Joe Castiglione live at Fenway Park in Boston.

For Opening Night on April 1, the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals will host the New York Mets at Busch Stadium. Fans across the U.S. can hear the hometown broadcasts for each team and the ESPN Radio broadcast on three separate XM channels. The day before, XM will air the inaugural Civil Rights Game in Memphis, an exhibition game featuring the Cardinals and the Cleveland Indians.

To celebrate the season's start, XM will launch a special radio channel called Play Ball!. The channel will feature a rich mix of music and vintage audio that captures the spirit of Opening Day. XM is digging deep into its musical library for gems like Ruth Brown's R&B; stomp "Baseball Boogie" and favorites like Terry Cashman's "Talkin' Baseball." Listeners will hear spoken-word treasures like Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First," James Earl Jones' dramatic reading of "Casey at the Bat," and archival recordings of classic baseball calls. The channel will play the baseball-themed episode of Bob Dylan's XM show "Theme Time Radio Hour," which was added to the archive of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. XM's "Baseball Confidential," featuring candid conversations with legends of the game, will also be featured. The Play Ball! channel will air on XM from March 30 to April 2 on XM Channel 200.

In addition to the full schedule of games, XM has the nation's only 24- hour talk radio channel devoted to baseball. MLB Home Plate (XM Channel 175) covers every aspect of the sport 365 days a year with call-in shows, round- the-clock news updates, and exclusive interviews.

Cal Ripken, Jr., who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July, hosts the show "Ripken Baseball" on MLB Home Plate with his brother and fellow major league veteran Billy Ripken.

XM also offers Spanish play-by-play game coverage and baseball talk on the channel MLB En Espanol.

"Major League Baseball is the ultimate radio sport, and XM is the ultimate place to hear all the games on the radio," said Eric Logan, executive vice president, programming, XM Satellite Radio. "A lot of the appeal of baseball on XM stems from the fact that displaced fans can hear their favorite teams from a thousand miles away. You can hear John Sterling calling the game at Yankee Stadium, whether you live in Manhattan or Miami. For people who love the sport like we do, XM's got the games, the news, and the analysis you can't hear anyplace else."

For more information, check out the XM press release.

SIRIUS and XM Announce Merger

XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced yesterday that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in a merger of equals with a combined enterprise value of approximately $13 billion. The companies will continue to operate independently until the transaction is completed and said they will work together to determine the combined company's corporate name and headquarters location prior to closing.

"We are excited for the many opportunities that an XM and SIRIUS combination will provide consumers," said Gary Parsons, Chairman of XM Satellite Radio and Hugh Panero, CEO of XM Satellite Radio, in a joint statement. "The combined company will be better positioned to compete effectively with the continually expanding array of entertainment alternatives that consumers have embraced since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) first granted our satellite radio licenses a decade ago."

"This combination is the next logical step in the evolution of audio entertainment," said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS Satellite Radio. "Together, our best-in-class management team and programming content will create unprecedented choice for consumers, while creating long-term value for shareholders of both companies. The combined company will be positioned to capitalize on SIRIUS and XM's complementary distribution and licensing agreements to enhance availability of satellite radios, offer expanded content to subscribers, drive increased advertising revenue and reduce expenses. Each of our companies has a strong commitment to providing listeners the broadest range of music, news, sports and entertainment and the best customer service possible. We look forward to sharing the benefits of the exciting new growth opportunities this combination will provide with all of our stakeholders."

The transaction is subject to approval by both companies' shareholders, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory review and approvals, including antitrust agencies and the FCC. Pending regulatory approval, the companies expect the transaction to be completed by the end of 2007.

Read more in the Houston Chronicle article XM and Sirius to combine; hurdles loom.

XM Announces Honda Used Car Program

XM and American Honda Motor Co. Inc. recently launched a satellite radio trial program for Honda Certified Used Cars with factory-installed XM Satellite Radio.

Under this new program, all certified pre-owned Honda models equipped with XM Satellite Radio will be available with three months of complimentary XM service and a waived activation fee. Honda models equipped with XM include the Accord, Accord Hybrid, Civic, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Element, Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline.

XM and Acura recently announced a similar program that introduces XM to customers who purchase an Acura Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle equipped with XM Satellite Radio. Combined with the Acura program, XM's partnership with American Honda Certified Programs will make XM available in more than 35,000 of these certified vehicles in 2007, and grow to more than 55,000 vehicles in 2008. The XM marketing program for certified pre-owned vehicles will continue to expand with the increasing availability of factory-installed XM Satellite Radio across both vehicle model lineups.

"XM's program for previously owned Honda models introduces XM to a new and growing category of car buyers, as more Honda vehicles are equipped with XM each year," said Marisa Uchin, Manager of Remarketing, Automotive, XM. "Honda Certified Used Car buyers can now conveniently experience XM's 170 plus channels of music, talk, sports and entertainment."

"Honda customers have increasingly come to expect the availability of XM satellite radio in their vehicles," said Dan Crowe, Automobile Remarketing Manager for Honda. "This program offers Honda Certified Used Car customers added value, and further differentiates certified used cars from run-of-the- mill used cars."

For more information on the program, see the press release XM and Honda Launch Satellite Radio Program for Honda Certified Used Cars.

XM Radio Online Available With Windows Vista

XM recently announced that XM Radio Online will be included in Microsoft's new operating system, Windows Vista.

Released to the public at the end of January, Windows Vista will offer XM Radio Online as part of its digital music hub. XM Radio Online delivers more than 80 radio channels, including commercial-free music, the Oprah & Friends talk and lifestyle channel, "The Bob Edwards Show," "Opie & Anthony," stand-up comedy, and children's programming.

Web users can sign up for a free, three-day trial of XM Radio Online. Unlimited listening is available for $7.99 a month. Those who subscribe to XM Satellite Radio for the car, home, or portable listening can enjoy XM Radio Online for no additional charge.

"XM is pleased to be extending its strategic relationship with Microsoft with the inclusion of XM Radio Online in Windows Vista," said My-Chau Nguyen, XM senior vice president for marketing programs and operations. "By working with Microsoft, we are expanding the availability of XM Radio Online, which provides an extraordinary variety of music choices, talk radio options, and exclusive programming such as 'Oprah & Friends.' The integration of XM Radio Online further enhances the music and entertainment experience offered by Windows Vista."

"Microsoft is pleased to be working closely with XM," said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president, Windows at Microsoft Corp. "We are thrilled with XM's support and excitement for the launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system."

For more information, check out the XM Satellite Radio press release.

SIRIUS is the Satellite Radio Home of Super Bowl XLI

SIRIUS Satellite Radio, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, will provide comprehensive radio coverage of Super Bowl XLI, with multiple live game broadcasts, live day-long news and analysis every day of Super Bowl Week.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 4, SIRIUS will air an expanded lineup of live play-by-play broadcasts of Super Bowl XLI. SIRIUS will offer ten different game calls in seven languages, including both teams' local radio broadcasts and the national Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports broadcast.

From now  through Super Bowl Sunday, SIRIUS NFL Radio // ch. 124, SIRIUS' 24/7 year-round NFL talk radio channel, will broadcast live every day from Radio Row at the Miami Beach Convention Center and will be streamed live and free of charge on the NFL's official game site www.superbowl.com.

SIRIUS NFL Radio will provide up-to-the-minute news and analysis from a panel of expert hosts that includes Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Tim Ryan, Pat Kirwan, Gil Brandt, Jim Miller, Carl Banks, Bob Papa and Adam Schein. SIRIUS NFL Radio will broadcast live from Dolphin Stadium on Media Day, Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET. Media Day shows will feature one-on-one interviews with players and coaches from the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.

IRIUS listeners in the Miami area during Super Bowl Week can also monitor traffic and weather conditions by tuning in to SIRIUS First Traffic and Weather for Miami on channel 153.

For more details on the programming schedule, check out the SIRIUS press release.

Premium Sound System for Multiple Satellite Radio Receivers

Earlier this month at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show, Delphi Corp. announced the introduction of a premium sound system designed to work with multiple satellite radio receivers.

The company says that the Delphi Premium Sound System allows consumers to enjoy clear XM Satellite Radio sound transmitted seamlessly through the Delphi SKYFi3(R), Roady XT(R), MyFi(TM) and Audiovox(R) Xpress(TM) XM receivers. They are touting the system as the easiest, most elegant way to listen to XM Satellite Radio at home, at the office or outdoors with its battery feature.

"The Delphi Premium Sound System's sleek design makes it an excellent choice for use in the corporate office, and its premium sound allows listeners to enjoy digital audio throughout their day - even when away from their car," said Max Rogers, general director of consumer electronics, Delphi Product & Service Solutions. "This system will appeal to a wide range of XM Satellite Radio listeners."

The Delphi Premium Sound System features an advanced acoustic and integrated systems that includes precisely engineered speakers, state-of-the-art power supply and amplifier architecture, and advanced digital signal processing. There is also a bass enhancer to provide full sound, even at lower volume levels. The result is natural, life-like sound with a sense of clarity and spaciousness not typically found in a system at this price and size.

Along with its compact design, the Premium Sound System features an integrated handle and an integrated XM antenna for convenient portability from room-to-room or on-the-go away from home. No complex setup or adjustments are needed to start enjoying the crystal clear Delphi Premium Sound System. Docking a compatible XM receiver is all it takes to start enjoying crystal- clear sound virtually anywhere. Private listening is also available through headphones, and the Delphi Premium Sound System can be connected to another audio device, such as an MP3 player.

"The Delphi Premium Sound System offers the ultimate in flexibility for consumers who own different to XM receivers," said Massimo Baldini, Delphi's global satellite radio business line manager. "Delphi has a rich heritage of innovation in radios, which started with the first in-dash, factory-installed radio in 1936, and continues today with several industry leading firsts in satellite radio technology, enabling us to produce a portable sound system of the highest quality."

Available this spring, the Delphi Premium Sound System will be priced at $179. For more information, check out the Delphi press release.

XM to Launch 'GRAMMY Radio'

XM announced earlier this month that it will launch "GRAMMY Radio," a dedicated channel providing coverage of GRAMMY Week events. GRAMMY Radio will air on XM LIVE (XM 200) starting Feb. 9 through Feb. 11, the evening of the 49th Annual GRAMMY(R) Awards, featuring a mix of exclusive broadcast coverage of GRAMMY Week events along with every GRAMMY nominated song and artist. This dedicated channel is part of XM's multi-year programming and marketing partnership with The Recording Academy(R).

GRAMMY Radio will feature the first live broadcast of this year's pre-telecast GRAMMY Awards, as well as red-carpet interviews from the GRAMMYAwards and broadcasts of performances by a "who's who" of superstar artists at the most exclusive events during GRAMMY Week. These include MusiCares(TM) Person of the Year Tribute honoring music legend Don Henley and the Lifetime Achievement and Trustee Awards Ceremony honoring Joan Baez, Booker T. & The MG's, Maria Callas, Ornette Coleman, the Doors, the Grateful Dead, Bob Wills and more, among other GRAMMY Week events.

"GRAMMY Radio will provide millions of XM subscribers the closest thing to red-carpet access and front-row seats at the music industry's most exclusive events, traditionally reserved only for music industry V.I.P.s," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming for XM Satellite Radio. "XM is the ideal platform to bring comprehensive coverage of GRAMMY Week events to the millions of music fans who listen to XM."

Fore more information, check out the XM press release.

XM Satellite Radio Ends 2006 with More Than 7.6 Million Subscribers

XM Satellite Radio announced last week that the company added more than 1.695 million new subscribers in 2006, ending the year with more than 7.625 million subscribers. The company also said that it posted a positive cash flow from operations during the fourth quarter of 2006, where it gained more than 442,000 new net subscribers.

"XM completed another year of significant subscriber growth, despite retail softness, and did so with continued cost controls, achieving positive cash flow from operations during the fourth quarter," said Hugh Panero, Chief Executive Officer, XM Satellite Radio.

Delphi Reaches Satellite Receiver Milestone

Delphi announced this week that it has just sold its 13-millionth satellite radio receiver, setting a new milestone. The company also says it plans to showcase its satellite radio products next week at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Delphi currently produces receivers for more than 10 new vehicle manufacturers. It also sells a variety a variety of models as add-on accessories for multiple uses at home and on the road. Delphi is familiar to most consumers of satellite radio because of its Delphi SKYFi, MyFi and ROADY family of portable satellite radio receivers. The company says that three out of four users listen to satellite radio on Delphi hardware.

"Satellite radio is changing the paradigm of radio in the U.S.," said Ken Erickson, Delphi Electronics & Safety general director of the Entertainment & Communications product business unit. "Satellite radio has not only taken a long-time analog medium and made it digital, but it has also opened a new world of offerings to customers by providing more than a 100 additional channels of programming."

Satellite radio is the radio medium that offers customers up to 170 channels of programming in addition to the traditional AM/FM radio offerings. Satellite radio programming is beamed from satellites and includes a very wide variety of music, talk, sports, news, traffic, weather and entertainment coast-to-coast in the U.S. without fading.

"Consumers now demand this level of flexibility and ownership, fueled even more today by their ability to personalize their listening experience through MP3 players," said Max Rogers, Delphi consumer electronics executive. "Satellite radio's 170 channels of individual programming offers the same type of tailored listening experience with no downloading hassles."

In addition to adding new programming to the vehicle, Delphi has developed a digital data decoder that works in conjunction with the Delphi satellite receiver to enable real-time traffic services in North America. Vehicles with a Delphi satellite receiver equipped with this data port and a navigation system can receive up-to-date traffic while playing satellite radio. The system is also capable of providing real-time weather, sports scores and stock updates.

Delphi's long history with satellite radio receivers includes celebrating sales milestones for 2.5 millionth in May 2004 and 5 million units in April 2005.

For more information on Delphi's current milestone, check out the press release.

SIRIUS Exceeds 6 Million Subscribers

SIRIUS Satellite Radio recently announced that it ended 2006 with approximately 6,024,000 subscribers, an 82 percent increase over the company's 2005 ending subscriber base of 3,316,560. The company says it added a record 2.7 million net subscribers in 2006 and, based on preliminary financial data, achieved its first ever quarter of positive free cash flow in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Eminem to Host New Year's Eve Countdown Exclusively on SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Eminem will share and count down 25 of his favorite hip-hop tracks on SIRIUS Satellite Radio channel Shade 45 on New Year's Eve.

This end-of-year special will feature the most successful artist in hip- hop history "stating the facts and playing the tracks" on his SIRIUS music channel, Shade 45. Eminem and SIRIUS launched Shade 45, the freshest and most adventurous, uncensored hip-hop channel in radio, in October 2005.

This year ended on a high note for Eminem, with the chart-topping release of the album Eminem Presents The Re-Up and a GRAMMY nomination with Akon for "Smack That."

His Shady New Year special will be broadcast exclusively on SIRIUS on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, on Shade 45 / channel 45. It will be re-broadcast at 10:00 p.m. ET, and again on New Year's Day, Jan. 1 at 12:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.

Danica Patrick Joins Racing's Biggest Stars on XM Radio

Danica Patrick is the latest racing superstar to join the on-air team at XM Satellite Radio, the nation's number-one satellite radio company with more than seven million subscribers. The IndyCar Series driver is now officially a member of the Andretti Green Racing (AGR) team, the winningest team in Indy Racing League (IRL) history. Patrick will co-host the exclusive XM Radio show "The Andretti Green Racing Hour" with AGR teammates Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan, as well as AGR co-owner and IndyCar racing legend Michael Andretti.

Winner of the Rookie of The Year trophy at her first Indianapolis 500 in 2005, Patrick has become an international sensation, appearing everywhere from the covers of Sports Illustrated and TV Guide to the new music video for Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got," which features Patrick racing alongside Earnhardt and Jay-Z in Monaco.

"The Andretti Green Racing Hour", a weekly, one-hour show, debuts in spring 2007 on the sports talk radio channel XM Sports Nation (XM 144), after the channel moves from XM channel 143 to XM channel 144. XM is also the exclusive home for radio shows hosted by NASCAR 2006 Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR megastar Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

"I am thrilled to become part of both the Andretti Green Racing and XM Satellite Radio teams," said Patrick. "The Andretti Green Racing Hour" promises to be much more than a racing show, featuring the team's experiences both on the track and off. My experiences as the newest member of AGR are guaranteed to be interesting."

XM Radio Exclusive: 2007 BCS National Championship Game

XM Satellite Radio announced this week that it will be the exclusive satellite radio home of the 2007 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game, offering college football fans complete play-by- play coverage on XM Sports Nation (XM Channel 144)  when top-ranked Ohio State plays Florida on Jan. 8.

Under an agreement with FOX Sports, XM will be the sole satellite radio network for the BCS National Championship, Allstate Sugar Bowl, FedEx Orange Bowl, and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

"For college football fans, the only place to hear the BCS National Championship game on satellite radio is XM," said Eric Logan, executive vice president, programming, XM Satellite Radio. "XM has all the play-by-play action, plus the pre- and post-game coverage, and you can see the score in real time on your XM radio display screen. Being the exclusive satellite radio home of these BCS games is one more example of why XM is the ultimate destination for college football fans. With more than 5,000 live sporting events a year, XM has the best sports package in satellite radio."

"FOX Sports is excited to reach this exclusive satellite radio agreement with XM Radio," said Larry Jones, FOX Sports COO. "This partnership insures that millions of XM subscribers across the country will have access to the most important games of the college football season."

The BCS broadcasts on the XM Sports Nation channel begin Jan. 1, the same day that the channel moves from XM Channel 143 to XM Channel 144.

XM Wins 'Best of What's New 2006' Awards

XM Satellite Radio recently announced that it is the winner of two prestigious awards from Popular Science magazine.

The Pioneer XM2go Inno, the first handheld player to offer MP3 music and live satellite radio on the go, was awarded the magazine's "Best of What's New 2006" Award in the Gadgets category. The XM Mini-Tuner, a portable cartridge that delivers XM to any compatible player, was honored in the Home Entertainment category. The XM Mini-Tuner is distributed by Audiovox.

The annual Best of What's New awards recognize breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap forward in categories ranging from Auto Tech to Personal Health.

"One of the reasons that XM is the leader in satellite radio is that we consistently offer the most innovative products," said Blair Kutrow, senior vice president, product development, XM Satellite Radio. "The portable Inno offers the music fan the best of both worlds -- live XM Radio and MP3 music. With the XM Mini-Tuner, you can carry your XM subscription from one device to another. These awards are a testament to the talent and ingenuity of our product team and our manufacturing partners."

XM Satellite Radio Receiver by Delphi Approved by FCC

Delphi announced it has received the final necessary approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorizing the sale of its latest XM satellite radio receiver, the SKYFi3, to the public.

"Delphi officially introduced SKYFi3 to the market last week and early demand for the product has been tremendous," said Francisco (Frank) Ordonez, president, Delphi Product & Service Solutions. "With its impressive list of features, the SKYFi3 sets the new standard for plug-and-play systems."

While the SKYFi3 is 65 percent smaller than the previous generation product, Delphi says it maintains nearly every benefit. Optimized for the vehicle, the SKYFi3 receiver comes with a car dock included. SKYFi3 also offers an optimum balance of compact size, screen readability and portability outside the vehicle.

In addition, the SKYFi3 can store and manage up to 10 hours of XM programming through non-removable internal memory, as well as an unlimited number of MP3 files through optional and removable microSD cards. The SKYFi3 also has the largest 9 line display in its class and mounts vertically or horizontally using a low-profile car dock.

The Delphi SKYFi3 will be available for the holidays at select retailers with an expected retail price of $229.

For more information, check out the Delphi press release.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio to Cover 2006 Election

SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced it will broadcast comprehensive live coverage of the 2006 mid-term elections on Nov. 7 across multiple news and talk channels. Election-night coverage will feature reporting and analysis from SIRIUS hosts, reporters, stringers and bloggers, plus news coverage from top- level news organizations. Coverage will continue post-election on Nov. 8.

Subscribers will have access to exclusive coverage from hosts of SIRIUS Left, SIRIUS Patriot, SIRIUS OutQ, CNN, and Fox News. NPR will also provide comprehensive coverage, breaking news, opinion, analysis and much more, in addition to international coverage from BBC and World Radio Network.

Satellite Radio Companies Compete for Luxury Car Customers

Last week, XM Radio announced its radios would be factory-installed in Lexus LS models starting in 2007. This week, the company announced that it is also signing a long-term agreement with Porsche Cars of North America Inc. to equip Porsche vehicles for the U.S. market with XM in 2007.

XM has been available as a popular factory-installed feature for Cayenne models since 2005 and will be the exclusive satellite radio option in the future. Under the new agreement, XM will also be available for other Porsche models in the future. Consumers who purchase a Porsche vehicle with XM receive a complimentary three-month subscription to the service.

In addition to XM's primary service of 170 digital radio channels of commercial-free music and premier sports, news, talk, and entertainment, XM will also develop satellite-delivered data services for Porsche vehicles. These services are expected to include the advanced XM NavTraffic real-time traffic data service which is now available in 44 major markets nationwide.

"XM has the technology and content that is consistent with Porsche's commitment to providing our customers the best possible driving experience," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, President and CEO, Porsche Cars of North America. "We are very pleased to be expanding our partnership with XM."

"Porsche is renowned for performance, quality, engineering, and innovation, and XM is proud to be a part of that tradition as we extend our partnership with one of the world's great brands," said Nate Davis, President and COO, XM Satellite Radio. "The fact that Porsche is offering XM exclusively is a testament to the quality of the programming we offer and our leadership in advanced technology. It underscores our company's position as the leading provider of satellite radio for the automobile market, as well as the overall leader in the satellite radio industry."

Not to be outdone by its biggest competitor, SIRIUS Satellite Radio has also signed an exclusive deal with a luxury car company. SIRIUS recently announced announced an exclusive agreement with Bentley Motors Inc. for the inclusion of SIRIUS in Bentley vehicles. SIRIUS will be available in select Bentley models in the U.S. beginning in the mid- 2007 model year and will become a standard feature available in all Continental GT, Continental GTC and Continental Flying Spur vehicles beginning in the 2008 model year.

"All vehicles equipped with SIRIUS will include a lifetime subscription to the service, which will enhance each Bentley's individual customization and give each customer a new vehicle experience," said Andrew Stuart, CEO for Bentley Motors Inc.

"SIRIUS' exceptional programming is a natural addition to the extraordinary reputation of a Bentley, and we are very excited about our relationship with such an internationally elite brand," said Mel Karmazin, CEO, SIRIUS.

Bentley customers can now order vehicles with SIRIUS Satellite Radio for delivery in early 2007.

XM Radio Announces Factory-Installed Satellite Radios for Lexus LS

XM Satellite Radio has announced that the first of the all-new Lexus LS series with standard, factory-installed XM Satellite Radio and XM NavTraffic are now available at dealerships.

The Lexus LS 460 L, long wheel base model, is arriving at dealerships factory-equipped with XM Satellite Radio's 170 channels of coast-to-coast entertainment and XM NavTraffic's real-time traffic information system as standard features. Factory-installed XM Radio is also available in the 2007 LS 460, which includes the service in its navigation packages.

"XM Satellite Radio and XM NavTraffic are the natural complement to a car that already sets a new benchmark for technological innovation," said Steve Cook, executive vice president, Automotive, XM Satellite Radio. "That's why XM is pleased to offer Lexus LS buyers the added advantage of the nation's most extensive lineup of satellite radio programming and the broadest network of real-time traffic information."

XM NavTraffic is the first real-time traffic information system for the vehicle. Currently available in 44 major U.S. markets, NavTraffic delivers alerts regarding traffic delays, detours and road closings through the in-car navigation system, saving drivers time and fuel by helping them anticipate traffic delays.

Every Lexus LS equipped with XM NavTraffic and XM Satellite Radio also comes standard with a three-month complimentary subscription to both services.

For more information, check out the XM Satellite press release.

Howard Stern is Most Popular Talk Radio Personality on the Web

SIRIUS Satellite Radio personality Howard Stern has once again topped the annual list of the most-searched talk radio personalities. The 2006 list marks the sixth consecutive year that Stern has been the No. 1 most-searched talk radio personality with web users.

The annual list is based on The LYCOS 50, an authoritative weekly list of the most popular people, places and things web users search for every day. Stern generated 232 percent more online interest than Adam Corolla, who is ranked No. 2 on this year's list.

In January 2006, Stern left his long and dominating reign in terrestrial radio to broadcast exclusively on SIRIUS. Web users have continued to express their interest in the "king of all media" by searching more for him on the web than for any other talk radio personality, including Rush Limbaugh, Don Imus, Oprah Winfrey, Sean Hannity, Tom Joyner, among others. In addition, according to Lycos, search activity for SIRIUS Satellite Radio increased 1,300 percent in 2005 and another 128 percent in 2006, due in part to Stern.

XM and Acura to Offer Complimentary Satellite Radio Program for Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles

XM Satellite Radio and Acura recently announced the first complimentary satellite radio service program for Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles. Beginning this fall, Acura will offer three months of complimentary XM service on CPO Acura models with factory-installed XM Satellite Radio, including: RL, TL, TSX and MDX. Acura currently inspects, certifies and remarkets more than 35,000 previously-owned vehicles per year, with approximately one-third featuring standard XM Satellite Radio, a rate that will grow over time as XM continues to be offered as standard equipment across Acura models.

"Acura's CPO program will introduce XM Satellite Radio to a new and growing category of customers," said Steve Cook, executive vice president, Automotive, XM Satellite Radio. "XM's reach will now extend to Acura's pre- owned customers who seek the same high performance standards and quality as they have come to expect with a brand new Acura."

"Whether they choose to invest in a new or Acura Certified Pre-Owned vehicle, our customers get an ownership experience that is second to none," said Dan Crowe, Automobile Remarketing Manager for Acura. "With the expansion of XM Satellite Radio to our entire 2007 new model line, it's only fitting that we also offer the nation's leading satellite radio service to our Certified Pre-Owned customers."

Every CPO Acura originally equipped with XM Satellite Radio will be available with three months of complimentary XM service and a waived activation fee. All Acura CPO Vehicles also come standard with a Certified Limited Warranty (12 months/12,000 miles) and a 7-year/100,000 mile Powertrain Limited Warranty.

Read more in the XM Satellite Radio press release.

Howard Stern Two-Day, Free Worldwide Event to Launch SIRIUS Internet Radio

SIRIUS Satellite Radio today announced the launch of SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR), a CD-quality, Internet-only version of its rapidly growing satellite radio service. SIR delivers more than 75 channels of SIRIUS programming, without the use of a radio, for the monthly subscription fee of $12.95. To mark the availability of SIR, listeners on SIRIUS.com will be able to hear The Howard Stern Show and Stern's two 24/7 channels for free on Oct. 25 and 26th, as well as enjoy SIRIUS' channels of 100% commercial-free music, talk, entertainment, and sports.

For those two days, Stern will deliver his daily uncensored four hour-plus show, the show he was meant to do after 20 years on terrestrial radio.

Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS President, Entertainment and Sports, said, "Howard being available live for the first time ever to a worldwide audience is an unprecedented event in the history of radio. Listeners can now get what they have been missing: Howard at the top of his game and more than 75 channels of The Best Radio on Radio. It's now The Best Radio on the Internet."

SIR is perfect for those who want the variety of programming SIRIUS is known for but without the radio. Whether at home or the office, SIR is accessible anywhere you have an Internet connection. Subscribers to the Internet-only service will be able to hear all of SIRIUS' 100% commercial-free music channels in CD-quality audio and select sports, entertainment, and talk channels, including The Howard Stern Show, Howard 100 and Howard 101.

"Listening to SIRIUS is now more convenient than ever, and there is no other Internet radio service that provides its listeners with our exclusive mix of commercial-free music and dynamic talk, entertainment, and sports programming," said SIRIUS' Greenstein.

SIRIUS Internet Radio consists of over 75 channels, including 64 100% commercial free music channels. SIRIUS is the exclusive home of Elvis Radio, Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville, Little Steven's Underground Garage channel, Eminem's Shade 45, BBC Radio 1, and the Metropolitan Opera Radio channel, as well as Rolling Stones Radio and The Who channel, and unique shows such as Nordic Rox, spotlighting Scandinavian music, and David Johansen's Mansion of Fun, playing eclectic free-form music.

SIRIUS' online offerings include SIRIUS Football Radio, channel 124, the only 24/7 year-round radio channel devoted to pro football, providing the most comprehensive, in-depth radio coverage with daily live shows hosted by an exceptional lineup that includes Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Randy Cross, Daryl Johnston, Tiki and Ronde Barber, Keyshawn Johnson and others.

In talk programming, SIR features, besides The Howard Stern Show and Howard 100 and Howard 101, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Maxim Radio, COSMO Radio, Playboy Radio and the nation's first and only gay and lesbian radio channel, SIRIUS OutQ. Political talk radio enthusiasts can choose from SIRIUS Left and SIRIUS Patriot. Listeners can call in to speak with exclusive SIRIUS talk hosts such as Deepak Chopra, Judith Regan, Candace Bushnell, Richard Simmons and Sen. Bill Bradley on SIRIUS Stars, along with upcoming shows from Barbara Walters and Jane Pratt.

To find out how to sign up for this service, you can read this SIRIUS press release.

XM Rolls Out New Marketing Campaign

XM launched a multi-platform marketing and branding campaign this week, the first from the company's new advertising agency for creative, Lowe New York. The new campaign will be integrated across an extensive marketing plan that includes network and cable television, print, interactive, direct marketing, retail and automotive channels.

Consumers can see the new creative campaign featured in a series of television commercials that incorporates the XM logo "sound waves" in unique ways along with simple, line art drawings animated against a black backdrop and pulsing music. The first two spots, "Switch" and "Hair," were set to debut the beginning of this week.

"Switch," is set to music from emerging artist Regina Spektor's single "Better," and reveals the world of XM to be "Surprising. New. Amazing." "Hair" follows the signature "waves" of XM's logo on a journey across the XM music dial, with music from Johnny Cash, punk band The Circle Jerks, Beethoven, 80's group Flock of Seagulls, Snoop Dogg and classical opera composer Ruggiero Leoncavallo. Both spots end with the line, "170 channels to find what turns you on. Are you on?"

"With our new campaign, Lowe succeeded in finding an elegant and flexible way to communicate XM's core consumer appeal of choice, simplicity and fun—all at the touch of a button," said Nate Davis, President & COO, XM Satellite Radio.

"When you have the kind of innovative client that we have in XM, there's no limit to what an agency can do to impact their business," said Nancy Hill, CEO, Lowe New York. "XM represents a significant opportunity for us to demonstrate the way that Lowe is working these days: collaborative, flexible and responsive teams that generate bigger ideas and fantastic creative work across an infinite option of communications channels. We couldn't be happier."

Read more in the XM Satellite Radio press release.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Announces Strong Subscriber Numbers

SIRIUS Satellite Radio recently announced that it ended the third quarter with 5,119,308 subscribers, 135 percent above third quarter 2005 ending subscribers of 2,173,920. SIRIUS added 441,101 net subscribers in the third quarter of 2006, a 23 percent increase over year-ago third quarter net subscriber additions. SIRIUS has led the satellite radio industry in net subscriber additions for four consecutive quarters, with 61 percent of total satellite radio net additions in the third quarter of 2006. The company also reiterated its projection of 6.3 million subscribers by year-end 2006.

For more information, check out the press release SIRIUS Satellite Radio Passes 5.1 Million Subscribers.

XM to Become NHL's Exclusive Satellite Radio Home

The National Hockey League (NHL) returned to the ice on October 4, and hockey fans nationwide can tune into XM Satellite Radio for live games, plus the nation's only hockey talk radio channel, "Home Ice."

XM will broadcast more than 1,100 live NHL games during the 2006-2007 season. NHL games can be heard on the Home Ice channel (XM 204) and the NHL Hockey Play-by-Play channels 205 through 209. The upcoming NHL season marks the second year of a 10-year partnership between the league and XM. XM will be the exclusive satellite radio network of the NHL starting next season.

"XM has the most hockey coverage that has ever been broadcast on the radio," said Kevin Straley, vice president, talk programming, XM Satellite Radio. "You can listen to games for every NHL team. You can hear the latest hockey news on Home Ice. And since XM is available from coast to coast, you can follow the action virtually anyplace across the country. XM makes it possible for you to tune into the NHL in your car, at home, or on the go. We've got hockey season covered from opening day to the Stanley Cup final."

For more information, check out the XM Radio press release.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Devotes Entire Channel to George Strait

SIRIUS Satellite Radio will devote an entire commercial-free channel to the music of George Strait. The channel will feature all George Strait music, including his upcoming new album, It Just Comes Natural, being released Tuesday, October 3 by MCA Nashville. Music from his entire career, including live cuts and album tracks, along with excerpts from a recent interview with Strait, will be part of the exclusive channel.

Strait will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on November 6th during the 40th annual Country Music Awards. He recently surpassed Conway Twitty's record for the most No. 1 country hit singles with his latest hit song, "Give It Away." Since his 1981 debut, his albums have sold more than 60 million copies.

SIRIUS is the first to dedicate entire 24- hour, commercial-free music channels to some of the world's greatest artists. SIRIUS currently dedicates music channels to The Who (channel 10), the Rolling Stones (channel 98) and Elvis Presley (channel 13). SIRIUS has previously dedicated channels to the music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and David Gilmour/Pink Floyd.

For more information, check out the SIRIUS press release.

XM Satellite Radio Provides Complete Coverage of MLB Postseason

XM Satellite Radio recently announced that baseball fans can tune into XM  for complete coverage of Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason action.

XM will air both teams' home broadcasts of every game in the League Championship Series, beginning October 10, and the World Series, beginning Oct. 21. The games will be carried live and nationwide on XM's MLB Play- by-Play channels 176 through 189. In addition, XM will also broadcast ESPN's national coverage of the games, plus Spanish play-by-play of select games.

"Baseball is the ultimate radio sport, and XM Radio is the ultimate place to hear the games," said Kevin Straley, vice president of talk programming, XM Satellite Radio. "We've broadcast every MLB game in the regular season for the second consecutive year, and we're pulling out all the stops for the playoffs. You get the home and away broadcasts, plus ESPN and Spanish play- by-play, and our MLB Home Plate channel has all the news and commentary you need. We love the postseason, and we cover it from every possible angle."

XM's all-star broadcast team for the MLB playoffs includes Rob Dibble, Kevin Kennedy, Mark Patrick, Buck Martinez, Orestes Destrade, Chuck Wilson, Charley Steiner, Cal Ripken, Jr., Bill Ripken, Ronnie Lane and Joe Castellano.

XM is the official satellite radio network of Major League Baseball. Fans can tune in to hear the latest news and analysis of the playoffs available 24 hours a day on MLB Home Plate (XM 175), XM's exclusive sports talk channel devoted solely to MLB. This season marks the second year of an 11-year broadcast and marketing agreement between XM and MLB.

Read more the in the XM Satellite Radio press release.

XM Satellite Radio to Broadcast Farm Aid 2006 Concert Live

XM Satellite Radio recently announced that it will broadcast Farm Aid 2006 live Saturday, Sept. 30 from the Tweeter Center at the Waterfront in Camden, New Jersey on XM's Americana channel X Country (XM 12).

Ray Knight, Jessie Scott and others will co-host XM's coverage of this historic Farm Aid concert beginning at 3:30 pm ET on X Country (XM 12), featuring artist interviews and live performances from the Farm Aid 2006 stage.

The Farm Aid concert lineup will feature performances by Farm Aid directors Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, as well as musicians Jerry Lee Lewis with Roy Head; Los Lonely Boys; Gov't Mule; Steve Earle; Steel Pulse; Shelby Lynne; and others.

"We are not only fortunate to have Willie Nelson holding the creative reigns of XM's traditional country channel Willie's Place, but incredibly honored to join him in bringing these amazing performances to Americans everywhere in support of this worthy cause," said Ray Knight, senior director of Country Programming, XM Satellite Radio.

For more information, check out the press release XM Satellite Radio to Broadcast Farm Aid 2006 Concert Live on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Media Pioneer to Launch Show on SIRIUS Satellite Radio

SIRIUS Satellite Radio recently announced that Jane Pratt, founder and former editor-in-chief of both Sassy and Jane magazines, will host "Jane Radio," a live, weekly talk show that the company says will bring her irreverent and refreshingly candid personality to satellite radio.

Debuting this fall exclusively on SIRIUS Stars channel 102, "Jane Radio" will be a live, weekly three hour show. From the "Jane rant" of each week to short segments produced "on the street," Jane's show will explore current events, her life, and through their calls, the lives of her listeners. Pratt will interact heavily with listeners through phone calls and segments such as "Jane Needs Help"—during which listeners will be invited to help Jane with her problems—and "Songs We Love," during which Jane will talk to her listeners about the best new music.

"Jane Pratt is a pioneer in the world of media. She talks to women in a voice they respond to and connect with, and she will bring this skill to satellite radio," said Scott Greenstein, President, Entertainment and Sports, SIRIUS Satellite Radio. "'Jane Radio' is a fun and exciting addition to the innovative and diverse lineup of programming SIRIUS has to offer for women."

For more information, check out the SIRIUS Satellite Radio press release.

SIRIUS Introduces First Live Portable Satellite Radio

SIRIUS Satellite Radio has announced the availability of Stiletto 100, the company's first live portable radio, featuring WiFi, Yahoo!™ music purchasing software, and the ability to save music subscribers love for playback later.

Available this month, Stiletto 100 lets users listen to live SIRIUS programming almost anywhere in a small, stylish package, as well as store up to 100 hours of SIRIUS content. The device features WiFi capability for connection to SIRIUS' Internet radio services that allows for listening anywhere an accessible WiFi network is available.

User's own MP3/WMA files can also be stored on the Stiletto 100 and managed with the included My SIRIUS Studio™ software for Windows™ PCs. Stiletto 100 is compatible with most Windows-based Internet music providers' download and subscription services.

The Yahoo! Music Jukebox™ software will be included with the device, allowing users to bookmark individual songs into a favorites list, which can be accessed by a PC application when the unit is connected to user's computer. The application allows users to look up and purchase songs, full albums, or explore artists' other offerings through the Yahoo! Music Jukebox ™ software or other compatible online music download or subscription services. Once the song is purchased or rented, it can be transferred onto the Stiletto 100.

Measuring 4.7" x 2.0" x 1", Stiletto 100 stores up to 100 hours of live SIRIUS Satellite Radio programming (2 GB), has a large 2.2" bright display, Aurora graphic user interface and a six-way navigation control that provides easy one handed access to all features and content.

Other features include 30 channel presets; SIRIUS Replay™, which allows users to pause, rewind and replay 60 minutes of live radio; Game Alert™, which prompts the listener when favorite games are being broadcast and alerts when scores change; Game Zone™, listing all of the users favorite teams in one virtual category; and parental controls and channel lockout.

Read more about it in the press release SIRIUS Introduces the Stiletto 100, Its First Live Portable Satellite Radio. 

Oprah & Friends Makes XM Debut

Harpo Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio announced the highly anticipated "Oprah & Friends" channel debut this week on XM Satellite Radio (XM 156). The new channel features a broad range of caller-driven, original talk programming created and produced by Harpo Radio exclusively for XM Satellite Radio.

With a variety of daily and weekly shows hosted by popular personalities from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and O, The Oprah Magazine, "Oprah & Friends" features programming on topics ranging from nutrition, fitness and health to self improvement, home decor and current events. Show hosts include poet and bestselling author Dr. Maya Angelou; interior design expert Nate Berkus; financial coach and money expert Jean Chatzky; renowned exercise physiologist and fitness expert Bob Greene; O, The Oprah Magazine Editor-At-Large Gayle King; noted cardiologist and award- winning author Dr. Mehmet Oz; distinguished psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Robin Smith; and spiritual teacher and internationally acclaimed author and lecturer Marianne Williamson.

"For me, being a part of XM Radio is a full-circle moment because I started out in radio when I was 16 years old and now I'm able to share the airwaves with my friends," said Oprah.

The original programming on "Oprah & Friends" features a mix of celebrities and everyday people in conversation with the shows' hosts, as well as listeners, through call-ins and e-mails. Donald Trump, Julia Louis- Dreyfus, Annette Bening, Jon Bon Jovi, Nora Ephron, Carnie Wilson, Norman Lear, The New York Times' columnist Thomas Friedman, former presidential candidate Sen. Dennis Kucinich, and others are among those scheduled to appear on "Oprah & Friends" during the first few weeks of broadcast.

"XM's more than seven million subscribers will now benefit from Oprah Winfrey's unparalleled track record of creating programming that entertains, informs and inspires," said Hugh Panero, CEO, XM Satellite Radio. "The shows heard on the 'Oprah & Friends' channel reflect XM and Harpo's shared commitment to engaging audiences by creating personal connections with listeners."

To learn more about this new channel, check out the press release 'Oprah & Friends' Debuts Today on XM Satellite Radio.

XM Satellite Radio to Broadcast Ryder Cup

The historic Ryder Cup golf tournament will air live across the continental U.S. on XM Satellite Radio channel 146 from the tournament at K Club in Kildare, Ireland, Sept. 22-24, 2006. The broadcast will mark the first time that the Ryder Cup will be carried on satellite radio.

Jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, the biannual event will pit the best golfers of the United States against the best players of Europe. The U.S. Ryder team will be led by the world's top ranked players Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk and team captain Tom Lehman.

"The Ryder Cup is one of the most popular and prestigious sporting events in the world," said Kevin Straley, vice president, talk programming, XM Satellite Radio. "You can hear the entire tournament on XM Radio from coast to coast. The Ryder Cup is one of more than five thousand sporting events broadcast live and nationwide on XM this year."

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Goes to the Opera

The Metropolitan Opera and SIRIUS Satellite Radio recently announced a multi-year agreement to create Metropolitan Opera Radio. The channel will debut on SIRIUS this Monday, September 25, with a live broadcast of the Met's opening night gala performance of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Anthony Minghella.

The exclusive new SIRIUS satellite radio music channel will broadcast live Metropolitan Opera performances each week throughout the Met's entire season, in addition to hundreds of archival performances from throughout the Met's 75-year history. Metropolitan Opera Radio will be heard on SIRIUS channel 85.

"This is a significant step in our plans to use digital technology to relay our extraordinary content," said Peter Gelb, the Met's new General Manager. "I look forward to working with SIRIUS to expand their listenership to include opera lovers throughout the US and Canada."

"With Metropolitan Opera Radio, we will bring opera lovers the best performances of our day and an unparalleled and definitive collection of historic broadcasts," said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS President, Entertainment and Sports. "SIRIUS' broad reach and superb digital quality sound make us the perfect vehicle to help Peter Gelb and the Met fulfill their mission to both superserve existing opera lovers and create new opera fans nationwide."

The full-time channel will feature an average of four live broadcasts each week throughout the Met's 2006-07 performance season, with Saturday matinee performances enhanced with live interviews and  intermission programs. The channel will also feature hundreds of re-mastered broadcasts culled from the Met's 75-year history. Additional vocal content will complement the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts.

For more information on this new channel, check out the SIRIUS press release.

Samsung Introduces FlipTop Powered by DIRECTV

Samsung Electronics recently introduced the future of versatile multimedia entertainment for the entire home with its FlipTop design, featuring an integrated 10.2-inch LCD screen. This latest addition to Samsung's award-winning family of LCD display panels is the first-of-its-kind: a DIRECTV receiver that features a unique swivel design with a backlit control panel. This allows the unit to be mounted under a cabinet or on a table-top with the TV image and control panel icons always illuminated right side up.

"Samsung is once again at the forefront of a rapidly-evolving market," said Frank Romeo, vice president of marketing, Digital Set Top Box Products. "DIRECTV's 15 million subscribers and new customers are seeking compact, versatile flat panel displays as additional sets for rooms outside the traditional home theater space. The FlipTop combines Samsung's tradition of design innovation and technical leadership to offer an advanced all-in-one entertainment solution for any room in the home."

The Samsung DIRECTV FlipTop offers a clear and bright LCD picture with a 16:9, aspect ratio. The folding configuration allows users to tilt or flip the screen for convenient positioning and viewing from any direction, while the front panel buttons are back-lit and can flip based on the TV's placement. "The FlipTop allows consumers to bring DIRECTV programming and XM Satellite radio anywhere in their home," said Richard Long, senior product marketing manager Digital Set Top Box Products, Samsung Electronics America.

With its space-saving 10.2-inch profile, built-in DIRECTV receiver and 10 watts of stereo audio, the FlipTop allows consumers to experience the full range of entertainment media without the need for a separate set top box. Subscribers can easily enjoy over 250 available channels of DIRECTV programming with digital picture quality and sound, as well as up to 72 channels of music, news, sports and entertainment through XM Satellite Radio.

Additional features include a built-in AV input that allows users to connect additional entertainment devices, bilingual user interface (English and Spanish), three device universal remote and three-day Advanced Program Guide.

For more information and to find a retailer that carries the Samsung FlipTop Powered by DIRECTV, visit Samsung.com.

XM Announces the National Lampoon Comedy Radio

XM Satellite Radio and National Lampoon, the world's most recognized brand in comedy, announced the launch of "National Lampoon Comedy Radio," a 24-hour comedy channel debuting on XM's programming lineup in October.

With a stable of "comedy jocks" serving as on-air hosts, National Lampoon Comedy Radio (XM 154) will include a variety of original programming spanning from stand-up and satirical news and sports segments to parody songs and prank phone calls. The channel also will include character sketches regular interview features with comedian and celebrities.

"XM has been a champion of the comedy radio format, developing and growing our three existing comedy channels to become among the most popular on the platform. With the addition of National Lampoon Comedy Radio, we'll be able to reinforce XM's reputation as an innovator in comedy programming for a national radio audience," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming for XM Satellite Radio.

XM and Pioneer to Donate to Breast Cancer Research

XM Satellite Radio and Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. announced yesterday that the Pioneer inno™ XM2go, the world's first portable player to combine XM's acclaimed content with the flexibility of MP3 playback, will be available for purchase in pink beginning September 10. For each pink inno sold and activated, a donation will be made to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

"XM, Circuit City Stores, Inc. and Pioneer are coming together with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to deliver this pink Pioneer inno to market with the hope that we can help drive breast cancer awareness, an important issue to many of our existing subscribers and employees," said Dan Murphy, senior vice president, Retail Marketing Distribution for XM Satellite Radio. "Music lovers now have satellite radio and MP3 music in a single, sleek device, as well as the satisfaction of donating to a worthy cause."

The pink Pioneer inno [GEX-INNO-PK], has a suggested retail price of $349.99, and will be available for sale exclusively at Circuit City Stores or online starting September 10, before expanding to additional retailers. Pioneer, XM and Circuit City will make a combined $30 donation to the Komen Foundation for each pink inno sold and activated, up to a maximum of $150,000. In addition, XM Satellite Radio has committed airtime to the Komen Foundation and its executives to educate its subscribers about breast cancer.

For nearly 25 years, the Komen Foundation has been the largest private funder of breast cancer research, as well as outreach programs in 17,000 communities around the world.

"It provides a great sense of hope that Circuit City, Pioneer and XM Satellite Radio have joined to help us work toward a cure for breast cancer," said Cindy Schneible, vice president of Resource Development for the Komen Foundation. "We are proud to have the opportunity to partner with these three recognizable brands in an effort to increase the awareness of our cause and reach to music and entertainment lovers nationwide."

To read more about the pink Pionneer inno, you can read this XM press release.

XM Radios Granted New Certification From FCC

Last month, I posted about SIRIUS and XM stopping production of selected satellite radios due to questions over whether or not the devices complied with certain FCC rules. Stephanie posted about SIRIUS resuming production of their radios a few weeks ago and now it looks like XM will be doing the same.

The company has announced that the FCC issued new grants of authority for three XM radios with FM transmitters after determining that the radios are in compliance with FCC regulations. These XM plug-and-play radios—Audiovox Xpress, Delphi RoadyXT, and XM Sportscaster—are three of XM's primary products at retail. XM is notifying its manufacturers to resume production of these devices. These new products are expected to be available at retail for the holiday shopping season.

Read more about this issues in the article XM Satellite Soars Again.

College Sport Fans Should Tune into XM

XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 7 million subscribers, will kick off its coverage of the 2006 college football season on August 28. Among the college games to air nationwide on XM during the first week of regular season play are Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech; Stanford vs. Oregon; Boston College vs. Central Michigan, and Indiana State vs. Purdue.

This marks the first year that XM will carry all the football teams in the Big East Conference. XM is also the official satellite network of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference and Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) and XM will carry the BCS bowl series on ESPN Radio.

A complete schedule of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10 college football games for the 2006 season broadcast on XM is available at collegesports.xmradio.com.

Listeners can also tune into the XM original "College Football Coast-to-Coast," which will air live, weekdays at [1 p.m. ET and Saturdays from 12-6 p.m. ET] on XM's new 24-hour sports channel XM Sports Nation (XMSN) on XM Channel 143 beginning August 28. Hosted by T.J. Rives, the hour-long program covers news from college football conferences across the country, game analysis, interviews and listener call-ins.

Alltel Partners with XM Satellite Radio

Alltel Wireless recently announced an agreement with XM Satellite Radio that will make Alltel customers the first in the United States to have access XM Satellite Radio programming via their wireless phones. The application was developed by MobiTV, the global leader in television and digital radio services for cellular, Wi-Fi and broadband enabled devices.

Alltel Wireless customers will receive audio streams of 20 popular commercial-free XM music channels and be able to select channels by genre. XM will deliver data to make it possible to view the song title, artist and album while listening on a variety of compatible handsets. Alltel Wireless customers can gain unlimited access to select XM radio channels on the XM Radio Mobile service for $7.99 a month.

"Consumers are increasingly eager to access great, commercial-free music on their mobile phones," said Adam Reyer, senior vice president of Business Development for XM Satellite Radio. "XM Satellite Radio will launch its new mobile service to Alltel customers, providing them with access to an assortment of XM's acclaimed music programming on their mobile phones virtually anywhere they go."

SIRIUS Resumes Production of FM Radios

One of SIRIUS' radio manufacturers has resumed manufacturing and distribution of SIRIUS branded radios with FM transmitters. Radio manufacturer, Kiryung Electronics Co. Ltd. (KRI), received new grants of authority from the FCC for the Xact Visor, SIRIUS One and Sportster Replay radios. The grants were issued after the FCC's laboratory confirmed that the devices were compliant with applicable FCC rules. KRI also continues to manufacture the SIRIUS Sportster 4.

This announcement comes shortly after SIRIUS' halting of production of some FM radios, which you can read about in this earlier blog post.

XM Satellite Radio to Launch 24/7 Sports News and Talk Channel

In other sports-related news, XM Satellite Radio recently announced the launch of "XM Sports Nation," (XMSN) a dedicated 24-hour sports news and talk channel. The programming lineup for XMSN (XM channel 143) will incorporate existing XM-produced series, including shows hosted by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Cal Ripken, Jr., Coach Mike Krzyzewski, James Carville and Luke Russert. To complement XM's original sports programming, XM Sports Nation will feature popular content from Sporting News Radio, including shows from Tim Brando, Tony Bruno and Troy Aikman, among others. The channel will debut on XM's programming lineup August 28.

Read more about this new channel in the XM Satellite Radio press release.

SIRIUS Plans New Handheld

SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced last week that it expects to debut a new "personal live satellite radio product" later this month. Their current handheld product does not let users listen to satellite radio if the device is not connected to a computer. "Our personal live satellite radio product, Stiletto, is great," said Mel Karamazin, chief executive officer of SIRIUS. "We have been beta testing it for a few weeks and we will have it available to consumers by the end of the summer."

XM Satellite Radio Listeners to Hear Google Ads

Google Inc. announced that it has reached an agreement with XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than seven million subscribers, to introduce and make available commercial advertising inventory on XM's non-music channels to Google's extensive advertising base through its dMarc media network. Google advertisers will be able to reach XM's millions of subscribers nationwide and XM will have access to Google's large and small advertisers to offer relevant, targeted messages to their subscribers.

"This partnership with XM Satellite Radio will provide a powerful marketing and distribution tool for Google advertisers," said Ryan Steelberg, Google's head of radio operations. "By providing access to XM's premier satellite audience, Google advertisers will have an easy way to target, schedule, deliver and measure satellite radio campaigns in a timely and efficient manner."

To learn more, check out the Google press release.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio To Ride With New Mitsubishis

Mitsubishi Motors North America and SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced that Mitsubishi will offer SIRIUS as a standard feature or factory option on four models this fall, and throughout the entire 2008 Mitsubishi model line, available in the United States next year.

This fall, SIRIUS will be standard equipment on the model year 2007 Galant RALLIART, Endeavor SE and all Raider LS and DuroCross double cab pickup trucks. On most other trim levels of the Galant, Endeavor and Raider and on the all-new Outlander, SIRIUS will be available as a factory option. All SIRIUS-equipped vehicles will include a six-month, pre-paid subscription.

For more information, read the SIRIUS press release.

XM Satellite Radio Surpasses 7 Million Subscribers

XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio company, announced that it now has more than 7 million subscribers. "XM has achieved yet another major milestone as the leader in satellite radio," said Hugh Panero, CEO, XM Satellite Radio. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, D.C., New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels.

Sirius, XM Stop Production of Selected Satellite Radios

Last month, Stephanie reported that Sirius and XM may hault production of radios. Sirius is now reporting it has instructed some of its manufacturers to stop making radios that do not comply with current federal emissions and frequency rules. Rival XM Satellite Radio made a similar move related to models with FM transmitters, which allow consumers to play the satellite service on a traditional radio.

In a recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Sirius stated that the Federal Communications Commission was continuing its review of the products. The company believes its radios currently in production comply with applicable FCC rules, and reassured consumers that no health or safety issues are involved with the radios they have stopped producing. Sirius also said that factory-installed radios in new vehicles are not affected.

Sirius goes up in numbers as well

Just as XM released their subscriber numbers yesterday, Sirius did as well. Sirius' subscriber base increased by 158 percent when compared to a year ago, bringing their total to 4,678,207 subscribers. The company added 600,460 net subscribers during the second quarter of 2006, or 64 percent above last year's second quarter net subscriber additions of approximately 366,000.

XM gains subscribers

XM Satellite Radio has added more than 398,000 new net subscribers during the second quarter of 2006 for a total of more than 6.89 million subscribers. Exclusive programming to launch on XM this September includes the much-anticipated Oprah & Friends channel, featuring regular segments by popular personalities from "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and an original weekly reality radio show with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

"Willie's Place" on XM

Country music legend Willie Nelson will join XM to launch "Willie's Place" (XM 13), XM's traditional country music channel, formerly known as "Hank's Place." In his new role as "proprietor" of "Willie's Place," Nelson will provide creative direction for the channel, as well as contribute exclusive programming to "Willie's Place" and other XM commercial-free music channels.

"I've been a fan of XM and Hank's Place since the very beginning. They put a lot of thought and hard work into making the channel sound as good as it does, so I feel privileged to be a part of it," said Willie Nelson.

"Willie's Place" will begin broadcasting July 10.

Barbara Walters to have a weekly show on Sirius

Barbara Walters is coming to a radio near you, but only if you subscribe to Sirius Satellite Radio.  Barbara Walters' interviews will be featured in an exclusive weekly Sirius show, entitled Barbara Walters' Best of the Very Best, presenting a selection of her compelling interviews over the past 30 years with great entertainers and world leaders. Walters will also host four times a year a new, live call-in show, entitled Ask Barbara Anything, exclusively on Sirius.

The weekly two-hour series, Barbara Walters' Best of the Very Best, will take the best from a vast archive of diverse interview subjects that have captivated millions. Barbara Walters' Best of the Very Best will debut early next year exclusively on Sirius Stars, channel 102. The show will include dynamic interviews with famous people ranging from Hillary Clinton to Muhammad Ali to Tom Hanks to Lance Armstrong, to name only a few.

Bob Dylan's baseball-themed XM broadcast added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has added to its archive the "baseball" episode from legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's critically acclaimed music show on XM Satellite Radio, "Theme Time Radio Hour." The one-hour episode contains Dylan singing an a cappella rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," along with classic baseball calls, such as Curt Gowdy's legendary call of Ted Williams' home run in his final at-bat with the Boston Red Sox, and baseball original compositions, such as Buddy Johnson's "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball." The "Theme Time Radio Hour" airs weekly on XM and features an eclectic mix of music based around a theme.

XM Satellite to have "Laugh Out Loud" July

XM Satellite Radio is dedicating the month of July to celebrating America's freedom to laugh. "Laugh Out Loud" July will highlight original specials and unique programming featuring some of the biggest names in comedy across the XM platform, including its four dedicated comedy channels.

As part of "Laugh Out Loud" July, every night at 10 p.m. ET throughout the month XM will air a different episode of "Stand Up, Sit Down," the original XM series where top comics discuss their careers and craft with XM Comedy on-air host Sonny Fox. Lewis Black, George Carlin, John Cleese, Dane Cook, Bill Cosby, Mitch Fatel, Jim Gaffigan, Gilbert Gottfried, Mitch Hedberg, Robert Klein, Larry the Cable Guy, Richard Lewis, Kathleen Madigan, Carlos Mencia, Paul Mooney, Brian Regan, Ron White and many others will be featured in "Stand Up, Sit Down" episodes during the month.

To find out more of what XM will be doing to make you laugh in July, you can check out their press release.

New horror-themed radio program on Sirius

Sirius Satellite Radio and Fangoria Entertainment announced today the launch of Fangoria Radio, the first national horror-themed entertainment radio show. Hosted by renowned Twisted Sister frontman and horror film producer/actor Dee Snider, Fangoria Radio will air Friday nights from 10:00 pm - 1:00 am ET on Sirius Stars channel 102. The show will debut on Friday, June 23, 2006.

Fangoria Radio will be a live, 3-hour weekly radio show from the creators of the world's most popular and longest running horror publication, Fangoria Magazine. Listeners will be able to interact and get close to the best and scariest in horror entertainment. The program will feature interviews with celebrities and stars in the horror world, listener call-ins, updates on horror movies, and even on- location visits to the biggest horror films in production. In addition, Fangoria Radio will highlight the latest horror gossip as well as reviews of movies, television shows and video games.

Sirius serves as DJ for couple's wedding reception

John McHugh and Maggie Lee had a very special wedding reception that the whole world could listen to thanks to Sirius. To save some money, the Wisconsin couple decided not to hire a DJ or a band for their reception, instead, Lee e-mailed Sirius satellite radio and asked that a few special songs to be played for their reception. Sirius decided to do more than that and dedicated a whole broadcast to the couple. In addition to playing the couples requested music, deejay Lee Arnold also added personal dedications throughout the broadcast.

Sirius and XM may hault production of radios

Due to inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), XM and Sirius may have to temporarily hault production of certain radios. Currently, the radios in question are the the FCC inquiries have been limited to the XM's SKYFi2 and Audiovox Xpress. The FCC says that the transmitter for these radios is not in compliance with the operating bandwidth of the FCC's rules. And these radios may not be the only ones that are not in compliance, according to the article Sirius, XM Could Halt Radio Production.

Sirius buys rights to classic Stern moments

Sirius payed CBS Radio $2 million to own the master tapes of Howard Stern's past shows. This deal serves as a settlement to the suit that CBS Radio brought against Stern in February that I wrote about in the an earlier post. You can read the article Sirius buys classic Stern moments for $2 million to find out more about the settlement.

Sirius reaffirms 2006 subscriber guidance

On Wednesday, Sirius Satellite Radio reaffirmed its guidance of more than 6.2 million subscribers by year-end 200. This represents an 87 percent increase over the company's subscriber base at the end of 2005. Sirius expects to add more than 2.8 million net subscribers during the year.  Sirius's CEO Mel Karmazin said that Sirius continues "to experience dramatic growth and strong demand for our service."

Benefits of XM

XM radio brings you radio to the power of X. With XM Radio you can get:

• Over 170 digital channels
• Commercial-free music
• Live concerts plus exclusive original programming
• Big names in news, talk and entertainment
• Every team in major league baseball, all season long

You can choose from various subscription plans, including monthly, quarterly or yearly. You can go to WhiteFence to pick out which XM radio and plan that you want.

XM's exclusive content

XM recently announced a new season of exclusive music content.  The Dixie Chicks, Pretenders, David Gilmour and Rob Thomas will be some of the artists featured in the new season of XM's original music programming. To read more about the programming, you can read the article XM's New Season of Exclusive Programming or go to XM's Web site.

Sirius to broadcast 'Blog Radio'

According to the article 'Blog Radio' Comes To Sirius,  Sirius will launch a new radio music program, titled Blog Radio, that will be hosted by music bloggers. The program will debut on May 29 on channel 26, which is Sirius' indie and alternative rock station. "Blog Radio further solidifies Sirius' position as the leader in the discovery of new music and demonstrates our commitment to providing a vehicle for independent musicians and opinion makers to be heard," said Steve Blatter, Sirius senior VP of music programming, in the article.  

New Catholic channel to launch on Sirius

This fall, Sirius plans to launch a Catholic-themed station that will broadcast talk and music programming as well as daily Mass from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. The station is being created by Sirius with the exclusive participation of the Archdiocese of New York. It will feature programming only available through Sirius.

The Catholic Channel, as the station is to be called, also will include human interest stories and inspirational themes, shows offering counseling and guidance, educational programs and musical content. A detailed schedule with specific programs and hosts will be announced prior to the launch of the Catholic Channel.

Deepak Chopra on Sirius

Deepak Chopra will host a weekly radio show on Sirius that will debut in summer 2006. The program, titled 'Deepak Chopra's Wellness Radio,' will focus on health, spirituality, relationships and success. You will be able to hear Chopra every Saturday morning on channel 102.

"Deepak Chopra's exceptional success as a doctor, author and teacher has touched the lives of millions of people. Deepak is leading the field of mind and body medicine and is changing the way we look at our health," said Scott Greenstein, Sirius' President, Entertainment and Sports, in a Sirius press release. "We are excited to add Deepak Chopra's Wellness Radio to our already strong line-up of lifestyle programming."

Draft of senate telecom reform bill revealed

On Monday, Ted Stevens, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, released a draft telecom bill that touches on several hot topics of today. According to the article Net neutrality missing from sweeping telecom bill, Stevens said in a statement that the bill "attempts to strike a balance between competing industries, consumer groups and local government."

Some of the important points made in the new bill include:

• Video and Audio Flag
  • An Audio Broadcast Flag that will ban digital over-the-air radio and digital satellite devices that can record broadcasts.
  • Also, under the Video Broadcast Flag, some receivers that allow users to record broadcasts may be banned.
• New Taxes - Imposes taxes on broadband and VoIP services.
• Municipal Broadband - Cities and states would set up their own municipal broadband networks.
• Internet Neutrality - The FCC would have to publish a yearly report on any problems with net neutrality.

These and other changes will be enacted by this bill if it is passed into law as is. According to the article Senate Telecom Reform Bill Surfaces, the senate committee will hold two public hearings about the bill as well as an executive session after Memorial Day to mark up the bill.

Public outcry bring XM's Opie and Anthony back to DIRECTV lineup

Last week, XM's Opus and Anthony were removed from DIRECTV's lineup "in an effort to move its XM radio service to a 100 percent commercial-free music format," according to a press release from DIRECTV. But, due to numerous requests from fans, DIRECTV has decided to bring the radio show back to the DIRECTV lineup. Dan Fawcett, executive vice president, Programming Acquisition, DIRECTV, Inc. said that "the uproar from fans, pleading with us to put Opie & Anthony back on the air, was deafening to say the least."

DIRECTV's subscription plans include XM radio stations along with the satellite television service. With DIRECTV TOTAL CHOICE(R) programming package, subscribers have access to 50 XM Satellite Radio's music channels. DIRECTV customers subscribing to the DIRECTV TOTAL CHOICE(R) Plus programming package and above have access to more than 68 channels. DIRECTV PARA TODOS(R) subscribers have access to the same XM channels, as well as five additional Latin music channels. 

Sirius vs. XM

With both XM and Sirius available through WhiteFence, it may be hard for you to choose between the two satellite providers. I have found this article on the HowStuffWorks Web site that describes the differences between Sirius and XM. Not only does the article briefly describe how satellite radio works, it also gives a side by side comparison of XM and Sirius in the categories of: Number of Satellites, Programming, Highlights, Equipment, Price, Availability and more.

If you have decided on which satellite provider you want, or you want to use the comparison engine found on WhiteFence, enter your address on WhiteFence.com to compare the satellite radio offers available and to connect to the provider you choose.

Sirius settles dispute with EMI

Sirius finally reached an agreement with EMI Music Group over Sirius' S50 MP3 player. As mentioned in a previous post, Sirius settles dispute, several major recording companies were upset over the S50s ability to record CD quality music through the Sirius satellite service. You can read about Sirius' agreement with EMI in the article Sirius, EMI Agree On Player Deal.

Sirius gains another car deal

Sirius has made a deal with car manufacturer Kia. Beginning with the 2009 models, Sirius will be installed as standard equipment in all Kia vehicles. The agreement runs for five years, until 2014.

Sirius' rival XM has had success as well in signing agreements with large car manufacturers, including General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan. More information about the satellite radio companies' deals are available in this article, Kia to Install Sirius Radio in 2009 Cars.

XM Radio hits 6.5 million

By adding 568,000 net new subscribers, XM Radio has made it to 6.5 million total subscribers in the first quarter of 2006. XM Radio's goal is to get nine million subscribers by the end of 2006. XM Radio President and CEO Hugh Panero said that reaching 6.5 million total subscribers this quarter is consistent with their goal. You can read more about XM Radio's growth in their press release.

Stern angry at fans who didn't follow him to Sirius

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Howard Stern let loose on fans who didn't make the change with him to Sirius radio. According to the article Stern curses out fans who aren't on Sirius, Stern said the show is better than ever now that it is on Sirius and that Stern is insulted that not more of his previous audience has made the move to Sirius satellite radio. Stern recently moved his radio program from CBS radio to Sirius this January.

Sirius in Audis

Not only has Sirius signed an exclusive agreement with Volkswagen, it has also signed a similar deal with Audi. Sirius announced that Audi will offer Sirius in its vehicles as its exclusive satellite radio. The deal will begin with the model year 2007 and extend to model year 2012.

Sirius now in Volkswagens

Sirius and Volkswagen announced on March 17 that Volkswagen will offer Sirius as its sole satellite provider in its vehicles through 2012. Beginning with VW vehicles with the model year 2007, Volkswagen expects to equip 80 percent of its vehicles with Sirius satellite receivers. You can read Sirius's press release to find out more about Sirius and Volkswagen's partnership.

Sirius settles dispute

On Monday, Sirius announced they had settled a dispute with three major recording companies over their Sirius S50 portable music player. The S50 player allows consumers to record up to 50 hours of music from the Sirius service. The recording companies were worried that the S50 would cut into online music sales. Though the settlements were not made public, two of the companies had called for Sirius to pay them a set amount for each S50 portable music player Sirius sold.

Exclusive Cosmo channel on Sirius

On Tuesday, Sirius launched COSMO Radio on channel 111. The station will feature talk about issues and stories in Cosmopolitan magazine and will be geared toward Cosmopolitan's current readers. The station will be on 24/7, so if you are a fun fearless female, or want to know what fun fearless females talk about, you should tune in to COSMO Radio on Sirius.

Sirius' response to CBS Radio's lawsuit

As you know from my earlier post, CBS Radio is suing Sirius, Howard Stern and others. Not surprisingly, Sirius has something to say about that.

A spokesperson for the satellite radio provider said on Wednesday the suit has no merit and that Sirius will "vigorously defend" itself against the suit. The spokesperson also assured that nothing in the lawsuit would interfere with Stern's contract with Sirius. Read Sirius Comments on CBS Spat for more information on CBS Radio's suit against Sirius and others.

CBS suing Howard Stern and Sirius

CBS Radio is getting back at Howard Stern's almost two years of promoting Sirius Satellite Radio while the radio personality was still employed by CBS Radio. CBS Radio filed a suit with the Supreme Court of New York for at least $400 million in damages. More information about CBS Radio's suit against Sirius and Stern can be found in the article CBS Radio Bites Back, And Sues Howard Stern.

New show to debut on Sirius

Starting March 20, the Court TV Morning Show will debut on Sirius. The show will be hosted by Court TV's Vinnie Politan and will provide in-depth commentary on the day's programming on Court TV.

Sirius picks up FOX News

Now you can tune into FOX News on Sirius. Sirius Satellite Radio announced recently that they have signed a long term agreement with FOX News. On March 14, FOX News will join Sirius' information and news line-up on channel 131. Sirius will also begin airing FOX News Talk channel on channel 145, which will include shows featuring several FOX News personalities, including Tony Snow, Bill O'Reilly, Alan Colmes and John Gibson.