Audio/ Video/ Navigation / Electronics DiscussionDiscuss the Nitro A/V and navigation system here, along with other items such as custom installations, alarms, radar detectors, etc.
While the two satellite radio providers in the U.S., Sirius and XM Satellite Radio, move forward with a merged company, their namesakes in Canada (which simply license the name from the U.S. counterparts) are continuing efforts to operate as separate companies. Both Canadian companies, Sirius Canada and XM Canada, have recently made adjustments to their individual programming line-ups, adding several new channels of both music and talk programming.
Sirius customers will be able to access programming from Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Willie Nelson via a traditional country station; and new channels like AC/DC Radio, Led Zeppelin Radio, the Grateful Dead Channel, and Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Radio will also be available.
Channels like Southern Gospel, Book Talk, Pop Hits from the 1990s and 2000s, American Politics, Beautiful Music, and Singers Songwriters will also now be broadcast. One of the neatest new channel additions, in my opinion, is called Cinemagic, which will feature tunes from popular movie soundtracks.
Naturally, in keeping with Canadian content regulations, these channels will replace existing ones; while other stations may be renamed or moved to different channels on the Sirius service. For example, channel 9 used to host The Pulse, which included tunes from the 90s as well as today. The Pulse will now be found on channel 12, while the new 90s Pop Hits channel will appear on channel 9 (and aptly be named 90s on 9).
Deleted channels include Sirius Disorder, The Strobe, Boombox, Backspin, Universo Latino, E!, and Punk. However, tunes that would have been heard on these channels will be incorporated into other like ones.
Meanwhile, over at XM, the satellite radio provider is adding channel offerings from Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffet, Elvis Presley, Grateful Dead, Eminem, Frank Sinatra, and Jamie Foxx. In sports, we’ll see five new NBA play-by-play channels.
In other news, Sirius is offering a holiday promotion that consists of the Stratus 5 satellite radio receiver, vehicle kit, and a three-month subscription and activation for $80.
LINK: Sirius, XM Add Channels: Marketnews.ca
I’ve been writing and editing the Radio portion of About.com since 2002 and I can count on one hand the amount of news stories or controversies which have generated more reaction than the recent programming consolidation of the SIRIUS and XM services.
Subscribers are livid. Dismayed. Pissed. Ready to bail.
You’d think with the business model of Satellite Radio – you know where subscribers foot the bill and not the advertisers like traditional Radio – that somebody, somewhere in some office would have thought, “Hey, before we change around all the programming on both services maybe we should ask our customers for input.”
Holly on SIRIUS channel 81 and XM channel 35 will broadcast contemporary holiday hits mixed with selected traditional favorites and will include Bruce Springsteen, Amy Grant, The Carpenters, Mannheim Steamroller and more. Holly will air through New Year's Eve, December 31.
Bing Crosby Christmas Radio on SIRIUS channel 113 and XM channel 120, a non-stop broadcast of more than twenty years of vintage Bing Crosby holiday radio specials, hosted exclusively for SIRIUS XM by the Crosby family and featuring a wide variety of Crosby's beloved music -- including his most popular recording ever, "White Christmas" -- and special guests like Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Bob Hope among others. Bing Crosby Christmas Radio will air beginning December 13 at 12 midnight ET to Christmas Day, December 25.
Holiday Traditions on XM channel 36 will broadcast traditional holiday recordings from the '40s through the '60s by artists including Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Ray Conniff, Nat "King" Cole and more. Holiday Traditions will air beginning Monday, November 24 at 12 midnight ET through Christmas Day, December 25.
Holiday Pops on SIRIUS channel 79 and XM channels 37 and 77 will broadcast beloved carols sung by the greatest classical musicians of all-time including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Luciano Pavarotti, Boston Pops and Leontyne Price among others. Holiday Pops will air beginning Thanksgiving Day November 27 at 12 midnight ET to Christmas Day, December 25.
Radio Hanukkah on SIRIUS channel 3 and XM channel 38 will broadcast a celebration showcasing Hanukkah music and Jewish culture. Radio Hanukkah will air beginning the first night of Hanukkah on December 21 starting at 12 midnight ET to December 29.
Regular SIRIUS XM programming will resume after the holiday season.
Sirius XM Launches Black Friday Promo, Outlines Plans
Sirius XM Launches Black Friday Promo, Outlines Plans
11/25/2008 8:55:00 AM
New York — On Black Friday, Sirius XM will launch a trial, free “Best of Both” promotion and its first holiday advertising under a single Sirius XM banner.
The company will give consumers three free months of “Best of Both” service with the purchase of any Sirius or Sirius XM
Jim Meyer, Sirius XM's operations and sales president.
XM aftermarket product. The top-tier service usually carries a charge of $16.99/month, and adds Sirius channels to an XM subscription or XM channels to a Sirius subscription at a $4 premium. The company will also abandon separate XM and Sirius ads and focus heavily this season on radio advertising, said operations and sales president Jim Meyer in an exclusive interview with TWICE.
The executive also offered several insights into Sirius XM’s outlook during this volatile period.
Meyer said the company’s sales to date of “Best of Both” subscriptions exceeded all forecasts, adding that it is too soon to tell how the lower-tier a la carte services is performing at $6.99/month.
“This is the first opportunity we’ve had to sell tiered programming. When you look at the other pay services, tiered programming has been successful. We’re encouraged by the early results. Obviously we like it better when they buy $16.99 rate than $6.99.”
The company hopes the switch to joint advertising will alleviate customer confusion at retail. “If you go to a Best Buy or Circuit City beginning this week, Friday, for the holiday period, you’ll see a common display with both brands displayed and a common merchandise strategy. We think that goes a long way toward the elimination of confusion. A single pointed display and single pointed ads. Also, within the retail brochures, one promotion for both brands.”
Displays will also be available in other stores and will spell out service plans.
He said advertising this year will include more radio and less TV. “We think changing it up was a good idea. We’re excited about [radio] because we think it is an efficient vehicle to get new listeners.” He noted of print ads, “We think we’ll be well represented in retail ads — we’re very happy with the space we’ve been able to secure through our retailers.”
When asked how Sirius XM perceived the recent spate of complaints from bloggers after the company adjusted its channel lineup, the satellite radio executive said the changeover resulted in relatively few deactivations. “Over the last five days, while I never like to lose any customers, I can tell you it’s been a non-issue. We did lose some. In my mind, so far, I’ve been very pleased considering as a big a change as we did.”
Meyer acknowledged the headwinds of the current economy, stating, “No doubt the downturn will have an impact on how many new cars are sold next year and how many will have satellite radio in them. We’re all trying to wait till this thing finds its bottom and figure out where to go from there. We get predictions from our partners and two or three industry sources and they are all over the place. It’s difficult to predict how many cars will be sold in 2009. With that in mind, we’ve always been on the Sirius side-and we’re applying that to the XM side — we’ve always been committed to the aftermarket business and we continue to be committed to the aftermarket and will continue to promote and advertise in ways that we think will help drive the business.”
Sirius XM is starting to experiment with promotions to customers of used cars. “The company is now old enough that we’re beginning for the first time to see sizeable amounts of factory installed satellite radios [in cars] that are traded in and sold, and now we’re very much interested in remarketing to get the next car owner to subscribe as well,” Meyer said.
It is working with CarMax and AutoNation and with certified pre-owned dealers. “We’re looking at ways to direct market to consumers of those used cars to offer them a try out. We’ve developed a lot of approaches and we’re out testing several of them now. This is going to take several months to evaluate.”
SIRIUS XM Radio Brings ABBA Radio Channel Back for a Limited 9-Day Encore
Sirius XM Radio Inc
12/11/2008 2:30:00 PM
NEW YORK, Dec 11, 2008 --
ABBA Radio will be available to XM subscribers for the first time
ABBA Radio will broadcast the ABBA song catalog, a new interview with Benny Andersson of ABBA plus celebrity guest deejays playing their favorite music by ABBA
SIRIUS XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) is bringing back ABBA Radio, the exclusive 100% commercial-free music channel dedicated to international pop supergroup ABBA. The limited-run channel will return to SIRIUS channel 3 and will be broadcast for the first time on XM channel 31 starting Friday, December 12 at 6 pm through Saturday, December 20 at 11:59 pm ET.
The ABBA Radio channel will broadcast ABBA music 24/7 and features all the hits originally performed by the group. The channel also broadcasts tracks from the soundtrack of MAMMA MIA! The Movie featuring two-time Academy Award(R)-winning actress Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth singing ABBA songs. In addition, SIRIUS XM listeners will also hear original cast recordings of the international hit stage musical phenomenon, MAMMA MIA!
For the channel re-launch, Benny Andersson of ABBA sat down for a new, never-before-heard interview with ABBA expert and music journalist Fred Bronson. SIRIUS XM listeners and ABBA fans will hear Andersson describe the headline-making moment when the four members of ABBA made their appearance at the premiere of MAMMA MIA! The Movie in Stockholm. Andersson will also discuss his cameo in the movie with Bjorn Ulvaeus as well as his opinion on Meryl Streep's singing performance.
In addition to broadcasting the original music of ABBA and the new interview with Benny Andersson, SIRIUS XM will air an encore broadcast of interviews with Andersson and his fellow ABBA member, Bjorn Ulvaeus. The two legendary songwriters will offer their unique insights into the many pop classics they wrote and ABBA's enduring legacy in music today.
ABBA Radio also features celebrity fans sharing their favorite ABBA music and personal stories, including stars from MAMMA MIA! The Movie Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Christine Baranski and Amanda Seyfried. SIRIUS XM listeners will also hear featured guest deejay sessions with Martha Stewart, singer Dionne Warwick, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, Neil Sedaka, songwriter Desmond Child, Randy Jones of The Village People and many others.
MAMMA MIA! The Movie is the global phenomenon based on the songs of ABBA and the Broadway show. The film features timeless favorites such as "Dancing Queen," "I Have a Dream," "Voulez-Vous" and "Take a Chance on Me" woven into a tale of love, laughter and friendship. MAMMA MIA! The Movie will be released on DVD on Tuesday, December 16, 2008.
ABBA Radio continues SIRIUS XM Radios' tradition of creating exclusive limited run artist-branded channels dedicated to iconic musicians. In addition to the current broadcast of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio, Led Zeppelin Radio and AC/DC Radio, SIRIUS XM has previously offered limited run channels such as Mandatory Metallica, Rolling Stones Radio, The Spectrum of John Mellencamp, The Who Channel, Radio R.E.M., Coldplay Nation, Neil Diamond Radio, Jay-Z Nation, Michael Jackson's XM Thriller, George Strait's Strait Country, Garth Brooks Radio, Kenny Chesney's No Shoes Radio and Duran Duran's Red Carpet Radio among many others.
Dec. 18 -- Sirius XM Radio Inc. shareholders approved a reverse stock split and an increase in shares to help the satellite-radio operator pay its debts.
Today’s vote boosted the number of authorized shares to 8 billion from 4.5 billion, New York-based Sirius said in an e- mailed statement. Investors also permitted the board to effect a reverse split ranging from 1-for-10 shares to as much as 1-for-50 to lift the stock price above $1 and avoid delisting from the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Selling new shares could give Sirius the means to meet some of its almost $1 billion in loan repayments due next year, including $209 million in convertible bonds maturing in February. The stock has traded below $1 since Sept. 10 on investor concern that Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin won’t be able to manage the debt and meet growth projections.
“This gives them a little more flexibility as it relates to the refinancing,” April Horace, an analyst with Janco Partners in Greenwood Village, Colorado, said in an interview. Horace, who doesn’t own the stock, rates the shares “market perform” because of uncertainty in the auto and retail industries.
Sirius climbed half a cent to 13.5 cents at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq trading. The shares have tumbled 96 percent this year. Before the stock fell below a dollar, Karmazin, 65, said the company had no plans for a split.
Stern, Football
The satellite-radio company, home to Howard Stern and the National Football League, also reaffirmed its revenue projection of $2.4 billion for this year and $2.7 billion in 2009. The company said its loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization this year will be $200 million, revised from a previous projection of a $300 million shortfall.
The $2.76 billion all-stock purchase of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. by Sirius in July created a company with more than 18.5 million subscribers. Sirius predicts subscribers to rise to 20.6 million next year.
The merger closed more than six months into a U.S. recession that has constrained consumer borrowing and spending. U.S. auto sales, Sirius’s biggest single source of new subscribers, tumbled 37 percent in November to their lowest level in 26 years.
Karmazin said in August that Sirius XM could weather a decline in auto sales because carmakers were putting radios in a greater proportion of vehicles.
Last month, Sirius reported a third-quarter net loss of $4.88 billion, including a $4.75 billion writedown.
SIRIUS XM Radio Announces Extensive Coverage of 2008-09 College Football Post-Season
SIRIUS XM Radio announced today that it will offer listeners nationwide extensive coverage of college football's post-season, with live play-by-play of 25 bowl games including the Bowl Championship Series, the Rose Bowl and the FedEx BCS National Championship game.
SIRIUS XM's coverage will begin Saturday, December 20, when Navy plays Wake Forest in the EagleBank Bowl (11:00am ET on SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 144) and continues through Thursday, January 8, when the nation's #1 team, the Oklahoma Sooners led by Heisman Trophy-winner Sam Bradford, face off against the #2 Florida Gators and 2007 Heisman-winner Tim Tebow in the FedEx BCS National Championship Game in Miami, FL (8:00pm ET on SIRIUS channel 120 and XM channel 140). A complete schedule of games and channels appears below.
Leading up to the national title game, SIRIUS XM personality Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo will host his daily show, Mad Dog Unleashed, live from Miami on Wednesday, January 7 (2:00-7:00pm ET) and Thursday, January 8 (2:00-7:00pm ET) on SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144.
Additionally, every weekday morning (7:00-10:00am ET) throughout the college post-season, SIRIUS XM's college sports talk show, Rivals Radio, hosted by Bill King, will air live on SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 144, covering all the latest news and results and previewing every bowl match-up.
Every Wednesday (10:00am-12:00pm ET) on SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 144, Jack Arute and Gary Danielson host The SIRIUS XM College Football Coaches Show, covering the world of college football and interviewing head coaches and players from around the nation.
SIRIUS XM's College Bowl Game schedule: (All times ET)
EagleBank Bowl, Washington, DC - Navy vs. Wake Forest
December 20, 11:00 am, SIRIUS channel 122 / XM channel 144 (Navy feed)
New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, NM - Colorado St. vs. Fresno St.
December 20, 2:30pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
St. Petersburg Bowl, St. Petersburg, FL - South Florida vs. Memphis
December 20, 4:30pm, SIRIUS channel 122 / XM channel 144 (ESPN Radio feed)
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, New Orleans, LA - Troy vs. Southern Mississippi
December 21, 8:15pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, San Diego, CA - Boise St. vs. TCU
December 23, 8:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 144 (ESPN Radio feed)
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Honolulu, HI - Notre Dame vs. Hawaii
December 24, 8:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Motor City Bowl, Detroit, MI - Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan
December 26, 7:30pm, SIRIUS channel 122 / XM channel 144 (TBC Sports feed)
Meineke Car Care Bowl, Charlotte, NC - North Carolina vs. West Virginia
December 27, 1:00pm, SIRIUS channel 122 / XM channel 144 (ISP feed)
Champs Sports Bowl, Orlando, FL - Wisconsin vs. Florida St.
December 27, 4:30pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Emerald Bowl, San Francisco, CA - California vs. Miami
December 27, 8:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
PapaJohns.com Bowl, Birmingham, AL - Rutgers vs. NC State
December 29, 3:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Valero Alamo Bowl, San Antonio, TX - Missouri vs. Northwestern
December 29, 8:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, San Diego, CA - Oklahoma St. vs. Oregon
December 30, 8:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth, TX - Air Force vs. Houston
December 31, 12:00pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Chick-fil-A Bowl, Atlanta, GA - LSU vs. Georgia Tech
December 31, 7:30pm, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Outback Bowl, Tampa, FL - Iowa vs. South Carolina
January 1, 11:00am, SIRIUS channel 120 / XM channel 140 (ESPN Radio feed)
Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, FL - Clemson vs. Nebraska
Audiovox / Sirius Deal Means Good News for Consumers
December 31, 2008
Audiovox Corporation (VOXX) announced Tuesday that they have reached an agreement in principle with SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio (SIRI), which promises to make Audiovox the principal supplier of satellite radio products to the North American aftermarket.
The deal, once the distribution agreement is finalized, will make Audiovox a major warehousing, distribution, and logistics partner to satellite radio. Audiovox is no stranger to the satellite radio world, having worked with both Sirius and XM in the past. That past and present relationship should help keep the retail channel more stable going forward.
Patrick Lavelle, President and CEO of Audiovox, sees this as a major move for the company, stating, “This is yet another major milestone for our Company as it further strengthens our leading position in the satellite radio category. Despite the current economic climate, satellite radio is still growing and we believe it will continue to be a prominent form of consumer entertainment. With this agreement, we expect our satellite radio sales to more than double next year with limited exposure. We look forward to partnering with SIRIUS XM in this next phase of their corporate evolution.”
Directed bowed out of the satellite radio sector earlier this year. At the time it was rumored that New Age would play a role in SDARS, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside, at least for the time being.
For consumers, this is likely a good piece of news. Audiovox has wide ranging distribution agreements with many retailers, and has known name brands that consumers are familiar with. While this is speculation, I would anticipate that new products will be available after September of 2009, with perhaps a couple of new devices in time for Father’s Day.
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