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Exclusive Coverage, Nominated Songs to be Aired XM Satellite Radio plans to deliver a four-day celebration of the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, Feb. 25-28 on Channel 30 (Special X), playing every nominated and winning song in major music categories and delivering exclusive, on-the-scene reports from Los Angeles. Feb. 25 and 26, XM correspondents Mark Parenteau, program director of XM's comedy channels, and George Taylor Morris, program director of XM's Deep Tracks rock channel, will report from such venues as the Rock the Vote party Tuesday from the House of Blues. XM's 71 dedicated music channels will also air a combined total of more than 70 songs nominated in the various genres. XM's Grammy coverage also includes a live simulcast Wednesday of the VH1 Television Pre- and Post- Grammy Award shows on XM's VH1 channel (XM channel 26). XM's programming lineup features 100 coast-to-coast
digital channels: 71 music channels, more than 30 of them commercial free,
from hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues and 29
channels of sports, talk, children's and entertainment.
VHI RADIO TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM
XM Channel
Features Original VH1 Music Programming and
Washington D.C., February 26, 2002 -- VH1 and XM Satellite Radio announced that the VH1 Radio channel on XM (channel 26) will simulcast the live VH1 Television Pre and Post-shows at the Grammy Awards on February 27 from Los Angeles, at 6:30-8pm (EST) and then directly following the Grammys until midnight. This represents the first of many such event broadcasts, bringing listeners in their cars nationwide the same great music experience they get on VH1 television. The VH1 Radio channel on XM features many of the network's most popular and critically acclaimed television shows, including VH1's "100 Greatest" countdown franchise, "VH1 Legends" and "VH1 Storytellers." Since XM's launch last September, the VH1 channel has featured many artists including Alanis Morissette, Billy Joel, Elton John, U2, David Bowie, Everclear, Matchbox 20, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, and The Who. The channel carried a simulcast of the historic "Concert for New York City" benefit live from Madison Square Garden on October 20th 2001, and also features original music programming, weekly features, entertainment news and artist interviews hosted by VH1 DJ Maria Chambers. VH1 Radio on XM originates at VH1's New York Headquarters, strategically located to facilitate visits and special appearances by the many musical artists, top stars and personalities who appear on VH1 television. VH1 Radio also plans to broadcast from many of the premiere events that put it on the cutting edge of the music scene, such as the "My VH1 Music Awards." In addition, VH1 and XM are developing on-air and event-oriented marketing programs designed to introduce VH1 fans to XM Radio. "We are thrilled to deliver VH1's Grammy coverage to XM listeners nationwide," said Steve Gavenas, XM's Executive Vice President, Programming. "The depth and punch of VH1's cutting-edge content makes XM's VH1 channel one of the keystones of our revolutionary programming." "We are delighted to be able to expand the reach of VH1 with our unique programming on XM. The airing of our special Grammy programming on VH1 Radio is just the beginning of our commitment to deliver groundbreaking radio in much the same way we continue to revolutionize music programming on television," stated Ann Sarnoff, COO of VH1. VH1's Grammy coverage augments XM's own four-day, full-scale Grammy coverage Feb. 25-28, which features broadcasts of every nominated and winning song in every major category across a host of XM channels, along with reports from two XM correspondents at the scene. About VH1 VH1 is the 24-hour cable network that puts music first, serving viewers who grew up with music videos and who want to stay connected to the music they love. VH1's programming features current and classic music videos; original series including "Behind the Music," "VH1 Storytellers," "FanClub," "Driven," "Where Are They Now?," "Before They Were Rock Stars," "Pop-Up Video" and "Rock & Roll Jeopardy!"; original movies such as "Sweetwater: A True Rock Story", "Ricky Nelson: Original Teen Idol," "Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story," "Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back," "A Diva's Christmas Carol," "Strange Frequency," and "Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story"; special event programming like "VH1 Divas Live," "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony," "VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards" and "My VH1 Music Awards." In addition, the channel offers music-based news segments and artist interviews. About XM
XM is transforming radio, an industry that has seen little technological
change since FM, almost 40 years ago. XM's programming lineup features
100 coast-to-coast digital channels: 71 music channels, more than 30 of
them commercial-free, from hip-hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass
to blues; and 29 channels of sports, talk,
XM radios are available at major electronics retailers nationwide including
Best Buy, Circuit City, Tweeter, Ultimate Electronics, participating RadioShack
Dealers and Franchisees, Crutchfield, Good Guys, CarToys, Audio Express
and Sound Advice; and at independent retailers. Leading manufacturers such
as Sony, Alpine and Pioneer offer a broad array of XM radios including
models that will easily enable any existing car stereo system to receive
XM service (the Pioneer Universal Receiver and the Sony Plug-and-Play)
and over 20 models of new AM/FM/XM systems offering many other great features.
General Motors in November rolled out factory-installed Delphi-Delco XM
radios in Cadillac DeVille and Seville models, and will expand to 21 additional
GM models this year. XM's strategic investors include America's leading
car, radio and satellite TV companies -- General Motors, American Honda
Motor Co. Inc., Clear Channel Communications and DIRECTV.
Static for satellite radio
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – Nostalgic for the good old days of the tech bubble? Pine no more. Just take a look at the stocks of two satellite-radio companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Last week, Robertson Stephens analyst James Marsh stuck a "buy" rating on XM (XMSR: up $0.66 to $13.16, Research, Estimates) and 10 of the 11 analysts covering the stock rate it the equivalent of a "buy" or "strong buy." XM and Sirius both saw their stocks skyrocket some 200 percent in the last three months of last year, based on little more than faith and hope and dreams. Though both stocks have pulled back somewhat, XM is still trading at more than three times its September low. What's all the excitement about? XM Satellite and Sirius (SIRI: up $0.32 to $4.68, Research, Estimates) are essentially marketing really, really expensive car radio. There is a fixed monthly service fee (XM charges $10 a month and Sirius charges $12.95), plus the cost of a receiver (which start as low as $300 but quickly run upward of $1,000). For that, bored commuters can treat themselves to dozens of specialized digital radio stations delivered via satellite to their cars. Each service offers 100 channels of music, news, sports and entertainment designed to satisfy the most particular of tastes; many are commercial free. XM's diverse offerings range from rockabilly to opera; Sirius boasts, among other things, a station DJed by legendary hip hop turntablist Grandmaster Flash. XM, which started rolling out its service late last year, has only a slight smidgen of revenue. And though actual earnings still remain somewhere over the rainbow, the company sports a market value of more than $900 million, giving the stock a price/sales ratio somewhere north of, ahem, 1,700. And Sirius, with literally no revenues (it only just started rolling out its services in a handful of cities) nevertheless sports a market cap of some $300 million. It's built -- will they come? It may seem bizarre to expect Americans to pay more than $100 a year to listen to their car radio, but fans of the two companies note that the services are getting mostly rave reviews from early users and critics. Indeed, a reviewer at Entertainment Weekly recently gushed that XM's "almost hilariously plentitudinous multi-genre programming" -- ranging from Daft Punk to Jim Nabors -- could prove intoxicating to music buffs of all varieties. "It may just be the exhaust fumes talking," EW's Chris Willman wrote, "but I think I'm in love." (Not surprisingly, XM quotes Willman's opinion in promotional material.) XM expects to sign up some 350,000 subscribers in 2002; Sirius would be happy to make it to 200,000. The promise could one day be when satellite radios become standard features in cars. GM will offer XM-compatible radios in some two-dozen model cars this year; Sirius has deals with DaimlerChrysler and Ford. Ultimately, both companies expect to have subscribers numbering in the millions. If they want to justify the faith of their early fans, they'll have to. In any case, you'll be hearing a lot more about both services in the coming months. XM, for its part, has already launched a massive publicity blitz. Perhaps you've seen the TV ads, which feature an assortment of objects and people, from basketballs to David Bowie, plummeting to earth like so many chunks of Skylab. They're cute ads, I'll admit. But I'm not sure
that's really the best image to be burning into the brains of potential
investors -- what with all the plummeting and all.
Satellite radio operators, ASCAP in licensing deal LOS ANGELES, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Satellite radio
operators XM Satellite Radio
Under the deal, the satellite radio operators
will pay royalties to ASCAP in return for the right to publicly broadcast
Details of the five-year agreement were not disclosed. ``The depth and diversity of music played on satellite radio means that more of our members will have their works heard and receive royalties as a result,'' said Vincent Candilora, senior vice president and director of licensing of ASCAP. Sirius said it was pleased to reach an amicable agreement that compensates ASCAP's composers and lyricists. Established in 1914, ASCAP is the world's largest performing right organization with over 130,000 composer, lyricist and music publisher members. XM launched service nationwide in November and
already claims 30,000 subscribers. Sirius launched its service in four
cities last week and plans to complete its nationwide launch in August.
(biz.yahoo.com)
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