Arbitron is reporting that satellite radio listening is growing at what looks to be a steady pace, though its listenership pales in comparison to terrestrial radio.

According to Arbitron's latest numbers, both Sirius and XM account for 4.1% of the metro unweighted quarter hours. That's up from 3.5% in Spring 2007, and even a nicer increase from the 3.4% reported by Arbitron for the Fall 2006 survey.

In total, 6.9% of metro in-tab diaries contained satellite radio listening - that's up as well, from 5.9% in Fall 2006. Respondents also said they listened to 303 different satellite radio channels, up from 297 separate satellite radio channels in Fall 2006.

A vast majority of entries clearly identify both the service (XM or Sirius) and the channel, so Arbitron says that a satellite radio entry can be credited to a specific channel. Word has it that Arbitron will be circulating to subscribers a workup from the Fall 2006 survey that breaks out individual satellite channels, allowing a never-seen-before glimpse into how people listen to satellite radio (e.g., Howard Stern's audience, Opie & Anthony's audience, etc.).

That should make things interesting.

[Radio Online via Orbitcast Forums]

Maybe I'm just seeing things, but the latest HD Radio "plug-and-play" offering - the JVC KT-HDP1 - looks strikingly similar to the Sirius Starmate line of satellite radios.

Here's the JVC KT-HDP1:

Now here's the Starmate 4:

But that's not really close enough to the JVC HD Radio... so let's look at the old-school Starmate Replay:

Ah yes, there's the resemblance. But HD Radio isn't competing with Satellite Radio, isn't that right? There's no reason why they would create a similar looking product. Not at all to create confusion at retail... would they? Nah, that's just paranoia.

Still, imitation is indeed the purest form of flattery, because this HD Radio plug-and-play looks far better than HD Radio's previous plug-and-play offering.

Just in case you're at the edge of your seat with credit card in hand, the JVC KT-HDP1 will MSRP for a mere $149.95, and that includes a built-in FM transmitter. That's right, you can go from "CD quality" digital HD Radio, right back to good ol' analog FM without skipping a beat. Ah, the beauty of innovation... err, imitation.

[via Engadget]
Thanks Todd!

Top management from both Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.and XM Satellite Radio Holding Inc. met with the Federal Communications Commission this week according to separate ex parte filings made with the agency.

From XM, four representatives attended the meeting: Gary Parsons, Eric Logan, Mark Vendetti, and Jeff Blattner. Latham & Watkins LLP (counsel for XM) also attended the meeting. XM met with the FCC on Wednesday, September 26th.

On Sirius' side, five representatives attended the meeting: Mel Karmazin, Scott Greenstein, David Frear, Patrick Donnelly, and Terry Smith. Representatives from Wiley Rein LLP (Sirius' counsel) also attended the meeting. Sirius met with the FCC on Thursday, September 27th.

During the meeting, both XM and Sirius discussed various aspects of the satellite radio business, including the topics of subscribers and service, content and advertising, technical issues, and business relationships with automobile manufacturers and retail outlets (so pretty much... everything).

[View FCC Filings: 1, 2 (PDF) via Orbitcast Forums]

Yesterday at the NAB Radio Show, NAB President and CEO David Rehr unveiled a campaign to reposition radio for the future: "Radio 2020."

Radio 2020 a cooperative effort between the NAB, the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and of course the HD Digital Radio Alliance.

"As we near commercial radio's 100th anniversary in 2020, this initiative will be our road map to building radio's future," said Rehr.

The first item of attack for the Radio 2020 initiative (which, by the way, is a pretty hokey name... c'mon, it's up there with Hulu), is to address consumers' demands for playlist variety and format diversity. Unfortunately, "variety and diversity" is something that "radio" is no longer associated with... and just happens to be what consumers get from iPods, satellite radio and internet radio.

"But," Rehr said, "we need to do a better job of informing listeners about the great variety that radio already provides."

(sigh) Radio is still stuck in this mindset that telling listeners something that isn't true will convince them otherwise. That only works in the old pre-fragmented world. That worked when radio, and TV, were all the public depended on for information. But it doesn't work today. Radio stations can't keep playing the stingers declaring "We're [you're state's] #1 home for rock 'n roll!" and expect people to believe it (because that new 160Gb iPod sure seems to be the real #1 home for rock and roll). And the same applies with telling listeners that there's great variety on radio - it doesn't work anymore. Don't tell them about it... do it.

"We must continually seek ways to meet the demands of our consumers - encouraging more variety and diversity, spurring more innovations in electronics, and helping marketers develop even more innovative and compelling advertisements," said David Rehr.

As much of a critic of Rehr as I am, I really can't argue here. Innovation, variety, diversity... all great things, and something that radio has lost in the last 15 years. But the proof is in the pudding - you can't make a purse out of a sow's ear... right David?

"You don't have to be wealthy to own a radio. In fact, you can buy one for a buck. And you don't have to be stationary to listen to radio - it's in your car, MP3 player, or headphones. What listeners love most, and what radio must promote, is how accessible, ubiquitous, and easy to use radio is," added Rehr.

Wrong.

Listeners don't care how accessible radio is. Listeners don't care that it's ubiquitous. Listeners don't care that radio has towers, spectrum, transmitters, contours, satellites, repeaters, buffers or anything for that matter. Telling the listener about distribution means nothing. Because they don't care.

What listeners care about is content. They want to turn on a device - be it a radio, a satellite radio, an iPod, their cellphone, whatever - and listen to something on their drive to work. Or hear something in the background while working on the job site. Or rev them up while they're cranking away behind a computer at work. Or laugh during the drive home after a crazy day at work.

Rehr concluded by saying that Radio 2020 will, "give ammunition to radio's loyalists" as they respond to industry critics. He told NAB Radio Show attendees, "We need you to be evangelical about Radio 2020 and talk to as many people as possible. Repeat it to yourself, to your colleagues, and to your family."

How about this? How about instead of drinking the NAB Kool-aid, and repeating "2020 2020 2020" to everyone in some cult-mania mantra... why not just do it instead? If "Radio 2020" is going to be some revolution in radio - which, let's face it, is a direct response to the fragmenting of media from satellite radio, internet radio, iPods, mobile audio, etc - then start acting on it, and stop talking about it.

If broadcast TV stations can survive cable (and even thrive amid 600 other channels), then radio can too... they just need to give a reason to do so.

[Radio Ink]

Oh how I love it when goodies show up at my doorstep. Today a well-fed FedEx man dropped off a new Bushnell ONIX 400 GPS/XM Weather tracker on my doorstep. I had the opportunity to play with ONIX 400 hands on at the beginning of the year, but this is a special joy because now she's ready for prime-time.

Before I run out into the woods for a couple days with only my trusty knife and the Bushnell in hand, let's do an unboxing first... check out an ample number of photos (plus discover who's mystery foot that is) after the jump.

The Heritage Foundation's Edwin Meese III (Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow in Public Policy and Chairman of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies), and James L. Gattuso (former FCC official) have written an article summarizing the NAB's fight against the Sirius-XM merger.

It's an endorsement for the merger, systematically debating all of terrestrial radio's points against the merger, not to mention using the NAB's own words against them (which isn't hard).

Entitled "Beyond the Fairness Doctrine: Radio’s Fight over the XM–Sirius Merger" it's a well written piece and a highly recommended read, regardless of where you stand on the merger debate.

There's a radio war going on in Washington, and this one has nothing to do with the Fairness Doctrine. Talk of re-imposing the requirement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that broadcasters air opposing views on controversial topics sparked an intense and highly publicized debate this summer. Almost lost in the "fairness" furor, however, has been a second, but no less intense, radio industry battle over the merger of satellite radio providers XM and Sirius. After months of review, a ruling from the Justice Department is expected within weeks, to be followed by a decision by the FCC, which also must approve the transaction. The merger debate is different from the "fairness" debate in that it involves the structure, rather than content, of the radio industry. Like the "fairness" debate, however, the outcome could determine how Americans will listen to the radio for years to come.

Jim Gattuso, who co-authored the article, has quite the interesting background, especially with the FCC. From 1990 to 1993, he was the Deputy Chief at the FCC's Office of Plans and Policy. From May 1991 to June 1992, the FCC detailed him to the office Vice President Dan Quayle, where Gattuso served as Associate Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness.

[The Heritage Foundation]

Oprah Winfrey's weekly show on XM Satellite Radio, "Soul Series," will debut its 2nd-season on Thursday, October 4th on Oprah & Friends (ch 156).

Oprah's first guest on the new season of "Soul Series" will be Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, best-selling author and internationally renowned speaker in the field of self-development.

Oprah's "Soul Series" airs on Thursdays at 4am, 10am, 4pm and 10pm (all times Eastern).

XM was airing encore broadcasts of "Soul Series" throughout the summer, with two episodes airing back-to-back every Thursday. Fans can still get the opportunity to catch up on every episode with Oprah's "Soul Series Weekend," which starts this Saturday, September 29th and continues throughout the weekend.

In addition, it appears that Oprah has quietly sneaked (snuck?) into the DirecTV lineup, with Oprah & Friends now becoming available to DirecTV subscribers on channel 807. Perhaps it's a sign that Harpo is stepping up its public partnership with XM? It's been a year since Oprah has debuted on XM, and there's been little from Oprah (that I've seen at least) in terms of external promotions. It'd be nice if we saw more of a presence of XM on her show this holiday season.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps expressed skepticism today about whether he would endorse the proposed merger of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Copps, one of two Democrats on the FCC, said it would be a "steep climb" for him to cast a favorable vote because he has serious concerns about media consolidation. Copps had previously referred to the proposed Sirius-XM merger as a "steep climb" as well back in mid-April.

"Somebody's going to have to make a pretty powerful and potent demonstration that it serves the public interest," Copps said of the XM-Sirius deal.

"The parts of the (public) record that I've looked at so far have not shown me that (the deal) serves the public interest," Copps told reporters at a briefing.

Copps declined to comment on how he will vote, but said he had "very serious worries" about media consolidation in general. "I think localism, competition, diversity (in the media) have been seriously threatened." The Commissioner has historically had problems with the overall state of consolidation in U.S. media, and has expressed this vocally in the past.

[Reuters]

E Street Radio, Sirius' channel dedicated to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, will be returning tonight with a rare concert from the "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" tour, featuring Springsteen and the band performing at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey in 1978.

The channel launches today at 6pm ET, replacing The Bridge (ch 10) - at least temporarily - as E Street Radio will run on through late March 2008.

The launch of E Street Radio coincides with the start of the band's 2007 concert tour, as well as the October 2nd release of their new album Magic. The channel will air daily features on the new album's music and track-by- track discussions with Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band members, as well as archival concert recordings dating from early 1973 and some behind-the-scenes insight from band insiders.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will headline the National Journal’s first show on XM Satellite Radio's POTUS '08 channel, set to debut tomorrow at 1pm ET.

"National Journal On Air" will also be available on the National Journal’s web site as either a live stream or as podcasts of the show. (Interesting, XM is really pushing this "free to air" concept...)

In addition to Mitt Romney, tomorrow's show also will feature National Journal political writer Jim Barnes, National Journal White House correspondent Carl Cannon, and Senior Editor of The Hotline, John Mercurio.

National Journal Group, through it's partnership with XM Satellite Radio, will host "National Journal On Air" every Friday from 1-2pm ET on XM's POTUS '08 (ch 130).