XM Satellite Radio and auto-enthusiast magazine publisher Primedia are kicking off the "Coolest Car Challenge" starting today at XMCoolestCar.com.

This contest puts 64 cars, ranging from the Ferrari 612 to the Toyota Prius, head-to-head in a tournament-style bracket. Contestants are asked to pick the best of the bunch (and all the cars available, of course, are XM equipped). The 'challenge' is to have your selections match up with the selections by the Editors at Primedia.

Primedia publishes some of the top auto-enthusiast magazines like Motor Trend, Automobile, Sport Compact Car, Hot Rod, etc.

Match the Primedia selections, pick for pick, and you could win $10,000 towards the purchase of an XM Coolest Car (winner will be announced on October 30th).

Along with sponsoring the contest, XM is buying about eight pages total in Motor Trend and Automobile, spread out from the September through November issues. It’s the first print buy in those titles in more than a year.

I think the concept of associating the XM brand with "cool cars" is a good one, but the execution on the website could be a little better. The copy is too self-loving (from both XM's and Primedia's side) and comes across as contrived. So you're reminded that this is all advertising, and it loses the fun of the concept. Tone it down a bit, and you're golden.

Criticism aside, auto-enthusiasts are definitely the right target market to go after though. Satellite radio needs to be associated with other "must have" features in the vehicle, and the best way to do this is to convert the influentials into believers.

[MediaWeek]

Let me preface this by first saying that I pretty much can't stand Jim Cramer.

At one point in time, I actually enjoyed his banter and his advice seemed to make sense, but the circus that is Mad Money just continuously rubs me the wrong way. I just can't stand it. I even blasted him about a year ago, flat out calling Cramer an idiot about his persistent merger talk (oops).

But a recent video clip about the politics of the satellite radio merger really sums it up nicely. And I have to give credit where credit is due.

When we hear about how the political weight of some comments - such as those from 78 Congressmen - being stronger than the majority, Cramer explains it as such:

"All they really care about, a lot of these guys, is getting re-elected," Cramer said. "So the last thing they want to do is piss off a radio station in their town."

Cramer goes on to say that Sirius and XM really "have no defenders whatsoever in the Capitol, which is why they're willing to do the unthinkable, which is to unbundle and make it so that they can't make as much money per customer."

The "unthinkable" is generally bad business, as investors want to see corporations squeeze every penny from each and every subscriber. But for the customer, it's a pretty phenomenal deal.

Anyway, I think it's a good video to watch, even though I'm still not a fan.

[TheStreet TV Recap] 

The New York Post today featured an op-ed piece by Edward Cardinal Egan, where he throws in a "good word" for the pending Sirius-XM merger.

Cardinal Egan starts off the article by discussing the unexpected benefits and influence that The Catholic Channel on Sirius has brought. From first-time visitors to Saint Patrick's Cathedral inquiring about Monsignor Ritchie (who he heard on the Sirius channel), to a Jewish woman expressing to Cardinal Egan how much common ground our faiths share (because she was listening to the channel).

Then he segways (artfully I should add) to the Sirius-XM merger, and voices his support for the corporate marriage.

"From my perspective, however, [the merger] offers a unique opportunity to extend the reach and breadth of religious programming," wrote Egan. "It is also an unmatched opportunity to strengthen this new medium and position satellite radio to compete with the ever-growing list of audio entertainment providers."

Egan also points that The Catholic Channel isn't the only religious programming on satellite radio.

"Both Sirius and XM offer a range of religious shows and channels - and they've promised to offer consumers more choice at lower prices after the merger," added Cardinal Egan. "Service offerings that let subscribers pay less would permit even more Americans to experience satellite radio."

[New York Post] 

The Reverend Al Sharpton, who arguably played a significant role in the eventual firing of Don Imus, told RADAR that he would not oppose Imus's return this fall.

That is, if he returns this fall. It's just all rumors and speculation right now. But if the September date is an accurate one, that would be a whoppin' 5-months of unemployment.

"My position is that we never called for him to be permanently barred from being on the air," Sharpton told Radar. "We'll see when he comes back, and if he comes back, what are the boundaries and what is the understanding."

Now, not to mince words or anything (though, that's exactly what was done to Imus) but what exactly is this "understanding" that Sharpton is referring to? It's fascinating to see that since the Imus incident, Al Sharpton has become the head decency-cop for all talk radio. Even to the point where he had to weigh-in on the Opie & Anthony suspension (and had an on-air debate over it).

"We'll be monitoring the situation, but we wanted him to pay for being a repeat abuser, and he paid. We never said we didn't want him to make a living," Sharpton added.

Kind and forgiving words from Al, but all the more reason why Imus should seriously consider any sort of satellite radio offering. The level of scrutiny that he would endure after being re-hired would no doubt be ridiculous. I actually don't think XM or Sirius would need to pay a significant premium over his CBS Radio contract (though, it's always nice) considering the benefits of broadcasting on unrestricted airwaves. And I also don't buy the argument that hiring Imus would add unnecessary scrutiny to the pending Sirius-XM merger. Imus' reputation is no worse than Howard Stern's or O&A's.

The fact is, the majority of people didn't find the Imus firing to be justified. So hiring Imus doesn't make satellite radio out as a wretched hive of scum and villany, but instead a haven for listeners to hear the content of their choosing.

Oh and as for the claim that Imus is seeking a black comedian to help along any racial humor, Sharpton says, "A sidekick is not cover. What he needs to give him cover is his own conscience and whether he'll live up to the apology he gave those Rutgers girls."

[Radar Online]
Thanks Jeff!

Ah there's nothing like political controversy to get your name in the media. Especially when it's something like a channel name that is causing the uproar.

Watch the video below to see where Sirius ranked in yesterday's Countdown with Keith Olbermann "Worst Person" segment:

[via Crooks and Liers]
Thanks Kevin!

Don Imus may be returning to the airwaves in September, according to to private eye Bo Dietl, who was a regular on the "Imus in the Morning" show.

Page Six is reporting that Dietl said on Post State Editor Fred Dicker's Albany radio show, "I'm not supposed to say, but... if he was to be coming back, I would look to September."

When Dicker asked if he meant satellite radio, Dietl replied, "Broadcast."

Another source says Imus has been scouting comedy clubs looking for a black sidekick who will take the sting out of any future racial cracks like the one that got him booted off the air.

Personally, I think Imus on satellite radio would be a great move. But neither XM or Sirius, or their investors, are looking to sign any big-name contracts anytime soon.

[New York Post] 

While Opie and Anthony were suspended by XM back in May, the blonde counterpart of the dynamic duo was busy closing on a $3.35 million condo in the West Side of Manhattan.

According to city records, Gregg "Opie" Hughes closed on a Trump Place apartment on June 14th - the last day before the XM suspension was lifted. The 40th-floor apartment, located on Riverside Boulevard, measures in at 2,088 square feet - which in Manhattan is enormous.

Ironically, Opie's new building - which features a private spa center, club lounge and year-round lap pool - is of course one of Donald Trumps' properties. The same Donald who swore he would never appear on O&A again, and additionally calling O&A "two slobs," in an interview with the New York Post.

[New York Observer via Luxist]