Sirius and XM have to extend their merger agreement, again. This time, though, they're not messing around with any deadlines (since the FCC sure isn't) and so they've decided to extend the merger agreement indefinitely.

The two companies have agreed not to exercise their rights to terminate the Merger Agreement prior to May 15, 2008. In addition, they've agreed to continue to extend the merger agreement, as necessary, for rolling 2-week periods.

The rolling renewal will continue until either side notifies the other of its intention not to extend.

[Press Release]

An analysis of a regulatory filing by the Associated Press has revealed that XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. CEO Nate Davis received a cool $4.85 million in compensation last year.

Davis received a salary of $560,416, plus $747,500 in nonequity incentive-based compensation in 2007, according to the SEC filing. In addition, he also received stock awards valued at $3.54 million.

By comparison, XM's former-CEO Hugh Panero received a compensation valued at $3.71 million including $3.075 million in stock awards in 2006. Then in 2007, Panero received compensation valued at $7.27 million, including $538,522 in salary, a severance payment of $4.95 million and stock awards of $1.77 million.

[AP]

XM's original comedy series "Unmasked" will be returning for a new season on May 3rd with comedic legends such as Lewis Black, Margaret Cho, Janeane Garofalo and The Kids in the Hall.

Recorded before a live studio audience, "Unmasked" offers up candid, one-on-one interviews with comedic talent for an uncensored look into their creative process and the lives that shape their comedy. "Unmasked" originally launched in September with George Carlin as its inaugural guest.

Lewis Black (pictured) will kick off the 2nd season, sharing stories of his early, broke years working in the theatre, and the night he spent in jail. Then every two weeks a new episode will air, with Marget Cho (May 17), The Kids in the Hall (May 31) and Janeane Garofalo (June 14) in the queue.

The season premieres on Saturday, May 3 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on XM Comedy (ch 150).

Click the jump to see a photo of Lewis Black with XM's EVP of Programming, Eric Logan.

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, then every problem begins to look like a nail."

- Abraham Maslow

In the world of statistics and research, methodology is paramount. That's pretty basic. If you're going to draw a conclusion from the polling of a sample, the methods you use to extract those answers had damn well better be solid. Because in the end, the way this data is gathered defines the final outcome.

And this is exactly why I say that the Arbitron ratings for satellite radio listening are wrong. Indeed, they're bullshit.

Maybe that was a bit harsh, I'm sorry. Let's instead say that these ratings are for "information purposes only," because that's how Arbitron refers to them.

Mind you, the criticism that's about to ensue has absolutely nothing to do with terrestrial radio and how its listenership is measured. That's a whole different issue. This is meant to point out the flaws in how Arbitron measures satellite radio listenership and nothing more. So when I say that "Arbitron's ratings are wrong" I mean for Sirius and XM, and not regular radio.

So let's begin.



Reason #1
The Arbitron Diary.

Actually, it's the methodology for terrestrial radio ratings that's screwing it all up. Arbitron's diary is built from the ground up to measure AM/FM. Not Internet Radio. Not Satellite Radio. Not even HD Radio (that is, if anyone was listening to HD Radio). It's meant for good ol' regular radio and nothing else.

Here's a big problem: There is no checkbox for a listener to select "Satellite Radio." None. Nothing for Sirius. Nothing for XM. Nothing. Diarykeepers need to actually physically write in the service and the channel info, in addition to the time they started and stopped listening to the program as well as the location of where they did this. Do you think people will actually write in all that information? Right there, the data becomes tainted.

Follow the jump to keep reading...

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. have both announced that they have postponed their 2008 annual meeting of stockholders.

The meetings were originally scheduled for May 20th and May 23rd for Sirius and XM respectively. A new date will be set when they have more information relating to the timing of the merger.

Two of the biggest names in auto racing will go one-on-one on XM Satellite Radio this week when Dale Earnhardt Jr. interviews Danica Patrick on Earhnhardt's XM show "Dale Jr. Unrestricted."

Danica will talk shop with Junior this Thursday, May 1st, on XM Sports Nation (ch 144) at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT. Encores to air Thursday at 10:30pm ET and then again on Saturday at 1:30pm ET and 6:30pm ET.

"Dale Jr. Unrestricted" every week brings you into Dale Jr.'s living room to listen to him and his friends talk about anything and everything.

Patrick is on a media tear in the wake of winning the Indy Japan 300 last week, which made her the first female to win a major auto race.

So far Danica's been on the front page of USA Today and the New York Times, plus she's made appearances on "Good Morning America," CNN, Conan O'Brian, "The View" and David Letterman... not that I'm tracking her every move or anything.

Yesterday, Arbitron released its Fall 2007 ratings for Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio. Below are some key takeaways from the ratings report, but check back later when I explain why Arbitron's ratings are all wrong (well, for satellite radio at least).

Overall, Arbitron reports that XM leads Sirius in listeners, 10.4 million versus 7 million respectively. Combined, there were approximately a half-million more satellite radio listeners in the Fall than in Spring 2007 when Arbitron last released its satellite radio ratings report.

Here's a breakdown of the Top 5 channels (in terms of "cume" - or the total number of unique listeners) from both Sirius and XM:

Sirius Ratings -

1. Howard 100: 1,210,000
   
2. Sirius Hits 1: 584,800
3. Howard 101: 501,000
4. Sirius New Country: 468,300
5. Sirius Big 80s: 417,900
6. Sirius Octane: 383,700
7. Classic Vinyl: 347,100
8. Classic Rewind: 335,500
9. The Pulse: 330,700
10. Totally 70s: 309,400

XM Ratings -

1. Top 20 on 20: 1049200
2. Flight 26: 741600
3. 80s on 8: 698300
4. 70s on 7: 667400
5. 60s on 6: 581300
6. Highway 16: 579500
7. Top Tracks: 534900
8. The Blend: 532400
9. The Heart: 493400
10. Fox News: 464800

For those that want to compare how the "shock jocks" line up, Opie & Anthony's The Virus channel had a cume of 171,300. For a comparison of AQH (Average Quarter-Hour), which is the average number of people listening for at least five minutes during a 15-minute period, here's how the three channels compared:

• Howard 100: 97,600 AQH
• Howard 101: 33,200 AQH
• The Virus: 18,500 AQH

So there's the numbers, and numbers don't lie... or do they?

Check back soon when I explain, in detail, why Arbitron's numbers - for satellite radio ratings at least - are all wrong.

[Arbitron Fall 2007 Satellite Radio Ratings (PDF)]

Attorneys General from Maryland, Connecticut, Ohio and Washington - who all greatly oppose the Sirius-XM merger - feel they have found the answer to preserving competition in satellite radio: offer it for free.

This revelation was uncovered in a recent letter (PDF) to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, where the state Attorneys General suggest that the Federal Communications Commission lease a portion of Sirius and XM's bandwidth to a 3rd party. And that leased portion, should be made available, for free.

Does this plan sound familiar?

Radio & Records nicely sums it up for us, "the only entity that has made a pitch to lease satellite spectrum from a combined Sirius-XM is Georgetown Partners."

R&R adds that should the deal win approval, Georgetown Partners "would be willing to take a long lease on the spectrum and form a free, commercial-based satellite radio company," which it promises "will be richly diverse."

It's so nice to see these AGs coming to the rescue.

[View letter (PDF) via Radio & Records]
Thanks Nathan!

XM Satellite Radio is talks with former Air America personality Randi Rhodes, and Air America Radio, about bringing the talker back to the channel on XM, according to Orbitcast sources.

Randi Rhodes quit the Air America radio network earlier this month after being suspended for using derogatory words about Senator Hillary Clinton at an event in San Francisco.

XM is working on a deal with Air America, and the exiled host's new syndicator Nova M Network, about bringing Rhodes back to XM's Air America (ch 167) channel. An announcement can be expected in the coming weeks, according to sources.

During a curse-filled standup routine Rhodes ranted about Clinton and called former congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro "David Duke in drag." Rhodes then referred to Clinton as a "big #$%&ing whore," subsequently causing Air America to suspend Rhodes for "abusive, obscene language." Rhodes quit the progressive talk network a week later.

Rhodes' routine was not broadcast, but a video of it circulated the Intertubes.

The Air America channel on XM carries not only Air America programs, but also some non-Air America progressive talkers like Ed Schultz and Bill Press.

And if you missed the Opie & Anthony show this morning where Bam Margera flat out denied the existence of a sex video featuring "an X-rated romp" with Opie's fiancee, you can hear the audio below:

UPDATE: Oops, sorry. The audio autoplays everytime the page loads - I've moved it now so you can listen to it after the jump.

[via FoundryMusic]