Radio host and renowned social activist Joe Madison, also known as "The Black Eagle," has joined XM Satellite Radio's in-house team.

On June 2nd, Madison will start broadcasting live each weekday from XM's Washington, DC studios from 6am - 10am ET on The Power (ch 169). The Power is the only national radio channel dedicated to African-American talk programming.

Joe Madison is no stranger to XM. He historically had done his show from WOL/Radio One studios in DC for 10-years, where his show was simulcast on XM. Talks between XM and Radio One to continue that arrangement are in the very early stages.

"The addition of Joe Madison to our in-house team underpins XM's commitment to outstanding African-American talk programming," said Nate Davis, CEO and President of XM. "The Black Eagle delivers for his listeners everyday. His engaging style is driven by his unmatched curiosity and awareness of the key civil rights issues around the world."

Madison was named one of Talker Magazine's 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts nine times and is widely regarded as the nation's leading African-American activist talk radio host. Madison's commitment to social activism has also resulted in his incarceration for civil disobedience, hunger strikes in opposition to apartheid in South Africa and the genocide and slavery occurring in modern-day Sudan.

(Pictured: Joe Madison (R) alongside Mia Farrow (L) deliver media clips of a torch relay campaign to protest against the genocide in Darfur, to the Chinese Embassy December 10, 2007 in Washington, DC. Activists staged a torch relay protest calling on the Chinese government to use its influence on Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur. Credit: Getty Images.)

The New York Post has officially retracted its story about the sex tape involving Opie's fiancée Lindsay and Bam Margera.

That's not a bad move, considering that Chaunce Hayden, who The Post is quoting in the story, admitted to FMQB of never actually seeing the tape (not to mention Bam himself said he knew nothing about it either).

Here's what Page Six wrote:

"ON April 23 we reported that the fiancée of Gregg "Opie" Hughes, one half of the Opie and Anthony radio show, was involved in an X-rated sex video with MTV star Bam Margera. We reported that Hughes was taking legal action against a disgruntled ex-employee of the radio duo who had acquired the rights to the video. We have since learned that this information, supplied by Steppin' Out's Chaunce Hayden, was entirely incorrect. There is no sex tape. Further, Hughes' fiancée has never met the MTV star. The Post sincerely regrets the error."

This comes after Chaunce Hayden published in his rag Steppin' Out last week that "I also believe that there is no sex video since nobody has come forward to present the evidence to the media." How convenient.

Maybe next time the Post won't use a "source" like Chaunce anymore... though, I doubt it.

[New York Post]

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.

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.

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.

XM's all-politics channel POTUS '08 broadcast live from Pat's King of Steaks in Philly today, where they talked politics with the locals, spoke with folks from the different candidates camps... oh, and received a surprise visit from Barack Obama himself.

Pictured above is POTUS '08 (ch 130) anchor Joe Mathieu digging into a gen-yoo-wine Philly cheesesteak at Pat's King of Steaks as XM broadcast live on Pennsylvania's primary election day.

Check out all the photos, including a couple shots of Obama, after the jump...

As Pennsylvania voters go to the polls for the presidential primary election, XM's POTUS '08 channel will be broadcastinf live from Philly's landmark restaurant Pat's King of Steaks.

On April 22nd from 11am - 4pm ET, POTUS '08 (ch 13) anchors Joe Mathieu and Rebecca Roberts will be taking the pulse of Pennsylvania live from Pat's. Mathieu and Roberts will be interviewing local voters, journalists, and politicians about the hard-fought Democratic contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as the prospects for presumptive GOP nominee John McCain.

Located in the heart of South Philly, Pat's King of Steaks was founded in 1930 by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who are generally credited as the co- creators of the Philly cheesesteak. Today the legendary establishment is run by Harry's grandson, Frank Olivieri Jr.

That night, Roberts and Mathieu will be live from the Pennsylvania campaign rallies for Obama and Clinton starting at 7pm ET, while fellow POTUS anchors Tim Farley and Adrienne Mitchell will be stationed at the XM studios in Washington, D.C.

Following last week's announcement that Opie & Anthony have renewed their contract with CBS, Orbitcast has learned that the length of time for the renewal was for only 1-year.

Gregg "Opie" Hughes on the air today inadvertently mentioned that the contract was renewed for a year, a statement that was also confirmed with Orbitcast sources.

The reason? Why else: because of the pending merger with Sirius.

The merger agreement allows either company to only make certain long-term contractual agreements without the need for the other company's Board approval, and programming agreements are not one of them, according to sources.

It's a safe assumption that CBS and Opie & Anthony wanted a longer term, but that likely won't be possible while this merger is still pending. After the merger is consummated, then any contractual agreements can be revisited, but we need to cross that bridge first.

The Newseum, the Washington DC museum devoted to news and journalism, played host to XM's POTUS '08 channel on Friday, during the grand opening of the Newseum's $450 million building on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The POTUS '08 (ch 130) anchors could be found broadcasting live from an XM broadcast booth on the main floor of the museum as thousands of tourists poured through the doors (and picked up XM swag and XMRO promotions along the way).

The Newseum is sponsored by the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to "free press, free speech and free spirit for all people." The original Newseum was opened in 1997 in nearby Rosslyn, Virginia., but the Freedom Forum decided to move the Newseum across the Potomac River to Washington, and closed the original facility in 2002.

The new 643,000-square-foot Newseum has an enormous "window on the world" looking onto Pennsylvania Avenue and the National Mall. Overlooking the street is a giant panel with the 45 words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution carved in stone. Inside, the Newseum has seven floors of displays, 15 theaters, a dozen major galleries, two broadcast studios, and an interactive newsroom.

One of the cooler displays is the "Today's Front Pages Gallery," where more than 500 newspapers transmit their front pages electronically to the Newseum each day. Additional front pages are displayed outside the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue.  You can also see them here.

Another cool exhibits? There's eight 12-foot-high concrete sections of the Berlin Wall, each weighing about three tons. And a three-story East German guard tower from Berlin stands nearby.

Pictured above: U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., interviewed by Linda Douglass, National Journal contributing editor and host of the POTUS '08 show "National Journal On Air."

Check out more photos after the jump...

Opie and Anthony have renewed their contract with CBS Radio to continue to broadcast their morning radio show on both CBS and XM Satellite Radio.

"We are both very excited to be re-signing with CBS Radio," said Opie & Anthony in a statement. "Hosting morning drive on K-Rock in New York City has been a career highlight, and when you add in WBCN/Boston and WKRK/Cleveland it makes it even more special and fulfilling.

"That said ... we look forward to our next firing with great anticipation."

"CBS Radio is excited to be able to continue this unique partnership with Opie and Anthony," said CBS Radio VP of programming Chris Oliviero, "They have accomplished the rare radio feat of not only dominating afternoon drive but now bringing that same level of ratings success to the ultra competitive morning drive slot. We are thrilled to have O & A on our stations."

Terms and the length of the deal were not disclosed.

[via AllAccess, Radio & Records]
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