Orbitcast

Orbitcast tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008-08-17://3 2008-12-02T13:47:43Z All Things Satellite Radio Movable Type Pro 4.2-en FCC grants Sirius XM extension for 3rd Party Channels tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4988 2008-12-02T14:51:58Z 2008-12-02T13:47:43Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com Kevin Martin

The Federal Communications Commission has granted Sirius XM Radio Inc. an extension on the deadline to lease a portion of its channel capacity to third-parties.

Sirius and XM had voluntarily agreed to lease 8 percent of their combined full-time channel capacity (4% from XM, 4% from Sirius) to "qualified" third parties within four-months of the merger being approved.

The merger was officially consummated on July 28th, bringing the four-month deadline to last Friday, November 28th.

But the FCC's Media Bureau, on its own motion, has extended the implementation deadline until February 27th, 2009. The Media Bureau cited concerns about the "mechanics of the channel lease administration and allocation."

"As a result of the complexities involved in the Third-Party Access Commitment, it is necessary to extend the implementation deadline for this condition to afford additional time for the Commission to determine how the condition is to be implemented."

[Read the Full Order (PDF)]

]]> Should Mel Karmazin step down as CEO? (what's YOUR call?) tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4987 2008-12-02T02:26:05Z 2008-12-02T02:30:59Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Jon Ogg of 24/7 Wall Street has called for the ousting of Sirius XM Radio Inc. chief executive Mel Karmazin in a recent post.

His reasoning is somewhat vague, well, aside from the fact that the stock price is more than dismal - reason enough for most folks considering the current price. But while Ogg gets his timeline mixed up (psst, Howard Stern announced his joining Sirius before Karmazin came aboard), he does point out that 24/7 Wall Street has a strong track record of calling for the heads of CEOs.

Ogg yields to Michael Hartleib to give the most powerful statement, using Karmazin's own words from a CNBC ad spot where he said that a "shareprice is like a report card."

"News Flash Mr. Karmazin," said Hartleib. "I and members of SaveSirius.org give you a big fat 'F' which I guess is appropriate considering the way you *%$# us."

Of course, many shareholders are angry. For good reason. But the question at hand is whether Mel Karmazin stepping down would improve the situation.

So I'm asking for your opinion.

Do you feel Mel Karmazin should step down as CEO of Sirius XM? Sound off in the comments.

[24/7 Wall Street]

]]> StarLight for Mac and StarPlayr for Windows Mobile now available tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4986 2008-12-01T16:12:48Z 2008-12-01T16:23:05Z

Mac users can rejoice now that the latest version of StarLight for Mac has been released from the folks behind the StarPlayr line of online satellite radio players. This is a powerful Sirius Internet Radio client wrapped in a slick compact package.The player remains compact when in use, but allows for nice interactive features like Album Art and Lyrics. Here's a screenshot to show the compact player:XM Radio Online support is coming soon, but StarLight does support Sirius Internet Radio...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Mac users can rejoice now that the latest version of StarLight for Mac has been released from the folks behind the StarPlayr line of online satellite radio players. This is a powerful Sirius Internet Radio client wrapped in a slick compact package.

The player remains compact when in use, but allows for nice interactive features like Album Art and Lyrics. Here's a screenshot to show the compact player:

StarLight Sirius Internet Radio player

XM Radio Online support is coming soon, but StarLight does support Sirius Internet Radio (SIR), the Best of XM upgrade, and SIR Premium. Users can adjust the size of the font for the lyrics display, and select which store they would prefer for buying songs (Amazon or iTunes).

Meanwhile, StarPlayr for Windows Mobile was released. It features support for both Sirius Internet Radio and XM Radio Online. You also get fun features like Album Art, What's Playing and Lyrics.

Both StarLight and StarPlayr for Windows Mobile support the new Sponsor Marketing System. The ads are kept off of the front radio player, and are only shown in areas like the Album Art and Lyrics areas - where the most interaction takes place anyway.

Check out exclusive StarLight screenshots and a special preview download link (the final release for StarLight is expected to be on December 12th) after the jump...
]]>

Here's what would happen if you clicked on the sponsor link:

StarLight

Another set of screen shots. This one is showing the Album Art:
StarLight

And here's the lyrics page:
StarLight

Compact radio player:
StarLight

[Download StarLight for Mac Preview Release]
[Download StarPlayr for Windows Mobile]

]]> Slacker G2 Review: Radio's future in your pocket tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4985 2008-11-28T22:01:02Z 2008-11-29T14:34:34Z

It seems strange that a site dedicated to Satellite Radio would even consider reviewing a Digital Audio Player that has nothing to do with satellites. But that's just the thing, the Slacker G2 isn't a Digital Audio Player in the common sense - so let's not look at it like that - and maybe it's time to abstract the way to look at "radio" as well.The Slacker G2 is a "radio," just without the reception problems.The songs you hear on...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com Slacker G2 Review

It seems strange that a site dedicated to Satellite Radio would even consider reviewing a Digital Audio Player that has nothing to do with satellites. But that's just the thing, the Slacker G2 isn't a Digital Audio Player in the common sense - so let's not look at it like that - and maybe it's time to abstract the way to look at "radio" as well.

The Slacker G2 is a "radio," just without the reception problems.

Slacker G2 Review

The songs you hear on a Slacker aren't the songs you've ever heard before. Or maybe they are. Just like radio. Unlike an iPod, where you're guaranteed to have heard the songs you've downloaded at least once - the G2 is driven entirely by the Slacker service.

Their "stations" - each intuitively labeled as pre-selected genres of music - are programmed by radio professionals, but remain customizable to your tastes to an infinite degree. It's a combination of engineering and human intuition that works remarkably well.

So I embarked down Orbitcast's Long Term Review of the Slacker G2 from the point of view of the casual radio listener, not the iPod user.

]]>

Pros:

Small, rugged and ergonomically superior to original Slacker Portable
Convenient "radio" with no reception issues
Infinitely customizable channels without the hassle of an iPod

Cons:

Stock headphones are lame
Screen susceptible to minor scratching
No car dock capabilities (yet)

First off, the Slacker G2 feels lightyears ahead of the previous Slacker Portable in terms of ergonomics. The device fits snuggly in your hand, with it's rounded corners and egg-ish shape. The non-slip rubber coating adds to level of comfort, though makes it more difficult to slide the device in and out of your coat pocket. The coating also adds a built-in layer of protection for when you drop the device (I'll admit it, I did drop the review unit, and it continued along without skipping a beat - literally).

Slacker G2 Review

While the previous generation device had an awkward "touchstrip," the new Slacker G2 has a toggle-wheel similar to the BlackBerry or other SmartPhones. Pushing on the toggle-wheel selects, while pressing the "Home" button brings you back up within the menu system.

Slacker G2 Review

The screen is large and bright for viewing cover art, as well as for reading the library of information behind each album and artist you're listening to (a feature that I absolutely love - it's one thing to listen to new music - it's another to learn about it).

Slacker G2 Review

Unfortunately, the holster/case provided with the Slacker G2 doesn't protect the screen, so it's likely to fall victim to minor scratches. It does, however, add some extra protection along the sides (something that drop-prone users like myself apparently need).

The button placement is ALMOST entirely intuitive. I say "almost" because on the top of the device you press on the left to "love" a song, but push the button on the right to turn the volume up. Seems backwards. Overall it's a good setup and not hard to figure out right out of the box (I didn't bother to read the directions - I never do).

Headphones provided with the device are sub-par. They're not terrible, but you can get far better ones for marginally more. While the stock headphones are the in-ear/noise-blocking kind (with three different sized inserts for comfort), they don't nearly have the range of other headphones. At first I thought it was the Slacker G2 that had a wacky equalizer, but swapping in some cheap Sony headphones quickly fixed the issue. My advice would be to get nicer headphones and ditch the stock versions.

Slacker G2 Review

So I like the Slacker G2, but I have two problems with it though.

The first is the lack of a cardock. If Slacker is to truly penetrate and affect the way we listen to "radio" then it needs to have a more seamless integration with the car. Right now, automobiles are the last bastion of hope for terrestrial radio (and, arguably, satellite radio). The majority of radio listening is done while on the road. So Slacker needs to figure out how to bring its personalized radio experience into the vehicle as effortlessly as possible. I'm not talking about an entanglement of wires and FM transmitters, but a simple cardock that the user can snap right into and instantly continue listening.

I'm told that one such solution is on the way.

There were plans to have a cardock for the original Slacker Portable, one that provided station updates directly to the device via satellite (Ku-Band). But those plans appear to have been shelved. Slacker's goal is to remain delivery-agnostic, and they're staying true to that. But I still want it in my car. So I'll wait for the cardock solution.

Slacker G2 Review

My other problem with the Slacker G2 isn't necessarily about the device, but the listening experience behind it.

If Slacker is "radio" - no matter if its cached/time-shifted/whatever - then it still feels somewhat... lonely. With terrestrial and satellite radio, there's a some sort of sense of community. Callers requesting songs. DJs giving insights about an artist or upcoming concerts. Humorous bumpers between songs. These all come together to give you the feeling that you're not only one listening. And I'd love to see something like incorporated into the Slacker listening experience, delicately.

It doesn't need to be annoying like terrestrial but, let's face it, much of regular radio's "personality" is pre-recorded anyway. So it's not much effort apply similar techniques of voicetracking to Slacker. And if the listeners don't like it, they can just "ban" the DJ and move on. The best of both worlds.

Slacker G2 Review

The Verdict:

Overall, it's a great device, but the lack of news/talk programming could be a deal-breaker for many satellite radio listeners. If you're mostly a music-listener, it poses as a viable alternative and the fact that there's no need to pay a monthly fee is icing on the cake. (Though, the Premium service really does help make the experience superior.) The choice between 25 or 40 channel versions really is just a matter of how much music you want to have on the go (the test unit was 25 channels - and more than enough for me).

If you're an iPhone or BlackBerry owner, then I would advise on holding out for the apps that are on the way. I'm told by the Slacker folks that an iPhone app is "in the works" - so if you don't want to carry around multiple devices, you'll be happy.

But for everyone else, it's worth taking a serious look at.

Slacker G2 Review

]]> Jonas Brothers take over for Thanksgiving weekend tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4984 2008-11-27T02:42:42Z 2008-11-27T02:46:33Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

The Jonas Brothers, the omg-so-hot boy band sensation comprised of three brothers, Kevin, Joe and Nick have taken over Sirius Hits 1 for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas will countdown the biggest songs in the country on "Sirius Hits 1 Weekend Countdown!" Then the Brothers are hosting "Hit-Bound," the show that plays the artists and songs that are poised to be the next big thing.

If that's not enough, The Jonas Brothers will guest DJ the channel, and share their close and personal stories about performing, their upcoming film and other future plans. Like, seriously.

Hear "Jonas Radio" all Thanksgiving weekend up until Monday, December 1st at 6am ET on Sirius Hits 1 (ch 1). Don't worry if you - or your daughter - misses any of the Jonas-hosted shows, because they'll be replayed over and over and over again, for your listening enjoyment this Thanksgiving holiday.

]]> Radio Margaritaville to air Thanksgiving Holiday Special tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4983 2008-11-26T16:25:50Z 2008-11-26T16:25:05Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com OMG Turkeys!

Sirius XM will broadcast a series of Jimmy Buffett concerts, in addition to an acoustic performance by Little Feat, on Radio Margaritaville throughout Thanksgiving.

The series of eight full-length of Jimmy Buffett concerts will air on on Radio Margaritaville (Sirius channel 31/XM channel 55) in their entirety without any commercials. Additionally, Sirius XM will air an acoustic performance by Little Feat, who visited the Sirius XM studios to play their unique mixture of blues, R&B, country, New Orleans funk and rock 'n roll - also on Radio Margaritaville.

The Jimmy Buffett concerts will air on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27th starting at 6am ET until Friday, November 28th at 2am ET.

Get the fill Jimmy Buffet concert broadcast schedule after the jump...

]]>

6:00 am - Tallahassee, FL (Recorded 2/14/02)
8:40 am - Atlanta, GA (Recorded 8/7/95)
10:40 am - Chicago, IL (Recorded 7/22/99)
1:35 pm - Foxboro, MA (Recorded 9/2/07)
4:10 pm - Camden, NJ (Recorded 6/10/00)
6:25 pm - Clarkston, MI (Recorded 8/9/97)
9:20 pm - New York, NY (Recorded 6/12/08)
12:00 midnight - Chicago, IL (Recorded 7/22/99)

The Little Feat performance will air on Radio Margaritaville on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27th at 12:50pm ET and again at 8:35pm ET.

]]> Sirius XM Promotion: Free "Best of Both" discount for Black Friday tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4982 2008-11-26T01:42:28Z 2008-11-26T01:44:58Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com Sirius XM discount promotion

Sirius XM Radio Inc. will be launching a free "Best of Both" promotion starting on Black Friday and will join together its advertising efforts under a single unified strategy, according to TWICE.

The company will give customers three free months of "Best of Both" service with the purchase of any Sirius or XM aftermarket product.

The promotion sounds amazingly similar to a Sirius XM rebate offered back in October which offered a $50 discount, plus free 3-months of "Best of" service. It is unclear when the new promotion will end, but it said to begin on Black Friday.

Sirius XM will also drop the separate ads for XM and Sirius, and will shift its ad dollars heavily to radio advertising this season, said operations and sales president Jim Meyer in an interview with TWICE.

"If you go to a Best Buy or Circuit City beginning this week, Friday, for the holiday period, you'll see a common display with both brands displayed and a common merchandise strategy," said Meyer. "We think that goes a long way toward the elimination of confusion. A single pointed display and single pointed ads. Also, within the retail brochures, one promotion for both brands."

Meyer notes that this year will include more radio advertising and less television.

"We think changing it up was a good idea," said Meyer. "We're excited about [radio] because we think it is an efficient vehicle to get new listeners."

[TWICE]
Thanks MUSCLE!

]]> Censorship on Satellite Radio: What's the deal with Lithium? tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4981 2008-11-25T21:39:22Z 2008-11-25T21:42:48Z

Following Orbitcast's interview with Sirius XM's President and Chief Content Office, Scott Greenstein, questions have come up about why listeners are hearing edited songs on 90s Alternative channel "Lithium."My gut tells me that it was a mistake in the system. Afterall - and this is something that is impossible to convey in the written interview - Scott was extremely adament about the whole censorship issue. He was insistent that only three channels are playing "artist- and label-edited songs" and Lithium...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Following Orbitcast's interview with Sirius XM's President and Chief Content Office, Scott Greenstein, questions have come up about why listeners are hearing edited songs on 90s Alternative channel "Lithium."

My gut tells me that it was a mistake in the system. Afterall - and this is something that is impossible to convey in the written interview - Scott was extremely adament about the whole censorship issue. He was insistent that only three channels are playing "artist- and label-edited songs" and Lithium wasn't one of them.

So what gives? Why are people hearing radio-edits on Lithium?

It turns out that it is indeed a glitch that is being worked out (Scott actually talked about this in the interview). Some songs from the XM library were inadvertently included in Lithium's rotation, which is why there's an inconsistency in what people are hearing.

I'm told that Sirius XM are now correcting the problem. Rest assured, all the naughty language will be fully restored as soon as possible.

]]> StarPlayr learns to monetize Sirius XM internet streams tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4980 2008-11-25T14:59:59Z 2008-11-25T15:02:12Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

If you've been following the evolution of StarPlayr, you saw that first it was just an idea, then it became a reality (with Windows software and an iPhone app); so now the next step is to monetize on it all.

Introducing the Sponsor Marketing System for the StarPlayr platform.

It's a brilliantly simple idea, and one that I hope catches on. It's designed to be a cost effective way for advertisers to get their products and services out there in front of users, but in a unique way that doesn't interrupt the listening experience.

Here's the idea:
Instead of time-sliced, interruption-based advertising, (i.e. frequency and repetition - the "old model" of advertising) the new system provides 100% exposure on the purchased channel without getting in the way. The beauty is that these users are already connected online (in some form or another), so if someone is listening to a channel - the channel's sponsor not only gets continuous exposure, but also qualified visitors direct from the ads.

Currently it's only available on the StarPlayr for Windows client (there's a new version out by the way, with some sleek features). But expect to see the ad system added to other clients, such as the iPhone app (incidentally, new screenshots of the iPhone app have emerged in addition to the ones leaked back in August).

Currently, the Sponsor Marketing System gives sponsors exclusive 24/7 advertising on any Sirius XM channel on either service (or both). It's sold currently in weekly periods. For talk channels, there's the option for a static or animated image in the album art area (no intrusive, in-your-face animations are allowed though).

Eventually, the plan is to enable scheduled preferences. So, for example, if someone wants to advertise during Bubba on Howard 101 you can, and it will be cheaper than the full 24/7 slot.

Either way, this is a simple, easy to implement method to monetize on internet radio streams. Sirius XM should get behind the folks at StarPlayr, because they're innovating all areas of the experience, and that's a good team to have on your side.

[StarPlayr]
Thanks Mark!

]]> Orbitcast Interview with Scott Greenstein tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4978 2008-11-24T21:26:27Z 2008-11-24T21:52:31Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer at Sirius XM Radio Inc., doesn't have a job that involves easy decisions.

Not only does he oversee what music, sports and talk programming nearly 19 million subscribers get to choose from. But on November 12th, Scott and his team had the daunting task of combining most of the music lineups of both Sirius and XM following the merger of the two companies.

So how does one go about the melding of two services, each with millions of loyal followers, and still keep everyone happy? I had to find out. So when Orbitcast got the chance to chat with Greenstein about the combining of channels, you bet I took it.

The fact is, most people understand that the duplication of channels is inefficient. There's no reason to have two channels, on two separate services, each playing the same thing. I get it. But I wanted to learn about the overall strategic thinking behind the process, and fill the gaps in some unanswered questions.

Orbitcast: How did you go about selecting which channels stayed and which were replaced?

Scott Greenstein: It's about getting the most amount of breadth we could have, with the most amount depth. Meaning that the breadth is the horizontal appeal, and the depth is the vertical appeal. We looked at every element of each channel, from the playlists to the jocks, and tried to bring it together so subscribers and listeners get the best audio experience they can have.

If you look at what each service had to offer - from Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, BB King, Grand Ole Opry, the Artist Confidential series, and POTUS on XM's side; to Jimmy Buffet, Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Steve Van Zandt, Metropolitan Opera, Jamie Foxx, Blue Collar Radio, as well as The Catholic Channel, Doctor Radio on Sirius' side - these are great assets that are missing from the other service. So you bring in those assets from each side and build a mix of vertical and horizontal content.

So is this a fundamental change in how Sirius XM is trying to appeal to a broader audience?

No. This is not some sort of new initiative or change in our thinking. I'm a believer in that there is a wide spectrum of tastes in all of our listeners. You might have come to Sirius for Howard Stern, or to XM for Bob Dylan, but your tastes in music may range from one genre to another. You're going to discover other channels and genres from when you first subscribed. In fact, with all its newly combined assets, Sirius XM has even more places to explore on its channels.

But never was this a change in our philosophy - from when we had 300,000 subscribers to our current level of about 19 million - it makes no difference.

Well, it's part of what got you guys here to begin with. It's how satellite radio has grown.

Exactly. We are doing a higher end, more intense scrutiny, to do what we've always been doing all along. The only difference now is we're bringing together both sets of content, to both sets of subscribers and listeners.

The thing to understand is that radio is the easiest and most freeform of media that can evolve. Let's take for example E Street Radio, which evolved from a limited-time promotion - but due to the massive and amazing public response we received - has turned into a full fledged dedicated channel.

It's an example of listening and responding. And that's what we're doing now.

So you're taking in listener feedback and continuing to adjust based on that feedback?

Our approach will continue to evolve as we receive feedback from our listeners and subscribers. We're doing exactly what we always did: trying to give the best aggregation of content to our subscribers. And part of that is to listen to them, and respond.

Now, that brings us to the question of specific genres. Obviously in media it's impossible to "please everyone," but many listeners are upset over the loss of entire genres such as Old School Hip-Hop (i.e., The Rhyme and Backspin) and Disco (i.e., Chrome and The Strobe) as well as the loss of other micro-niche channels. What are the plans to help address the fans of these genres?

For Old School Rap, we currently are running a show on Hip-Hop Nation. But as things evolve and we receive more feedback from our listeners, we're open to doing more. We are going to look into getting more Old School Rap into that channel and possibly expanding the programming. For Disco, the folks behind the channel are still on board with us and are distributed out into other channels. So the essence is still there but it has been spread to other channels.

The key is that we're here to serve our subscribers and listeners. And we aren't forgetting that.

We are still the ultimate aggregators of content. There's something for everybody - and immensely more than terrestrial radio. And while the internet has a wide range of choices, our service is more accessible than the internet and still the most content in one stop. This is a unique service that we're providing.

So we're looking into all of our options, and much of that has to do with feedback from our subscribers. We're willing to listen and react. But we're also trying to do our job, and provide the most unique amount of content with the spectrum available.

But the new lineup seems heavily weighted towards Rock, what with over 20 channels dedicated to the genre. Is this driven by demand or some other reasoning?

A lot of that has to do with the broad definition of the category. If you look at it, there's a number of different ways to listen to "Rock," you could be into The Beatles or into Heavy Metal. The genre just lends itself to lots of different styles. In Country or Sports for that matter, there's a little less diversity in the definition. But remember, we have six country channels.

We also have an audience that has a clear interest in a wide range of rock interests. This isn't unique us. Look at attendance at concerts in North America, and you'll see an overwhelming majority go to Rock concerts. So it's based on both demand as well as the wide spectrum of the category.

So with that in mind, there seems to be a conflict between maintaining this wide range of genres, and the artist-only channels. For instance, micro-niche channels like Disco and Old School Hip-Hop get eliminated, while at the same time there are channels like AC/DC Radio and Led Zeppelin Radio. Can you help explain the rationale behind the Artist-only channels?

One of the benefits of Satellite Radio is the ability to go from broad appeal to very vertical interests. It's part of what makes us different from terrestrial.

These channels have true artist cooperation. The artists have a deep interest in participating with these channels, and listeners get access to their favorite bands like nowhere else. You'll notice that these are iconic artists, that have millions - not thousands - but millions of fans. And you're getting exclusive interviews and extremely rare insight and programming behind each of them. These channels are unique assets with limited duration and we only do them with full artist cooperation because that's the only way to bring listeners the best programming.

Bob Dylan's show is a great example of a fulltime show with one artist, even though it's not a dedicated channel. The ability to reach into the creative mind of someone like that is something you just can't get anywhere else - and that mind is a national treasure. It's something that is impossible for terrestrial to do.

Now, there's always a debate about the length of time these channels should run for, but it's all part of the constantly evolving process.

Would you consider a single "artist-only" channel that rotates each artist for a block of time?

That's something we're considering. We're looking at working to evolve towards that. But it needs to apply to the right genre. You shouldn't mix up artists that have nothing to do with each other, but we are actively looking into how to have one channel dedicated to "pop up" channels.

There has been a lot of talk about the channels getting "censored" and becoming family friendly. It's hard find a clear definition of what is going on. XM has its "XL" channels, while all the others were family friendly and there's been a lot of confusion following the combination of the channels about censorship taking place. Can you clear the air on this and address this confusion?

This is a great question and I'm really glad you asked it. There is absolutely, 100 percent, no censorship at Sirius XM. Let me be clear about that.

Here's the delineation: There are artist- and label-edited songs that the artists and record labels agree to provide radio. These are versions of the songs that have been approved by the artists and the record labels to air. Only three of our channels play these artist- and label-edited songs: Hits 1 on Sirius, 20on20 on XM, and The Heat.

Hits 1 and 20on20 are obviously pop/hits channels with a huge number of kids listening to them while The Heat is the urban equivalent.

The reason why these artist/label-edited songs are played is because our research found that an overwhelming number of parents are listening to these channels with their kids. We feel it is being socially responsible to air edited songs, knowing that we have young children listening to them.

Let me address The Heat. That channel took the place of Hot Jamz after the channel combination, and Hot Jamz did not play artist- and label-edited songs. I thought it was inappropriate to not have the equivalent choices like Hits 1 and 20on20 for parents and kids listening to that urban channel. So people listening to Hot Jamz started hearing artist- and label-edited songs from The Heat.

But when it comes to the term "censorship" this is something I feel very very strongly about. And I really want to drive this point home. Never ever, ever - EVER - do we play anything that an artist didn't agree should be played. So if an artist or label didn't approve it, we don't touch it.

The fact is, the subscribers and the artists built satellite radio.

I, personally, like to hear that. So you're not just talking about explicit language, but you're also talking about preserving the artistic integrity of the music?

Right. That's why we have the most amount of artist participation of any other form of media. These are artists of the utmost creditability and we respect their work. The word 'censorship' really gets to me, because it's completely not what we're about. From Howard Stern all the way to The Catholic Channel, with Jamie Foxx and Shade 45 in between. We simply do not censor our programming.

Give me your closing thought.

We feel that the subscriber and listener are paramount to Sirius XM on one side, and the artists are paramount to us on the other side of the equation.

That's what makes this medium so great and so real. It's the bridge between the recording artists and the fans and listeners, our subscribers, in its purest, most direct form.

]]> Bubba adds four new markets; status at Sirius XM remains unknown tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4979 2008-11-24T14:57:04Z 2008-11-24T16:00:33Z

Following last week's rumor mongering, official word has come out that Bubba the Love Sponge will soon be heard on four more radio stations covering Miami, Orlando, Ft. Myers and Richmond, Virginia.Bubba's status at Sirius XM Radio Inc. was not addressed.Cox Radio stations WHDR in Miami (93 Rock), WHTQ in Orlando (96.5), and WDYL in Richmond (Y101), along with Beasley Broadcast Group station WRXK in Ft. Myers (96 K-Rock), will start airing the Bubba the Love Sponge Show on January...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Following last week's rumor mongering, official word has come out that Bubba the Love Sponge will soon be heard on four more radio stations covering Miami, Orlando, Ft. Myers and Richmond, Virginia.

Bubba's status at Sirius XM Radio Inc. was not addressed.

Cox Radio stations WHDR in Miami (93 Rock), WHTQ in Orlando (96.5), and WDYL in Richmond (Y101), along with Beasley Broadcast Group station WRXK in Ft. Myers (96 K-Rock), will start airing the Bubba the Love Sponge Show on January 5th, 2009.

The show is broadcast live from 6am - 10am ET from Bubba's own custom, multimedia studio in Tampa.

Because the Bubba the Love Sponge Show is now available for syndication, and Bubba's agent, Thomas J. Bean, is currently talking with additional interested radio stations, additional markets will subsequently be announced.

UPDATE: A representative has informed us that Bubba is still in talks with Sirius regarding his future there.

]]> Is Bubba the Love Sponge leaving Sirius XM? tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4977 2008-11-21T23:43:16Z 2008-11-21T23:47:23Z

Rumor has it that Bubba The Love Sponge is leaving Sirius XM Radio Inc. in January, and that an announcement of his status at the company could be coming as early as Monday morning.Orbitcast has learned that Bubba will be departing the world of Satellite Radio for a terrestrial syndication deal with Cox Broadcasting, according to people familiar with the matter. Bubba The Love Sponge is said to be adding 96.5 WHTQ in Orlando and 93 Rock in Miami to...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Rumor has it that Bubba The Love Sponge is leaving Sirius XM Radio Inc. in January, and that an announcement of his status at the company could be coming as early as Monday morning.

Orbitcast has learned that Bubba will be departing the world of Satellite Radio for a terrestrial syndication deal with Cox Broadcasting, according to people familiar with the matter. Bubba The Love Sponge is said to be adding 96.5 WHTQ in Orlando and 93 Rock in Miami to his roster of syndicated stations, these people said.

As to who will be replacing Bubba? Sources told Orbitcast that Neil Rogers and Phil Hendrie have been named as possible replacements on the Howard 101 channel.

Additionally, FMQB is reporting that an announcement about Bubba's status at Sirius XM could be coming as early as Monday morning.

Upon further inquiry, Orbitcast has confirmed with Bubba's representatives that a Monday announcement is indeed true, though details of the exact nature of the announcement remain unknown. "We are not responding to rumors about its subject," a representative for Bubba said.

Stay tuned...

]]> More layoffs reported at Sirius XM tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4976 2008-11-21T13:36:31Z 2008-11-21T13:35:30Z

More layoffs are being reported in the halls of Sirius XM Radio Inc., presumably in addition to the 30-or-so staffers that were let go last week.And add that on top of the estimated 100 employees that have been "rightsized" so far, and you have a toll of at least 130 workers.There's no word as to exactly who was caught up in the mix, but Taylor on Radio-Info reports that it was mostly PDs. Some are sticking around until December 15th,...

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

More layoffs are being reported in the halls of Sirius XM Radio Inc., presumably in addition to the 30-or-so staffers that were let go last week.

And add that on top of the estimated 100 employees that have been "rightsized" so far, and you have a toll of at least 130 workers.

There's no word as to exactly who was caught up in the mix, but Taylor on Radio-Info reports that it was mostly PDs. Some are sticking around until December 15th, while others will hang in there until December 31st.

Additionally, some are disputing the existance of non-compete agreements being required to get severance. Word has it that XM employees weren't required to sign the contract, but no one is sure if that applied to former Sirius employees.

The question is: after December 31st, will this be the end of the "resource action"? Anxious employees want to know.

]]> Slacker now available on Sony Bravia TVs tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4975 2008-11-20T16:49:32Z 2008-11-20T16:53:42Z

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com Slacker on Sony Bravia

Slacker's Personal Radio Service is now available on Sony's Bravia TVs with Internet Link Service.

The Slacker service is free - as usual - and gives listeners access to all of their favorite genre stations (including Slacker's new Holiday stations) and custom stations.

Slacker's service also allows users to personalize choice across the web, Bravia Internet Video Link, Slacker G2 or soon on the BlackBerry, ensuring that your favorite artists and ratings follow you to whatever device you're using.

The Bravia Internet Video Link Module, which attaches to the back of a compatible Sony Bravia TV, streams on-demand video entertainment (via Amazon Video On Demand; YouTube; Dailymotion, etc.) and a variety of other high- definition and standard-definition content not found on network or cable/satellite TV. The module connects to the Internet via an existing broadband Ethernet connection and streams content, much of which is available at no additional charge.

The Bravia Internet Video Link Module runs for about $300 MSRP.

]]> Ludacris to perform live on Sirius XM tag:www.orbitcast.com,2008://3.4974 2008-11-20T00:25:22Z 2008-11-20T00:24:25Z

Hip-hop superstar Ludacris will appear live at the Rockefeller Center studios to perform for Sirius XM Radio listeners on November 20th.Ludacris will perform tracks from his upcoming release, Theater of the Mind, (which is in stores November 24th). The entire new Hip-Hop Nation lineup will be on hand to celebrate Ludacris' appearance. Join Leo G., DJ Envy and Nina Nine, live with Luda this Thursday, November 20th at 8pm ET on Hip-Hop Nation, Sirius channel 40 and XM channel 67....

Ryan Saghir http://www.orbitcast.com

Hip-hop superstar Ludacris will appear live at the Rockefeller Center studios to perform for Sirius XM Radio listeners on November 20th.

Ludacris will perform tracks from his upcoming release, Theater of the Mind, (which is in stores November 24th). The entire new Hip-Hop Nation lineup will be on hand to celebrate Ludacris' appearance.

Join Leo G., DJ Envy and Nina Nine, live with Luda this Thursday, November 20th at 8pm ET on Hip-Hop Nation, Sirius channel 40 and XM channel 67. The encore broadcast will air on Saturday, November 21st at 6pm ET.

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