'satellite radio'

Sirius XM chief: Yes, we will be profitable

NEW YORK--He made it past the Federal Communications Commission. But Sirius XM Radio CEO Mel Karmazin now has to deal with Wall Street.

In his keynote interview Tuesday at the Media & Money Conference, a joint production of Dow Jones and Nielsen, Karmazin wasn't in humility mode. "We're probably one of the top 25 media companies today," he said of the newly merged Sirius XM, which brought together the world's only two satellite radio companies. "I think it's very clear that we will be the most successful company in the audio entertainment industry. … Read more

2009 Dodge Ram is tough outside, tech inside

When we first laid eyes on the Dodge Ram, a few words came to mind: gargantuan, behemoth, colossal. The words that didn't immediately come to mind when the big ol' truck rolled into the CNET garage were "high" or "tech." However, after--literally--climbing into the Ram's cab and spending some time behind the wheel, we found a surprising amount of drive-train tech and, more surprisingly, some very sophisticated cabin tech.

Satellite TV, a hard drive-based audio system, and in-vehicle Wi-Fi are just some of the ambitious, if unrefined, tricks the Dodge Ram has up its … Read more

New bill calls for HD-compatible satellite radio

Legislators over the weekend introduced new legislation requiring satellite radio receivers to pick up digital signals, even though federal regulators are still seeking public comment on the issue.

House Representative Ed Markey, D-Mass., on Saturday introduced the Radio All Digital Channel Receiver Act, which requires equipment designed to receive both satellite digital audio radio and terrestrial AM/FM radio to be equipped to receive digital radio signals transmitted by terrestrial AM/FM stations.

"Millions of Americans today rely on local broadcast radio for news, public safety bulletins, sports, weather, traffic, and other information," Markey said in a press release. &… Read more

CRUTCHFIELD has the SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable satellite radio for $249.99, after $30 savings and $50 mail-in rebate, plus free shipping.

CRUTCHFIELD has SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable satellite radio for $249.99, after $30 savings and $50 mail-in rebate, plus free shipping. >> Regular price is $329.99 >> Sale price is $249.99 >> Savings $80 (24.24%) >> Click here for deal

Sirius cuts losses before XM merger

Sirius XM Radio on Thursday announced that its Sirius side posted a 25 percent jump in second-quarter revenue and pared back its net loss as it closed its final quarter as a standalone company.

Revenues for Sirius Satellite Radio, which closed its long-awaited merger with XM Satellite Radio after the quarter ended, rose to $283 million for the three-month period ending June 30, up from $226.4 million a year earlier.

"Despite a tough economy and weak auto sales, gross additions set a new second-quarter record. In the second quarter, both revenue and subscribers grew 25 percent, compared with … Read more

Sirius and XM close merger

Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio announced on Tuesday that they closed their long-awaited merger, ending a 17-month saga since the deal was first announced to bring the nation's only two satellite radio companies together.

The combined company, with more than 18.5 million subscribers, is now called Sirius XM Radio. It is set to rank as the second-largest U.S. radio company, based on annual revenues.

Sirius XM Radio will offer more than 300 programming channels spanning exclusive shows, such as those of Howard Stern and Oprah Winfrey, and a la carte programming. Subscribers will be able … Read more

Sirius-XM merger: No static at all

Updated at 4:45 p.m. PDT to clarify that portable receivers are capable of receiving live program signals.

The marriage of satellite radio providers Sirius and XM has finally received the blessing of the Federal Communications Commission on Friday. Now we can all finally get the game we want.

For many prospective customers, a key sticking point was the different selections of sports programming offered exclusively by each provider. A few years back, I wanted to make a present of a Sirius subscription to a friend who spends a lot of time driving around Northern California, especially in places … Read more

XM, Sirius detail potential FCC consent decree

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio confirmed on Thursday that they are discussing a possible consent decree with the Federal Communications Commission in an effort to bring their 17-month merger effort to a conclusion.

The FCC, while inching closer to a resolution since this summer, has had concerns over compliance with commission rules. One concern regards radios with FM transmitters, and the other concern regards transmitters with terrestrial repeaters.

XM and Sirius noted that a possible consent decree with the FCC could include their agreement to:

Adopt comprehensive compliance plans and take steps to address any potentially noncompliant radios … Read more

EMI and XM Satellite Radio reach settlement

EMI Group is the latest major music label to reach a settlement with XM Satellite Radio over the Pioneer Inno device, the companies announced Tuesday.

EMI, one of several music labels that filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against XM in May 2006, is withdrawing from the complaint. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The initial lawsuit stems from XM's Pioneer Inno, which has the capability to record and store music delivered over satellite radio. EMI, along with other major music labels, had contended that the device could violate their copyrights.

With the settlement, EMI is joining Universal Music … Read more

FCC decision on XM-Sirius merger coming soon

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said Thursday he expects the agency to make a decision soon about the Sirius Satellite Radio merger with rival XM Satellite Radio.

Martin said during an interview on CNBC's Squawk on the Street Thursday that he expected the commission to "do something soon." But he defended the long review process by saying that the deal was "extraordinary" and raised difficult issues. Specifically, he said the FCC already had a rule in place that prohibited the merger of the two satellite radio companies.

Originally, the agency barred satellite radio companies … Read more