I am checking out this YouTube preview of iTunes radio. Seems like a pretty functional service at first glance. You can customize channels and such, just as you can with Pandora, Spotify, Google All Access and the rest. But then there is the Siri interface. “Play Radiohead Radio,” the user commands. “Station Radiohead Radio playing!” […]
Tag Archives | SIRI
Liberty Media moves towards majority stake in SiriusXM – what does it mean for subscribers?
Things are staying eventful for SiriusXM. Liberty Media this week continued its ongoing campaign to take control of the satellite radio provider by buying up 40 million additional shares of the company, bringing its total ownership to 48.8%, up from its 40% stake back in March. Liberty’s intent here is clear. In a a recent […]
SiriusXM sees strong 1st quarter amid minor turmoil
SiriusXM announced positive first quarter results on Tuesday, with the number of subscribers growing to an all time high of 22.3 million. The company also said that its retaining 45% of subscribers who got a trial subscription with the purchase of a new satellite radio equipped car. Its stock (SIRI) price jumped a bit–from $2.26 […]
SiriusXM’s Karmazin pretty much admits it’s good to be a monopoly
Last Thursday, on the eve of the company’s tenth anniversary celebration with Bruce Springsteen, SiriusXM CEO Mel Karmazin appeared for a thirteen minute interview on Jim Cramer’s CNBC investment show Mad Money. There are two big questions on the mind of satellite radio watchers: will John Malone’s Liberty Media buy up more of SiriusXM, and […]
SiriusXM turns a profit, plans to offer on-demand programs and personalized radio
SiriusXM announced its 4th quarter 2011 results today, revealing that the company turned a profit and reached 8.7 million subscribers, with 1.7 net subscribers added last year. While those numbers apparently look good both to the company and investors, SiriusXM is only holding on to 44% of subscribers who get a free trial when they […]
SiriusXM to report 2011 earnings on Thursday, one month ahead of 10th birthday celebration
It’s almost hard to believe that satellite radio is a decade old this year. Actually the XM service launched in September, 2001 while Sirius launched service in four states in February 2002. I remember clearly the hoopla around the debut of this new radio service, and devouring a feature article about XM in Sound and […]
Could SiriusXM join the house of QVC, Starz and the Atlanta Braves?
Talk is heating up on Wall Street that satellite radio purveyor SiriusXM might be on the verge of a sale. Most of the talk centers on Liberty Media, headed up by chairman and early player in cable television John Malone, which turns over media properties pretty regularly, and currently owns the QVC shopping network, Starz […]
Howard Stern is staying with Sirius for another five years
So much for the drama. Howard Stern announced this morning that he signed a new five-year contract with Sirius satellite radio, ending a protracted negotiation. He did not indicate how much the contract is for, only saying that it is “very fair.” The end of this contract will be a different sort of drama since […]
Is Howard Stern still worth $100 million a year? He thinks so.
Tuesday morning on his radio program Howard Stern reportedly discussed his ongoing contract negotiations with Sirius satellite radio, announcing that, “I am not taking a f—ing paycut.” His tirade was in response to comments made by Sirius CFO David Frear at a UBS investor conference where he hinted that a new contract with Stern might […]
Clock is ticking on Howard Stern’s Sirius channel
Howard Stern may be the face that launched four satellites (now 9), but as he wraps up his fifth year on Sirius satellite radio both his listeners and stock analysts are wondering if the King of All Media will continue to broadcast from orbit come 2011. Stern’s current $500 million contract is set to run […]