Satellite Radio

Earvolution.com made me laugh when I read about how David Lee Roth, who took over Howard Stern’s old job on terrestrial radio, is the newest marketing tool for Sirius and XM. The general synopsis? David’s show is awful and a reasonably good excuse to head down to your closest Best Buy for a S50 or an XM2Go device.

While Satellite Radio in the US has been growing a rapid rate, a new survey by Decima Research says that Canadian consumers are widely aware of the medium and its potential to impact the radio market is huge.

- More than three-quarters (77%) say they are aware of satellite radio. This heightened awareness is led by men (87%), those 25-34 (86%), and households with $100K annual income or more (87%).

- 3% of Canadians say they or someone else in their household subscribes to either Canadian or U.S. grey market satellite radio services.

- Another 6%, the equivalent of up to 2 million Canadians, said they would likely subscribe within the next year at a price of $13 per month. Another 14% said they might or might not subscribe within the next year.

- Sirius Canada appears to hold an early advantage in terms of current and potential market share over XM Canada. Among those likely to buy a satellite radio within the next year, more than twice as many (27%) are leaning towards Sirius Canada versus 12% for XM Canada.

RX-797 and RX-497 Custom Installation Featured Receivers Offer Outstanding Power and Versatility

Yamaha Electronics Corporation, the leader in home audio and video reproduction, will display the RX-797, RX-497 and RX-397 Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receivers at CES 2006.

The RX-797 and RX-497 allow users to plug an XM Connect-and-Play home antenna and activate the XM Satellite Radio service to receive more than 150 news, sports and entertainment digital radio channels. The XM Connect-and-Play home antenna is capable of receiving XM’s satellite and terrestrial signals as well as channel tuning, decoding and audio transmission. It will be the only accessory needed to receive XM Satellite Radio through the Yamaha XM Satellite-ready receiver.

Both the RX-797 and the RX-497 offer a wide range of custom installation features. The RX-797 has Zone 2 audio out (with volume) and video out, a Main/Zone 2 power switch, a Rec Out/Zone 2 Selector, 2-in/1-out remote terminals, extended IR codes and trigger out, and a remote controllable input selection and volume control for Zone 2. The RX-V497 has Zone 2 audio out and 1-in/1-out remote terminals and remote controllable input selection.

These new receivers are designed to generate high-quality audio reproduction. They offer a Pure Direct Switch, which provides the shortest and most direct signal path for highest quality sound reproduction.

In addition, other high quality features include High Dynamic Power and Low-Impedance Drive capability, Linear Damping and a Continuously Variable Loudness Control. Extended frequency response means that all three models are ready to handle the wide dynamic range of DVD-Audio.The RX-797 (100Wx2) uses Yamaha’s Total Purity Audio Reproduction Technology (ToP-ART) design concept to maximize sound quality with features that include I/O Direct Symmetrical Design. The switchable CD Direct Amplification provides maximum signal purity.

Other features include subwoofer output (RX-797 and RX-497 only), audio inputs (6 inputs for RX-797 and RX-497, 5 inputs for RX-397), speaker A/B/A+B selection, impedance selector 6/4 ohms, tape monitor (RX-497 and RX-397 only) and a front panel headphone jack.

The RX-797(MSRP $549.95), the RX-497 (MSRP $399.95) and the RX-397 (MSRP $299.95) are currently available.

Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc has announced a first quarter C$14.6million loss. CSR launched 9 days before the end of the quarter and during that time, revenue from activations and sales were at C$46,010. Christmas sales are not included in this figure which should make some interesting reading when the Q2 figures are released.

Luxury car manufacturer Rolls Royce will now equip all of their vehicles sold in the United States with Sirius Satellite Radio.

All Rolls Royce vehicles that are bought with Sirius hardware installed will include a lifetime subscription to the service.

Press Release

The Scion xB is the latest Toyota vehicle to be loaded with XM Satellite Radio as part of the exclusive deal Toyota has with XM.

The Scion xB will have XM Satellite Radio as standard equipment and buyers of a new vehicle will receive a complimentary three month subscription to XM Satellite Radio’s commercial free broadcasts.

Press Release

Lotus Cars USA has announced that their award willing 2006 Lotus Elise sports car will feature factory installed XM Satellite Radio in all models with the Premium Pack option.

Audiophiles who specify their 2006 Lotus Elise with the optional Premium Pack ($695) enjoy a factory-installed Alpine AM/FM/XM Single CD Tuner.

Press Release

XM Satellite Radio has won top honors at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show for its ground breaking satellite radios. The Pioneer Inno XM2go won the Best of CES 2006 People’s Choice award as well as the Last Gadget Standing award.

The Delphi MyDi also received awards along with five other XM products that were recognized as honorees for the Innovations 2006 Awards.

Press Release

Business Ethics Magazine has announced that it has launched a one hour weekly radio program on Sirius Satellite Radio. The show, Good Company, will be hosted by award winning journalist Michael Conner who is the publisher and executive editor of Business Ethics Magazine.

Good Company will feature interviews with executives from some of the world’s leading companies on cutting edge approaches to business ethics, corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Good Company will be broadcast on LIME Radio on Sirius on Channel 114 on Thursdays 7-8pm, Saturdays 12-1am and noon-1pm and Sundays 4-5pm EST. The show will also be streamed live on www.lime.com.

Press Release

While an estimated 180,000 new subscribers activated their Sirius Radio accounts on Christmas day, the day before Howard Stern’s new show went to air saw the lines jammed as subscribers scrambled to get themselves hooked up before the Monday morning broadcast. According to Howard Stern, some subscribers had been forced to wait up to nine hours before their account was activated.