«XM's first quarter numbers are out, and what do you know?  Its losses widened to nearly 6 percent, even though revenue is up.  For the quarter, XM hemorrhaged 9 million, and their customer acquisition costs rose to a subscriber (up from last year)» (Jacoblog). Mas para quê pagar quando «According to data released by Digital Music News and media tracking firm BigChampagne, one-third of all PCs worldwide have LimeWire installed. For those who are among the other two-thirds, LimeWire is the top P2P file sharing software - the iTunesitunes-overtakes-wal-mart-in-music-sales Apr-4-2008 of "stealing" music so to speak. Usage comes in at exactly 36.4% of all PCs according to the survey, and of course its the target of a multi-year RIAA lawsuit (no doubt a side effect of its popularity)».

Mel Karmazin, presidente da Sirius: «Arbitron says that XM and Sirius together represent 4 percent of the radio listening market. It's bizarre for me to think that anybody could think that in this whole area of audio entertainment there isn't plenty of competition, and new competition coming every day. Not only do we compete with all of the radio stations that exist, we also compete with all of the other alternatives that have come along since we've gotten our license. We currently compete with free [radio].

You're listening to this boring AM and FM radio that's around. And one day, you want satellite radio, or you buy a car that has satellite radio, and after a trial period you decide you don't want to have satellite radio, and then you go back to free. So when we compete with free, we're more apt to get a subscriber at .99 than at .95. So when you're a company that has lost all of this money, and we are continuing to lose money, the ability to reduce prices -- which is what we would like to do -- doesn't happen.»

fonte: «A conversation with Mel Karmazin, CEO of Sirius Satellite Radio», Chicago Tribune, November 9, 2007

«WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 40 percent of consumers report having satellite radio capability in their new-vehicle's audio system-marking a considerable increase from 26 percent the previous year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study(SM) released today. Additionally, 94 percent of owners indicate that their satellite radio is factory or dealer installed-increasing from 92 percent in 2006. "Buyers want the latest technologies included in their new vehicle's audio system, and the increase in market penetration is a reflection of auto manufacturers' response to consumer demand," said Allison LaDuc, senior research manager of automotive product quality at J.D. Power and Associates. "New and redesigned vehicles-particularly those within the luxury segment-are increasingly being equipped with the latest multimedia features, including satellite radio, MP3/auxiliary output and navigation systems. Market penetration for these audio features will likely increase as time goes on."»

fonte: «J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Market Penetration for Satellite Radio Increases as Consumers Demand High-Tech Multimedia Features in Their New Vehicles», J. D. Power and Associates, 09/08/07

• Limited playlists.
• Annoying DJs.
• Lousy reception.

You would think most of those would apply to any terrestrial radio station run by Clear Channel Communications (NYSE: CCU), but they're symptoms of the problem with satellite radio.

Play it again, Sam. And again and again.
I definitely don't miss the insipid commercials I used to find on regular radio, but with 24 hours of airtime to fill up, you'd think the satellite companies could maybe mix up the playlists once in a while. How many times can Sirius' rock station Octane play Hinder's "Lips of an Angel"? And I think there's some Carpenters song played every 12 minutes on its Moving Easy band.

I listen to just a handful of stations on Sirius, and believe me: You can just about set your watch to when a particular song is going to come on. Can't they play some of the lesser-known songs by the artists, just for variety? While I have a Sirius radio, the same failings apply to XM. Repetitive songs seem to be an industry-wide issue that I thought satellite radio would resolve. (...)»

fonte: the Motley Fool, Why Satellite Radio Will Fail, By Rich Duprey, May 2, 2007

«The results of a new web poll survey, conducted by Rock radio consultants Jacobs Media, consisting of over 25,000 respondents from 69 Rock-formatted stations from all over the U.S., shows that satellite radio subscribership has not changed since last year’s survey, despite extensive marketing throughout 2006. "While satellite radio continues to be a hot topic of conversation, growth for both XM and Sirius appears to have greatly slowed," Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs comments. "Our findings also show that potential interest among non-subscribers has also diminished from our survey last year." From the 2006 to 2007 studies, the numbers are essentially unchanged – about 12% of Rockers subscribe to XM, Sirius, or both services. Men and 30-39 year-olds are most apt to be satellite radio customers.Among those who have not bought either service, only 9% say they are very likely to subscribe to XM or Sirius, with the latter having a slight edge. This is down from 12% in the 2006 study.»

fonte: «AMONG ROCKERS, SATELLITE RADIO GROWTH HAS STALLED», Jacobsmedia.com, 20/03/07

«The sum of all listening to satellite channels mentioned by the half million diarykeepers in the Arbitron Fall 2006 survey totaled 3.4 percent of credited quarter-hours.
The Fall 2006 survey was the first in which new instructions were provided in the diary, asking respondents to indicate their listening to satellite and Internet radio in addition to AM/FM radio. Respondents mentioned 297 separate satellite radio channels during the Fall 2006 survey.
The analysis also showed that satellite listeners are heavy listeners to radio in general, including AM/FM radio. Satellite listeners spent an average of 33 hours a week with radio compared with the typical listener, who listened approximately 19 hours a week to radio. Also, people who listened to satellite spent more time with AM/FM radio (14 hours) than they did with satellite radio (10 hours 45 minutes) or Internet (8 hours 15 minutes). »

fonte: «Arbitron: Satellite Radio Accounts For 3.4% Of All Radio Listening», radio Ink, 01/03/07

 Fred Jacobs comenta: «As you have no doubt read by now, satellite radio's overall share falls in at a 3.4 level.  Divide that among all the different satellite channels mentioned, and their average "station" cruises in at .009 share.  The most-listened to sat channel (wonder which one that might be?) roared in at a .2. Not exactly like the dream advertising platform.  And it certainly reinforces the notion that a merger may be the only way to save both companies from overinvesting in programming, at the expense of sales (and I'm a programming guy).  As budgets become tighter - especially among younger consumers - and iPod connectivity (and eventually, the Internet) becomes ubiquitous in vehicles, Wall Street will continue to question the model.  As we continually hear from our focus groups and our tech polls, listeners continue to push back at the notion of paying for radio.»

«WASHINGTON - A Sirius Satellite Radio e a XM Satellite Radio, as duas principais rádios por satélite dos Estados Unidos, decidiram se unir, informaram hoje ambas as emissoras em um comunicado conjunto. As duas companhias explicaram que Mel Karzamin, executivo-chefe da Sirius, será o principal responsável pela companhia que nascerá da fusão. (...) A aprovação definitiva da fusão dependerá das autoridades de concorrência e anti-monopólio americanas. O comunicado conjunto não especifica o nome da nova empresa e o conselho de administração da mesma passará a ter 12 membros, entre eles Parsons, Karmazin, quatro diretores independentes nomeados por cada companhia e um representante da General Motors e da Honda. Ambas as empresas automobilísticas tem um acordo exclusivo com as duas emissoras de rádio. (...) "A companhia resultante se beneficiará de uma equipe altamente qualificada, com ampla experiência na indústria radiofônica", segundo a nota conjunta divulgada hoje.»

«Laws prohibiting the two to combine have been in place since each were granted licenses about a decade ago, in effect creating a government-mandated duopoly because regulators had no intention of allowing other sat-radio operators to spring up in the U.S. Nevertheless, laws can be tweaked to grant permission for the two money-losing companies to merge, and that has competitors nervous.
Dennis Wharton, an executive vp with the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents traditional radio, said he'd be "shocked if federal regulators permitted a merger of XM and Sirius."
Others aren't so certain. Barton Crockett, an analyst with JP Morgan Securities, upgraded shares of XM and Sirius last month because of persistent and credible rumors that the two might "attempt a merger this year, with regulator approval a tossup."
Experts have been saying for months that approval of a combined XM-Sirius depends on how the FCC and anti-competition regulators view the industry. If considered broadly, with digital music players and the Internet thought of as competition, then approval ought to be granted. However, if the government sees competition for XM and Sirius stemming only from each other and from free radio, then approval isn't likely.» (fonte: Sat radio rivals unveil merger agreement, By Paul Bond, Feb 20, 2007, Hollywood Reporter)

Fred Jacobs: (20/02/07)«Top 10 reasons why an XM-Sirius merger sounds like a bad idea:

1.  .99/month

2.  Since when did the government reward failure?

3.  Does this mean that the FCC will completely de-regulate radio now?

4.  Howard gets wealthier because the stock goes up

5.  .99/month

6.  Voice-tracked music channels

7.  18 units/hour on the music channels

8.  How come my (Sirius/XM) receiver can't pick up my (Sirius/XM) signal?

9.  If the FCC will approve this merger, they'll probably approve local traffic and weather (wait, they already have?????)

10.  .99/month»

Etiquetas: XM, Sirius

E pergunta: «podem 13 milhões estar enganados?»

«January 03, 2007 - LAS VEGAS — Delphi Corp. has just sold its 13-millionth satellite radio receiver, setting a new milestone. Delphi will showcase its satellite radio products next week at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Delphi introduced satellite radio receivers to the OEM market in 2001. As satellite radio service providers revolutionize the U.S. radio landscape, Delphi has steadily ridden the wave by providing a variety of original equipment and retail receivers. The satellite radio market now boasts more than 13 million subscribers. Delphi is the leader in the OE satellite radio market and produces receivers for more than 10 new vehicle manufacturers. (...) Satellite radio is changing the paradigm of radio in the U.S.," said Ken Erickson, Delphi Electronics & Safety general director of the Entertainment & Communications product business unit. "Satellite radio has not only taken a long-time analog medium and made it digital, but it has also opened a new world of offerings to customers by providing more than a 100 additional channels of programming." (...) "Consumers now demand this level of flexibility and ownership, fueled even more today by their ability to personalize their listening experience through MP3 players," said Max Rogers, Delphi consumer electronics executive. "Satellite radio’s 170 channels of individual programming offers the same type of tailored listening experience with no downloading hassles." Many of the offerings are commercial-free and categorized by chronological time periods music genre and other defined segments that add another dimension to satellite radio that is not offered by traditional AM/FM radio.»

fonte: «13 Million Satellite Radio Consumers Can’t Be Wrong!»,Delphi Corp. 3/01/07

Etiquetas: controlo

... um exemplo: a nova rádio via satélite nos EUA (e Canadá) vai evoluir para um serviço multimédia.

«Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) expects to offer a live television service in cars by late 2007, and deals with content providers may be set as early as January, CEO Mel Karmazin said Thursday. In an interview at the Reuters Media Summit in New York, Karmazin said the mobile video, likely to be available in 2008 model lines, would be geared toward young viewers sitting in the back seat. (...) "We have three content deals that are very close to being finalized. I don't know if they will be done by CES, but that is what we are shooting for," he said, referring to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. "We will have video in the rear seat of the car up and running." Sirius has touted the possible launch of such a service for years. In 2004, it said it would offer video services by mid-2005, adding at the time that the timing depended on automakers' wishes rather than Sirius' capability. It later said TV service would launch in '06.» (fonte: USA Today, 1/12/06, Sirius plans to offer TV service in cars by 2007)

Ou seja, mais concorrência oferecida no espaço que era da rádio, o carro.

Mark Ramsey não tem dúvidas: «The future of satellite radio is becoming just a wee bit clearer.And it is mobile media. Prediction: the term "satellite radio" will cease to exist by 2010.»

Etiquetas: convergência, carro, tvportatil, jovens

O serviço, que é oferecido desde o final de outubro em Vancouver, Toronto e Montreal, inclui o Ford Escape, Chevy HHR, Hummer H3, Ford Explorer Ltd., Pontiac G6, Pontiac Montana e Toyota Camry, mediante o pagamento de uma taxa»

fonte: «Hertz fecha parceria para utilização do Sirius Satellite Radio no Canadá», Mercados e Eventos, 19/11/06

Etiquetas: Sirius

«Serious trouble for satellite radio
Not just for Sirius, but for XM as well. Citing data from NPD Group, Bank of America analyst Jonathan Jacoby says the year-over-year decline in retail sales of satellite radio receivers is accelerating. XM sales were down 23% in October and Sirius sales were down 26% - the first month since April 2005 that Sirius had a worse month than XM. For the entire US satellite radio industry - two companies - unit sales were down 25% in October, following drops of 12% in September and 3% in August. Jacoby is now projecting that Q4 retail sales of satellite radio receivers will be down 20% from a year ago. The analyst says Sirius will now be struggling to make its year-end target of 6.3 million subscribers and that both companies are moving increasingly to an OEM-driven model, where XM is better positioned for receiver sales in new cars. Jacoby maintains a buy rating on XM, saying the stock valuation gap with Sirius should narrow over the next 6-12 months.»

fonte: «Serious trouble for satellite radio», RBR Daily ePaper, Volume 23, Issue 224, Jim Carnegie, November 16th, 2006

Etiquetas: XM, Sirius

« The study, led by marketing professor Yoram Wind, found that 43 percent of current satellite radio subscribers would cancel their service if music disappeared tomorrow. The percentage easily outdistances other forms of programming, including sports broadcasts and talk radio. Moreover, current subscribers spent 49 percent of their time listening to music content, according to the report»

fonte: «Music Drives Satellite Radio, Wharton Study Finds», Digital Music News, 13/11/06

Etiquetas: música

(mais um estudo; desta vez da Bridge Ratings, out 06)

«48% of those surveyed said they would not renew their in-car satellite-radio subscriptions, while 30% of people who bought their radio at a retailer would not renew their subscriptions. Additionally, 91% said they had not subscribed to the Internet version of Howard Stern's radio show»

The comments came during the recent Merrill Lynch Media & Entertainment Conference, and terrestrial radio proponents seized on the figure. Using a recent subscriber tally of 4,678,207, the ten percent figure nears 500,000, or half-a-million, though the actual figure is probably less. Using a more modest 8 percent figure, satellite radio blog Orbitcast pointed to approximately 374,000 “car lot” subscribers. "And as Frear pointed out, the average days these vehicles spend on the lots is around 90 days," the recent post noted. Meanwhile, larger questions have been looming on the overall growth rate of satellite radio in general – active or inactive – and whether those rates can ultimately sustain the nascent technology.»

fonte: Digital music News, Terrestrial Proponents Question Sirius Subscriber Tallies, 2/10/06

Enquanto a Sirius aposta num canal exclusivo para a renomada orquestra Metropolitan Radio Opera («Beginning with this broadcast, the channel will broadcast live Metropolitan Opera performances each week throughout the Met’s season while also featuring hundreds of the Met’s archival performances»), a XM, depois de anunciado o acordo com Oprah Winfrey, acaba de anunciar que o programa começa esta segunda-feira: «"Oprah & Friends," is a new channel on XM which will feature original programming including regular segments hosted by popular personalities from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and O, The Oprah Magazine and a weekly reality radio show with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King. The channel will originate from a new XM facility at Harpo Studios in Chicago, Oprah's media home base. The "Oprah & Friends" channel will feature original daily programming on a variety of topics including nutrition, fitness, health, self improvement, home, and current events from popular "Oprah" personalities (...)»

O relevante disto é que, por um lado, as duas empresas não desistem de oferecer mais e mais argumentos e, por outro, que são possíveis cada vez mais nichos...

«Sirius Satellite Radio says its Stiletto 100, the company’s first live portable radio, will be available this month. Stiletto includes WiFi, Yahoo music purchasing software, and the ability to save music for playback. Users can store up to 100 hours of content, schedule recordings six hours in advance and connect via WiFi to Sirius’ Internet radio services. Users’ own MP3/WMA files can be stored on the Stiletto 100 and managed with the included software for Windows PCs. The unit is compatible with Windows-based Internet music providers’ download and subscription services, according to the satcaster. Stiletto 100 lists at 9.99. A vehicle kit will list for .95, a home kit for .95 and an executive system for 9.95»

fonte: «Sirius Introduces Its Portable Radio», RWonline, 26/9/06

Um condomínio nos EUA que oferece, como equipamento-base, rádio via satélite (isto é importante porque mostra que esta rádio se está a implantar):

«Alchemy Properties has become the first real estate developer in the state to install SIRIUS satellite radios into a multifamily complex -- the 47-unit Lookout Hill Condominium in Brooklyn.

In order to complete the project, Alchemy partnered with Applied Media Technologies Corp., the exclusive business service provider of SIRIUS. Residents of the complex, located on State Street in Brooklyn Heights, will not be charged for their first year of service»

via Hear2)

Am I Crazy or Didn't XM Promises Commercial-Free Music?
No, you're not nuts. As a matter of fact, on February 4, 2004 that's exactly what XM stated. Have a look at this article:
XM Satellite Radio Drops Commercials On All Music Streams »

fonte: http://radio.about.com/b/a/257731.htm?nl=1

Não sei o que é mas convém estar atento:

«Bear Stearns analyst Bob Peck said Sirius’ subscriber adds were “significantly higher than our 565k estimate.” He also expects that Sirius will maintain its subscriber momentum into the Summer—driven, in part, by an expected push into offering a Wi-Fi enabled receiver.

In a note to investors this morning, Peck wrote: “The technological gap between the two has largely narrowed to an extent that the features available on one platform are virtually comparable to those on the other.”

The next stage in this development, he says, will be Sirius’s next-generation receiver: a “live wearable satellite radio-cum-MP3 player. . . that could feature WiFi access (as Sirius becomes agnostic to the method of distribution.)”

Peck says such a device could be released by the end of this summer.»

fonte: Billboard Radio Monitor, Satcasters Add 1 Million Subs; WiFi Link Next?, July 06, 2006, By Tony Sanders

«Satellite radio will boast 19.5 million subscribers by 2010 with about 17% of all U.S. households tuning in to at least one of the two pay radio services, primarily because consumers like commercial-free music and the ability to listen to their favorite channels no matter where in the country they are»

fonte: Study: Satellite Radio To Grow -- Slowly, July 12, 2006, By Paul Bond, The Hollywood Reporter

«"Fear of satellite radio is prompting an unprecedented level of cooperation among broadcasters in their efforts to launch HD Radio and HD2," says Frank Viquez, director of ABI Research's transportation practice. Viquez adds that HD Radio multi-casting is especially attractive to broadcasters because of its ability to divide the radio signal into separate audio channels, allowing new programming opportunities. "Traditionally, many stations with dual formats have been forced to split their programming according to a certain time schedule; thus HD2 offers them many new possibilities."»

fonte: «Fear Of Satellite Forcing Terrestrial Stations To Work Together?», Droxy, May 22nd 2006 7:33PM by Grant Robertson

«Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Mel Karmazin said yesterday that Sirius would be interested in buying XM Satellite Radio at the right price, though regulatory issues "would be a question mark."

Karmazin added that he'd be less interested in being acquired, though he also would consider it if it were in the shareholders' best interest. Asked if he would consider a merger with a satellite-television provider, Karmazin said it would make more sense for DirecTV Group and EchoStar Communications to merge with each other than with Sirius.

Karmazin was speaking at a conference on media convergence at the Museum of Television & Radio.

"Regarding XM – would we like to buy them? Sure. We'd love to buy them. Price would matter, so that would be an issue (and) there would definitely be the regulatory issue," he said.

An XM spokesman said, "We do not comment on our competitors' wishful thinking."»

fonte: «Sirius CEO Karmazin ”Interested” In Buying XM», Radio Ink, 27/6/06

«Satellite radio enthusiasts who subscribe to both XM and Sirius may soon be able to consolidate both of their satellite subscriptions into one radio receiver. A company called Interoperable Technologies, a joint venture between Sirius and XM, is currently working to create interoperable satellite radio receiver technology that allows subscribers to access both services. Last year the company successfully completed the design of a radio capable of receiving both services, and now they have a timeline to bring a receiver to market this year, says Orbitcast.com.»

fonte: Dual XM/Sirius Radio Could Appear This Year, FMQB, 19/6/06

Já aqui me tinha questionado - mas a distância impede-me de conhecer melhor essa realidade: a rádio via satélite aparece com um grande trunfo, livre de publicidade, e afinal retransmite publicidade, mesmo nos canais commercial-free?

Desenvolvimentos:

«Subscribers to XM Satellite Radio continue to be either upset, dismayed, or confused about XM’s policy concerning commercials on music channels. I have...noticed a marked increase in little "blurbs" such as "the next hour of music is brought to you by so-and-so". This is an advertisement, no matter how you look at it, and I pay premium dollar to not hear ONE advertisement. The promos pushing their own shows on other channels irritate me also, but I can deal with those since there is no extra money funneling into XM Radio to have these promos. I'm NOT happy about the plugs for sponsors... - Andy»

A mítica Radio Caroline, que - a partir d um barco - desafiou os poderes na GB, no pós-guerra, e obrigou a desregulamentar o espectro, a mesma Radio Caroline está desde a semana passada a emitir via satélite, através da plataforma digital da Sky, a Sky's Electronic Programme Guide (EPG).

A RC recolheu donativos dos ouvintes para conseguir este objectivo:

Station manager Peter Moore said in a statement: "Yes, we are the same station that famously broadcast from ships at sea from 1964 to 1990. We might still be at sea had it not been for a dramatic shipwreck and a sinister change to UK law. "No, we are not owned by or connected with any other radio station or holding group, we are totally independent.

"Yes, many of our presenters and staff were with us during our time at sea and yes we still have our 'pirate ship' MV Ross Revenge, currently under restoration. Perhaps we will one day broadcast from our ship again. Certainly we would like to invite the public on board when restoration is more advanced.

We are all volunteers. Nobody in Caroline whether on air or behind the scenes, or even the Boss, gets a wage or takes any expenses. We create radio for the love of it. Some of our guys have walked out of good radio jobs to return to Caroline.»

Sirius currently flies three satellites in highly elliptical orbits so that at least two of them are visible at any time in the United States. This fourth satellite will complement these three by being launched into a geostationary orbit. This hybrid constellation will provide redundancy and enhanced coverage.

The cost to design, build and launch the satellite will be about 0 million.»

fonte: «Sirius Orders Fourth Satellite», beradio: http://beradio.com/currents/radio_currents_061206/index.html#sirius 

«Bridge Ratings projects that over the last fifteen weeks 1,718,945 additional subscriptions to satellite radio have occurred at the retail level. XM's share of this 15 week projected retail sales total is 50.2%, Sirius 49.8%. Based on the slowing trend line of sales for XM, Bridge Ratings now projects XM total subscriber count at 8.4 million by year end 2006 and 6.5 million for Sirius. Projections are updated quarterly.»

fonte: Bridge Ratings Update: Sirius & XM Running Neck & Neck, Radio Ink, 17/6/06, http://www.radioink.com/headlineentry.asp?hid=133981&pt=inkheadlines

Parecia impossível, mas...

«Bridge Ratings projects that of just over one million retail sales of satellite radios sold since April 1, 2006, 51% (534,994) were XM radio systems. But this percentage in recent weeks has flipped in Sirius’ favor. Over the last three weeks of May, Bridge projects 57% of the 350,000 satellite systems sold were Sirius, with 58% of sales going to Sirius during the week ending May 29»

fonte: «Report: Sirius outpacing XM», 7/6/06, Radio Ink, http://www.radioink.com/headlineentry.asp?hid=133876&pt=inkheadlines

Ao contrário do que aconteceu com a XM, a Sirius mantém as previsões de crescimento:

«In the wake of a scaled-down subscriber forecast by XM Satellite Radio, fast-growing Sirius has now reaffirmed its earlier projections. The quickly-growing upstart maintained its estimate of 6.5 million subscribers by year-end, a figure that represents an addition of 2.5 million over the next seven months. "This supports our expectation that we will capture the majority of retail satellite radio net additions in 2006," said Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin. Meanwhile, the company also indicated that it could reach positive free cash flow as early as the fourth quarter.»

fonte: Digital radio News, «Sirius Satellite Reaffirms Subscriber, Financial Guidance», 26/5/06

A XM anunciou ontem uma revisão em baixa da sua previsão de assinantes - efeito Sirius/Stern?

da RBR: «Already reeling from a federal investigation into how it counts subscribers and a raft of shareholder lawsuits that followed, XM Satellite Radio shocked Wall Street yesterday by reducing its subscriber forecast for 2006. Rather than nine million subscribers, it is telling The Street to expect 8.5 million at year end. XM's stock, which had already been in a slide, fell over 11% yesterday. "Subscriber growth for the first quarter of 2006 was consistent with our initial guidance of nine million subscribers by the end of 2006.»

O problema é da Autoridade local da Concorrência:

«When asked yesterday, at the Lehman Worldwide Wireless, Wireline and Media Conference about a potential merger between his company and XM, Sirius EVP/CFO David Frear said he thought it would “make sense from an economic standpoint.” He added, however, that he couldn’t predict what government regulators would have to say to the hypothetical merger»

fonte: radio ink, 24/5/06, http://www.radioink.com/headlineentry.asp?hid=133679&pt=inkheadlines

Sobre a hipotética fusão:

«NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (SIRI) thinks it could make sense to merge with rival XM Satellite Radio Inc. (XMSR) but isn't so sure regulators would approve such a deal.

por causa dos novos aparelhos da XM (e da Sirius) que gravam a emissão e a transformam de imediato em ficheiros mp3 - com a oferta musical do satelite, estes aparelhos tornam-se melhores do que um iPod...

«"As has been widely reported, the four major record labels have filed a copyright infringement suit against XM Radio, based on the recording capabilities included in certain recently-introduced XM receivers, such as the Pioneer Inno and Samsung Helix. [Read previous RAIN coverage here.]

"The complaint [PDF] makes it clear that the RIAAcompanies are gunning not just for XM, but for all innovators. [A] summary of the claims, many of which reach well beyond the borders of established copyright jurisprudence.»

fonte RAIN, 19/5/06, http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/051906/index.asp

«XM Satellite Radio is rapidly expanding its dashboard footprint, thanks to a steady tide of new, satellite-ready automobiles. On Wednesday, American Honda Motor Co. announced the sale of its one-millionth, XM-enabled vehicle, part of a growing partnership between the two companies (...)

Looking ahead, American Honda expects sales of 550,000 XM-enabled vehicles by the end of this year. The company offers factory-installed XM receivers on a wide range of models, including the Honda Pilot, Accord, Accord Hybrid, Odyssey, and Element, and the Acura RL, TL, TSX and MDX. Meanwhile, XM carries a heavyweight roster of automotive partners, which includes General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Suzuki, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Audi. Overall, buyers of 130 different models will have access to an XM receiver, generating a larger pool of lifetime subscribers.»

fonte: «Honda Delivers One-Millionth XM Factory Installation», Digital Music News, http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/#051106

Continua a ser um dos mais temas mais interessantes - o que é que aconteceu aos ouvintes hertzianos de Howard Stern?

Mais um estudo:

«"Our latest estimate is that a total of 1.1 million (8.4 percent) of Stern's terrestrial fan base has migrated to Sirius," the research group noted. "As Bridge Ratings continues to interview former Stern listeners, there is an apparent apathy regarding future Sirius subscriptions." The company surveyed a total of 3,200 terrestrial Stern listeners, and found that many were simply not motivated enough to make the switch from the free, terrestrial dial»

fonte: «New Report Projects Stalling Howard Stern Conversions», Digital Music News, 12/05/06 

O receptor portátil da Sirius que grava a emissão e faz ficheiros em mp3 tem sido contestado pela industria discografica. A Sirius resolveu o problema, negociando com as «majors»:

«Sirius Satellite Radio’s fight with the major labels over its S50 portable receiver is over. EMI today became the fourth and final major to ink a deal with Sirius that allows for sales of controversial device. Details of the agreement were not disclosed but it is believed to mirror similar pacts Sirius struck with Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group in mid-March. According to sources close to the agreements, Sirius will pay the labels an undisclosed fee for each S50 sold and will cap the number of devices it sells.
Sirius has not disclosed sales figures for the S50. Analysts expect no more than 1 million will be sold»

fonte: «Portable Player Dispute Ends Between Sirius, Major Labels», April 14, 2006, By Brian Garrity, Billboard

Este artigo tenta responder a uma pergunta que faz todo o sentido: as audiências de HStern, quando trabalhava herztianamente, eram superiores a 10 milhões de ouvintes. Agora na Sirius não terá mais do que dois milhões...

«Can millions of listeners just disappear?

That's a question plaguing Howard Stern and one with vital implications for radio itself in the wake of the shock jock's heralded and hyped switch from free to satellite broadcasting.

The self-proclaimed King of All Media once commanded a national audience of 12 million daily listeners before jumping to satellite in January. But since then, his kingdom has shrunk to a small fraction of that size. Meanwhile, the shock jock's main replacements thus far have failed to hold very much of the former flock. According to industry analysts, the new Stern math scans something like this: At best, he took between 1 million and 2 million listeners with him, and his replacements, spread across many of the country's major radio markets, are drawing numbers in a similar range. That leaves 8 million to 10 million nomadic listeners nationwide wandering the terrestrial radio dial in search of a new voice or sound to lead them out of the morning drive-time wilderness. Call them the Howard Stern diaspora, those legions unwilling to fork over satellite subscription fees and unimpressed by pretenders to the throne. (...)

With limited ratings data so far, it's hard to tell where the Stern herd is roaming and where big portions of it might ultimately settle, say analysts. But Arbitron ratings clearly demonstrate they aren't stampeding toward Stern's big-name replacements, former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth on the East Coast and comedian Adam Carolla on the West Coast. Although any head-to-head comparisons between the newcomers and the veteran Stern are unfair, say analysts, the pair's ratings are nevertheless widely regarded as disappointing and, in one case, possibly job threatening.

(...) In a recent interview, Stern attacked his ex-listeners who are still clinging to terrestrial radio and have refused to cheer him on on the other side. "You haven't come with me yet? How dare you?" Stern told Entertainment Weekly. "We're up to wild, crazy stuff; the show has never sounded better."

fonte: Trying to corral Stern's lost herd, Los Angeles Times, http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-stern11apr11,0,4823944.storyBy Martin Miller, Times Staff Writer, April 11, 2006

Station GM Tom Bartunek said he hopes to expand that relationship. MobaHO! has 37audio channels, including overseas FM radio stations and genre-specific music programming; eight video channels, including news, sports and entertainment programming; and a data service channel»

fonte: rwoline, «WQXR to Be Carried on Japanese Satellite Broadcasting», 2006-04-05

Mais aqui; a rádio: http://www.wqxr.com/cgi-bin/iowa

«A new digital radio receiver in the U.K. will allow listeners to download songs after their hear them. The HD Radio is being tested by Chrysalis and UBC Media, and if it is a success, will fully launch by year's end. The service will incorporate Chrysalis' AC "Heart" radio stations and a new mobile device that also receives TV stations as well as radio. It would likely work as a subscription service, with an extra fee on top for each song. The service uses DAB digital radio technology, according to Reuters, which allows data files and audio to be sent simultaneously. UBC CEO Simon Cole told the BBC, "If you press 'Buy' when you're listening to James Blunt on Heart, the file is immediately added to your library in the phone. The server also pushes a 128-kilobyte version of the song to your home account so it's also on your computer waiting to be put on your iPod. We think people will be willing to pay a premium for that level of service."»

fonte: FMQB, «New U.K. Digital Radio To Also Download Songs», April 6, 2006

«Orbitcast has posted photos of the newest portable XM Radio player, the Pioneer Inno. The iPod-sized device receives XM's live signal, records up to 50 hours of music, schedules recordings, and plays WMA's and MP3's. Like earlier XM portables, the Inno has a built-in FM transmitter, allowing you to play your satellite radio over analog radio. Nice. Other specs: color display, 50 channel presets, playlist editing on the device, 5 hours of live XM playback and 15 hours of recorded playback. The price? A mere 9. »

fonte: http://www.droxy.com/2006/04/04/photos-of-pioneer-inno-xm2go-posted/

But as the two satellite radio providers carefully ponder their mobile strategies and chew over business plans, a small group of technically savvy devotees are taking matters into their own hands.

Grass-roots software and web developers have found ways to tap into XM Satellite Radio Holdings' and Sirius Satellite Radio's websites to stream music channels onto Windows-powered smartphones and other devices»

fonte: Wired News, Satellite Radio Rocks Cell Phones, Reuters  13:10 PM Mar, 24, 2006

Há qualquer coisa que me escapa, mas registo a procura das estações via satélite por rádios sem publicidade:

«Overall, the additions will raise the XM selection to 69 commercial-free music channels, a figure that narrowly beats competitor Sirius»

O furacão Howard Stern continua a fazer estragos... na XM.

A Sirius acaba de anunciar o assinante nº 4 milhões, o que a põe muito mais próxima da XM. O objectivo é fechar o ano com mais de 6 milhões. E bater a XM?

«The race for exclusive content on satellite radio is costing some serious money and could delay that industry's move from red ink to black ink, says Banc of America Securities analyst Jonathan Jacoby in a report published March 7. The BofA report comes at the same time Sirius Satellite Radio announced it had signed Candace Bushnell, New York Times bestselling author and Sex and the City creator for a weekly four-hour call-in Talk show. The show, called Candace Bushnell's Sex, Success and Sensibility will debut this spring. Sirius' latest deal follows a month after XM Satellite Radio announced it will pay Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions million to program a channel, including original content and regular segments from personalities on Oprah's TV show, her magazine O, and a weekly reality show with Oprah and Gayle King. Although Jacoby wrote that he remained "positive" on the satellite radio industry, he also expressed worries about "rising fixed costs (e.g., content)" that could "create uncertainty over the timing of positive free cash flow." Sirius will spend about 0 million this year on programming and content -- and about million of those costs this year will come from deals already announced, including Cosmopolitan, Playboy, Blue Collar Comedy, the renewed Fox News/Fox News Talk deal and the recently announced Court TV deal. Sirius' NASCAR deal will add million in programming costs in 2007»

(fonte: Mediaweek, Content Costs Could Delay Satellite Profits, Katy Bachman and Tony Sanders, Billboard Radio Monitor,MARCH 07, 2006; via Obercom)

mesmo perante os desafios do satélite. Ou por causa disso mesmo...

«The bill says that "because radio programming is supported by advertising, the ability of local stations to continue to provide local news and other services and to ensure communications during emergencies could be jeopardized by a diversion of the listening audience away from local radio programming." (...) It is crystal clear that both XM and Sirius – with nearly billion in combined losses last year and having failed as a national programming service – are skirting the intent of their original FCC licenses. This bill holds satellite radio accountable to those licenses."»

(fonte: FMQB, Senate Proposes "Local Emergency Radio Service Preservation Act", March 16, 2006)

"The similarities between radio in the seventies and what we're trying to do with satellite radio are unbelievable," says Abrams. "What was happening with AM versus FM back then - the migration of listeners from the AM dial to the FM dial - is exactly like what will happen in the year 2000. The headline will read 'XM Does to FM What FM Did to AM.' I think that's a pretty powerful statement (...)" (Lee Abrams, director de programas da XM).

(excertos de um memo interno enviado por lee Abrams em Janeiro de 1999)

«In 2000, FM Radio...

- Is not addressing most of the mass-appeal music styles (hard rock, jazz, reggae); XM will embrace these styles.

- FM no longer meets the audio standard for music, which has progressed from from stereo to digital; XM will deliver digital quality.

- FM doesn't play anything other than the hit single from any given artist; XM will go deep into a CD.

- FM doesn't reflect the look of the times. Its logos are too corporate and DJ look tired; XM will look, feel, and breathe modern culture in every way.

- FM is not part of the technological retooling; XM is an integral part of the digitizing of America.

- FM is making money, but listeners are suffering; XM will cash in simply by pleasing and exciting listeners.

- FM Sounds hokey and cliché; XM will be real, honest, and relatable.»

(McCoy, 1999: 149/150)  

Os primeiros! Em resultado de um conflito com a Clear Channel, proprietária das rádios retransmitidas pela XM:

«Now, an interesting situation involving Clear Channel could force commercials onto a number of XM stations. Most recently, the company pointed to an upcoming change as part of a 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. XM noted that "commercial advertisements will resume on music programming currently provided to us by Clear Channel," part of a "dispute we had with Clear Channel relating to our respective rights and obligations" following a "1998 investment in us."

Does that mean satellite "wins"? Maybe not. But it does mean satellite is helping accelerate a wonderful change in the media world. (...) And that is where satellite radio is having an impact - not in employment numbers, not in revenues, but in format. Broadcast listeners have, since about 1995, been in revolt against narrowing formats foisted upon the ear by companies such as Clear Channel, Cumulus Media, and Infinity Broadcasting. What are listeners revolting against? Two things: advertising and homogenization».

(fonte: Philadelphia Inquirer, In radio, satellite is gaining ground, John Timpane,  Mar. 05, 2006)

«NAB president/CEO David Rehr accuses XM of wanting to purchase a block of WCS sepctrum in order to develop local, potentially terrestrial-based service. In its original mandate in granting licences to XM and Sirius, the FCC was careful to insist that the companies offer only nationwide broadcasting».
(fonte: NAB Chides FCC Over XM Interest In WCS, Billboard Radio Monitor, March 02, 2006, By Chuck Taylor)

Mas há rádios hertzianas a emitirem via satélite: «

One of America's pioneering AM broadcasters, station WLW in Cincinnati, is now being rebroadcast on XM channel 173. WLW becomes the first terrestrial station to be relayed fulltime via satellite.

Until the early 1980s, stations such as WLW were known as "clear channel" stations (not to be confused with "Clear Channel," the broadcasting giant!).  Such "clear channel" stations had, at most, only one or two other stations operating on their frequency at night,  used high power (50,000 watts), and usually non-directional antennas.  As a result, such stations could be heard throughout much of North America at night; stations such as WLW and WLS, 890, in Chicago could be regularly heard throughout the "lower 48" at night during the winter.

With increasing numbers of stations authorized to operate at night on AM, the "clear channel" era drew to a close by the late 1980s.  And now a pioneering "clear channel" broadcaster moves to the clearest channel of all, satellite.»

(fonte: WLW In Cincinnati Now On XM Channel 173)

"In two weeks, XM Satellite Radio will begin shipping to retailers a pair of new XM-enabled portable MP3 players. In addition to recording and  time-shifting capabilities, the devices — the Helix from Samsung and Inno from Pioneer — will feature a button users can push to 'bookmark' songs they like when they hear them on the radio. Later, when users dock the player to an Internet-connected port, the marked songs will be bought and automatically downloaded from Napster... (...) "The next generation [after that] will be that if you want to hit that button for more information about that product you just heard described,'... (from AdAge, via RAIN)

«The longtime underdog tacked on 1.14 million subscribers in the fourth quarter alone, fueled by the addition of Howard Stern. That is a record for the company, and surpasses growth of 898,315 subscribers reported by market-leader XM during the same period. Sirius now has 3.3 million total subscribers, and projected a total of 6 million by year end 2006.»

Mas agravou os prejuízos: «But losses continued to mount. For the fourth quarter, Sirius posted a net loss of (1.4) million, surpassing a figure of (1.9) million from the year-ago period. For the full year, losses were also pronounced, moving to (3) million, significantly worse than figures of (2.2) million for 2004. Overall, that is part of an aggressive spending strategy by Sirius, designed to claim valuable subscribers during a formative market stage. That approach is also reflected at XM, whose spending habits led to the recent resignation of a top board member.»

Sirius Losses Widen, Stern Powers Big Subscriber Gains, Digital Music News, 21/2/06

Durante muitos anos a rádio via satélite esteve condenada uma vez que implicava um posto fixo de escuta; ora retirar mobilidade à rádio é o mesmo que negá-la. A tecnologia que vem sendo desenvolvida nos EUA, primeiro nos automóveis e agora com receptores que dispensam uma base fixa (que são autónomos mesmo em movimento), pode ser um sinal de muito significado para a rádio via satélite. Em 2001 o engenheiro-chefe da UER, Frank Kozamernik escrevia isto (agora estará ultrapassado...):

"También, la radio digital se difunde por satélite en el Reino Unido a través de la televisión digital, aunque se trata de algo estático que depende del receptor de televisión, de una caja colocada en cualquier esquina del hogar" (Martinéz-Costa, 2001: 50).

(esta questão é interessante, na medida em que a rádio via satélite construiu toda a sua estrutura no pressuposto de que não teria publicidade; agora as receitas de publicidade podem representar 10 por cento das receitas totais...)

«Karmazin also said this morning that he expects advertising revenues to “start approaching” 10% of subscriber revenues. He said that Sirius had “a little over million” in ad revenues in 2005 and “as of today, we have a bit over million on the books for 2006, and it’s only six weeks” into the year.

Karmazin said 10% would probably be the right percentage “closer to” 2007 than 2006. If the figure is 7% in 2006, and he predicts 0 million in revenue, that would make this year’s advertising take about million.

With revenue projected to be billion in 2007, that 10% figure would mean 0 million in advertising that year.

“We don’t think it’s hurting terrestrial radio in any way” Karmazin said, adding that, “Clearly, there has been advertising money that has come from terrestrial radio,” but he said it wasn’t clear if those advertisers had increased their overall budgets or actually shifted money from terrestrial to satellite.»

Stern To Stream Via Sirius; Fox Returns,Feb. 17, 2006 , By Tony Sanders

Mark Ramsey põe as coisas no ponto certo: para a rádio satélite (e não só, também para a HD) é fundamental que se transforme em equipamento standard (de origem) e não apenas opção a partir do carro. Quando isso começar a acontecer regularmente, a rádio por satélite estará consagrada.

"The key words you should note are these: "Option" and "Standard."

The former is a no-win, except to the extent it keeps the competition from providing a like option. The latter means it's a no-brainer for the car owner, and anything that's a no-brainer will slip through their consciousness like a hot knife through butter. Of course, having an introductory deal doesn't mean you'll stick with it, but such a deal makes possible the most important scenario of all: Trial."

(pelo menos na Europa)

"The problem of portability [tal como relativamente à internet] is also shared by satellite and cable radio because sets have to be connected to either a dish or cable network" (Fleming, 2002, 30)

(é antiga, mas justifica-se ser recuperada)

«A Sirius Satellite Radio e a ATX Technologies anunciaram quarta-feira a criação de uma parceria para desenvolver um sistema que permita aos condutores efectuar compras dentro do automóvel, a partir do auto-rádio.

Segundo a Reuters, o projecto deverá permitir ao consumidor a aquisição de produtos e serviços anunciados na emissão de radio via satélite da Sirius. O pedido poderá depois ser feito usando os botões do auto-rádio.

O do sistema deverá incluir a ligação dos receptores da emissão da Sirius a telefones móveis e a sistemas de GPS, instalados no automóvel. Esta ligação permitiria o envio das ordens de compra para a emissora.

A Sirius já chegou a acordo com os fabricantes de automóveis Ford e DaymlerChrysler, para a instalação de receptores da sua emissão nos veículos produzidos por essas empresas nos próximos anos.» Comprar em trânsito, 2000-03-01 00:00:00, Casa dos Bits

Sure, the new radios are expensive. So were XM radios when satellite first became available in 2001. Satellite would seem to be a natural rival for HD radio, but there are wide differences:

• Once you’ve sprung for the radio, you need not part with any more loot with HD radio; with satellite, you’re on the hook for a monthly subscription fee.

• Compared with any form of terrestrial radio, satellite provides many more choices for avid listeners. XM and Sirius each offer more than 120 coast-to-coast channels, including commercial-free music in diverse genres (blues, show tunes, etc.). By contrast, far fewer HD stations are available in any specific market. In New York, just a dozen stations offer multicast options, and only three AM stations transmit digitally.

• Most satellite stations are national; HD stations are local. No matter how good they sound, the regular stations are, well, the regular stations (commercials and all). Depending on your point of view, that’s as easily a plus as a minus. We all have favorites. I still gravitate to AM for traffic and sports talk. »

excerto de um artigo do USA Today, "Listen up for data on digital’s latest DJ domicile: HD radio", de Edward C. Baig, Posted 1/25/2006 9:58 PM, Updated 1/26/2006 10:50 PM

O negócio da rádio por satélite não se limita aos Estados Unidos ou à GB. A WorldSpace é a empresa líder a nível mundial.

Informação oficial: "WORLDSPACE® (Nasdaq: WRSP - News) is the world’s only global media and entertainment company positioned to offer a satellite radio experience to consumers in more than 130 countries with five billion people, driving 300 million cars. WORLDSPACE delivers the latest tunes, trends and information from around the world and around the corner. WORLDSPACE subscribers benefit from a unique combination of local programming, original WORLDSPACE content and content from leading brands around the globe including the BBC, CNN, Virgin Radio UK, NDTV and RFI. The WORLDSPACE satellites cover two-thirds of the globe with six beams. Each beam is capable of delivering up to 80 channels of high quality digital audio and multimedia programming directly to WORLDSPACE Satellite Radios anytime and virtually anywhere in its coverage area. WORLDSPACE is a pioneer of satellite-based digital radio services (DARS) and was instrumental in the development of the technology infrastructure used today by XM Satellite Radio. For more information, please visit http://www.worldspace.com.»

Alguns pormenores: "XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio both offer multiple channels of commercial-free radio programming to their subscribers including music, news, sports, talk, traffic and weather. Another satellite radio company, Worldspace, offers programming in multiple languages targeting customers from Africa and Asia with their music and news programming; the United States is not currently in the area serviced by Worldspace".

Desenvolvimentos: «SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WORLDSPACE®, Inc., one of the world leaders in satellite-based digital radio services, today announced that it finished 2005 with more than 115,000 subscribers globally. During the fourth quarter, WORLDSPACE added more than 40,000 net new subscribers, increasing its subscriber base by more than 50% in the fourth quarter alone.»

Sobre a mudança de Howard Stern

«A nationwide survey conducted by American Media Services indicates that 86% of Americans are not likely to consider the purchase of satellite radio in the future because Stern has left terrestrial radio.
Sixty-nine percent of those responding said they were “not at all likely” to consider purchasing satellite, and 17% said they were “not very likely” to after Stern’s move. The respondents’ negative reaction to the Stern question was even stronger than another question that asked their likelihood of paying for satellite service»

"Imagine a radio station that can broadcast its signal from more than 22,000 miles (35,000 km) away and then come through on your car radio with complete clarity. You could drive from Tacoma, Washington, to Washington, D.C., without ever having to change the radio station! Not only would you never hear static interfering with your favorite tunes, but the music would be interrupted by few or no commercials"("How Satellite Radio Works", de Kevin Bonsor)

Um dos maiores problemas da rádio-satélite nos EUA é a necessidade dos receptores estarem imobilizadospara garantirem uma boa recepção (caso contrário a qualidade do sinal falha: A major concern with current-generation satellite portables is reliable receptivity. A few devices already exist on the market, including the Delphi MyFi, but traditional radio receivers are far more reliable. XM indicated that its new line of receivers will feature stronger connectivity, while Sirius pointed to new releases in June that will also offer improvements). Ou "To get live radio, most portable satellite receivers on the market need to be docked (they can, however, play recorded programs on the go). Some have internal antennas for receiving live broadcasts on the go, but reception tends to be spotty" ("Satellite Radio Leaves the Car to Go Home and on Walks", New York Times, 12/1/06. neste endereço http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/12/technology/circuits/12basics.html)

)Os novos aparelhos receptores têm, além de  melhores antenas, "Both allow users to grab satellite streams on-the-fly, while also functioning as an MP3 player. While listening to any XM station, users can also bookmark a specific song, and download the track on a PC using the upcoming XM+ Napster service. Less ambitious portables do not allow on-the-go receptivity, though they do allow listeners to record satellite streams while docked."

Era uma saída óbvia, para rentabilizar o investimento: chegará uma altura em que a rádio via satélite, com origem nos EUA, poderá ser ouvida na Europa (pelo menos), mas para já - e enquanto não resolvem problemas de direitos e de tecnologia - a experiência faz-se pela internet.

"Trata-se de uma iniciativa interessante, que permite que o universo XM se estenda para lá dos receptores satélite e do computador, para as subscrições dos canais online, e favorece e escuta continuada da música oferecida pelos canais XM. Ou seja, não só o público escuta os canais XM para ouvir música, como pode efectuar o donwload dos seus temas preferidos, mantendo-se a escutar aquilo que lhe é proporcionado pela XM quando não está online."

A XM, sem Howard Stern, conseguiu fechar o ano com 6 milhões de assinantes, totalizando mais 2,7 em 2005. Perspectivas para 2006: 9 milhões de assinantes, continuando a liderar o mercado.

"XM has the commanding numbers, but Sirius is growing at a faster pace. The underdog provider now has 3.3 million subscribers, surpassing company guidance of 3 million for the end of 2005. The company revealed that it had tacked on 2,173,302 subscribers in 2005 alone, landing at 3,316,560 just prior to January. That is a remarkable surge, and reflects growing excitement and hype ahead of the arrival of Howard Stern. Meanwhile, the company has awarded Stern 34 million shares of its stock, a contractual reward for meeting its year-end subscriber goals satisfactorily. Stern begins his first broadcast January 9th."

E agora com um grande trunfo: vêm aí LAD/mp3 compatíveis com a recepção satélite: "Electronics manufacturers Samsung and Pioneer have both announced new portable audio players that support XM Satellite Radio. Samsung has tossed three XM-compatible models into the ring, all of which offer a new "bookmark" feature, which lets users tag songs for later purchase on the XM+Napster online service."

"A lot of the buzz on Wall Street is due to radio loudmouth Howard Stern taking his act to Sirius, which expects a million people to sign up at .95 a month to hear him talk naughty via outer space. Sirius might be right; it’s a big country and a million people will try anything. Witness the popularity of televised poker." (in Chicago Sun Times, "Satellite radio could be a lot of sound and fury", 18/12/05, by David Roeder)

ACT a 3/1/06: Já há resultados:

"Sirius Crosses 3 Million, Stern Effect Showing

Sirius Satellite Radio has recently reached its 3 millionth subscriber, an increase powered in part by the upcoming arrival of Howard Stern. The accomplishment was announced on December 27th by the company, and satisfies a goal set at the beginning of the fourth quarter. At that point, Sirius had 2.17 million subscribers, less than half of the 5.03 million then carried by rival XM Satellite Radio."

Sirius lançou o seu primeiro satélite em Julho de 2000. Juntou depois mais dois. A emissão nacional (apoiada por cerca de 100 repetidores terrestres) começou em 2001. O sucesso da tv por cabo inspirou os investidores;

Prometeram um preço de arranque /mês de ,95 e cerca de 100 canais; "Both XM and Sirius have had successful IPOs, thanks in part to their unique FCC licenses. In 1997 the two companies paid a combined 2 million for the only FCC licenses to broadcast a nationwide digital signal" (Can Digital Kill the Radio Star?", by John Gartner, 2000-07-08 04:00:00.0)

Desde o princípio que foi definido como mercado-alvo o automóvel. "At home people can watch TV, movies, or listen to the radio, but in cars, radio is the only broadcast entertainment available," he said. "You really have a captive audience." Sirius e XM têm os maiores estudios de rádio do mundo (os da XM, em Washington, têm 80 estúdios). "Sirius currently has 30 engineers and former DJs ripping CDs into the music archives, which can be pre-programmed into daily shows for its 50 music channels."

"The company, which recently launched a Martha Stewart channel and agreed to a multimillion deal with Howard Stern, didn’t provide additional information about its subscriber count or expectations for the year in its statement Tuesday. Rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. has more than 5 million U.S. subscribers."

Aqui há actualizações da notícia.

"No one has ever made a penny, anywhere in the world, on subscription-based radio," Smulyan said. "This doesn’t mean that Sirius (Satellite Radio) and XM won’t make it. ... But even if you take the most wildly enthusiastic estimations of their penetration, they will reach 30 million Americans in the next five years, 40 million. Radio ... will probably still reach 275 million people a week"."

Free Radio Biz Tunes Out Sat Gains
Dec. 22, 2005
By Alex Woodson and Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter

aqui há as inevitáveis reacções da indústria do satélite.

"Satellite radio sound is, at best, barely passable. That’s because your satellite service provider sends only one digital signal to your receiver. The receiver then splits that signal into hundreds of audio streams: some, for voice, very narrow; others, for music, a little wider. I’ve been told these streams run from a few kbps for voice to something like 30 to 60kbps for music."

A XM e a Sirius anunciam o lançamento no mercado dos EUA (e do Canadá?) de receptores que funcionarão como leitores de audio digital, o que já está a ser visto como uma ameaça à indústria musical: "the arrival in stores of new satellite-radio receivers that mimic iPods in their ability to store and organize hundreds of songs".

"New receivers from XM and Sirius, subscribers can record far more music from satellite-radio broadcasts and manage songs as if they had bought them individually, for instance by setting up playlists and deleting songs they don’t like. Because both services offer niche channels, it becomes easy for users to quickly find artists or songs they want and store them. Sirius, for instance, offers channels such as Rolling Stones Radio and Elvis Radio".

Outro excerto:

"The new receivers, which are just coming to market, greatly expand what a satellite radio can do. Sirius's S50, which retails for about 0, can store one gigabyte of music, enough space for about 750 songs. That's more than a comparable iPod, because the song files hold less information than an Apple song file. The Sirius device allows users to record long stretches of programming, and then edit and organize songs much like an iPod. It also has functions helping users navigate recorded material to locate music by a particular artist. The device has been a hit since being introduced a few weeks ago and is sold out at many stores."

A rádio por satélite afirma-se, entrando no campo da indústria discográfica. Esta pretende renegociar os contratos (favoráveis) que acertou com a XM e a Sirius.

O grande obstáculo é que estes (apenas estes?) receptores ainda não são verdadeiramente portáteis: para receberem a emissão têm de estar ligados aquilo que chamam uma "docking station"; depois de recebidas e gravadas as emissões, são autonomos e podem funcionar como um iPod. Para serem verdadeiramente portáteis têm de receber o sinal satélite em qualquer lugar.

A notícia do Wall Street Journal chama-se "Music labels see new threat from satellite radio" (por assinatura; possivel ligação aqui), por Sarah McBride, 8/12/05

Comentários aqui.

(dica: Clube de Jornalistas)

É a maior contratação de sempre feita na rádio: a empresa de emissão via satélite contratou Howard Stern por 500 milhões de dólares e o jock começa em 6 Janeiro a tentar justificar a aposta gigantesca.

Até lá a Sirius está a tentar tirar o máximo de proveito, com uma impressionante campanha de relações públicas e de publicidade, que visa conquistar o máximo de clientes/subscritores até lá. Um exemplo. Outro é o sítio de acesso ao novo estúdio de HS.

Claro que um investimento tão brutal tem de ser medido. Por isso Corey Deitz pergunta como é que será possível saber se HS continua a ser o rei da rádio nos EUA? Isso remete para a dificuldade de medir as audiências nos canais satélite. De qualquer forma, a Sirius diz que tem as suas próprias formas de o medir: através da entrada de novos clientes e , “SIRIUS measures listenership and customer satisfaction by using detailed, customized customer surveys, administered regularly.” Acresce o problema da comparação com as audiências anteriores, na rádio convencional. "After all these years of judgment by ratings, maybe SIRIUS will be an oasis for Stern; a place where ratings will personally mean little".

O mesmo Corey Deitz já tinha alertado para um outro problema: HS saiu da Infinity (o gigante da rádio dos EUA) devido a multas impostas pela autoridade norte-americana, a FCC. Irá Stern repetir os impropérios na Sirius? O melhor talvez, para um animador tão polémico, fosse dedicar-se ao podcasting - aí a FCC não poderia intervir (acredita-se que mais cedo ou mais tarde a FCC entrará no satélite). "If he really wanted to guarantee his artistic freedom, he just may have been seduced by the wrong technology".

ACT a 14/12: Amanhã, sexta, é o ultimo dia de HS na rádio terrestre. A Yahoo reforça o impacto: "As part of his grand exit, Yahoo will usher the jock into a Yahoo-branded double-decker bus, which will careen the streets of Manhattan. The outspoken radio personality will then be the center of an exclusive event at the Hard Rock Cafe, all of which will be streamed to Yahoo users"

... não foi o satélite. Antes, na década de 80, a indústria do cabo introduziu o sistema de subscrição via tv por cabo, com o "CD Radio" e "DMX", na expectativa de atacar as audiencias da rádio terrestre.

"Pioneering the idea of satellites in digital radio broadcasting, DC-based CD Radio Inc. (who recently joined forces with the 4-billion-dollar aerospace company Loral) is anxious to hit national airwaves but is waiting for the go-ahead from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (...) Digital Cable Radio (DCR) of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, which formed a partnership in January with Time Warner Cable, the nation's second largest cable-television operator, will make 78 digital radio channels available to its subscribers within the next year. Tom Oliver, president of DCR's competition, Digital Music Express (DMX), based in Los Angeles, says that through fiber optics and advances in compression equipment, more channels can be squeezed into the spectrum bandwidth--which translates into an enormous amount of programming potential".

in Digital radio: linking the global airwaves, Omni,  August, 1993  by Byron Poole. Mais aqui.

O que pensam os clientes do satélite (pago) da emissão AM/FM?

The first wave of satellite radio adoption has occurred among highly dissatisfied AM/FM radio listeners.  Satisfaction with terrestrial radio among satellite enthusiasts is low.   Ninety-three percent (93%) of respondents said they were either “very dissatisfied” or “dissatisfied” with AM/FM radio.  More recent satellite radio adopters were significantly less dissatisfied with AM/FM radio than those that adopted satellite radio in late 2001 and 2002.  This suggests that satellite radio adoption rates may begin to decline as satisfaction rates with AM/FM radio improve.   Among their favorite AM/FM radio formats, enthusiasts (who were allowed to list more than one format) mentioned: talk (50%), sports (29%), Top 40 music (27%), Adult Contemporary music (26%) and public radio/NPR (26%).
 

The key relative advantages of AM/FM radio mentioned by satellite radio enthusiasts are:  it is free (26%), provides local news/talk (13%), and provides other local content (12%) and local personalities (5%).  Key negative factors mentioned by respondents are:  too many commercials (48%), repetition/lack of variety (13%), and limited playlists (8%).

After adopting satellite radio, satellite radio enthusiasts, on average, reduced their AM/FM listening time by 61%.  Average daily AM/FM listening time was reduced from 3.8 to 1.5 hours, while the average satellite radio listening time was reported as seven (6.98) hours a day."

Um artigo do Washington Post ("XM and Sirius in Pitched Battle for satellite radio Subscribers" by Annys Shin, Washington Post Staff Writer, Saturday, November 26, 2005; Page D01) suscita algumas questões muito interessantes:

- A XM lidera sobre a Sirius, mas esta conta com Howard Stern ("Coming in January. Howard Stern. Only on Sirius")para dar a volta; ("XM, with 5 million subscribers to Sirius's 2 million, has a larger share of the automobile market, with deals to install XM receivers with manufacturers of nearly 60 percent of all U.S. cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles. As of the third quarter, XM had a bigger share of the retail market, too.")

- Os principais clientes são os automoveis e as lojas (que recebem música sem publicidade);

- O negócio está numa fase crítica: tem de descolar, sob pena de perder a credibilidade dos investidores. ("New York-based Sirius and D.C.-based XM Satellite Radio are competing for customers... this holiday shopping season. Each is expected to sign up a million subscribers during the last three months of 2005, analysts said.")

- Cada uma cobra 12,95 dolares por mês. Mas a oferta da XM é maior: ("XM offers about 150 channels of music, news, talk and entertainment. Sirius offers about 120 channels.")

- o próximo desafio é o negócio dos aparelhos receptores. Com leitores de Mp3. ("Sirius recently came out with its first wearable device, the S50, which can play downloaded digital music and several hours of recorded Sirius programming. Next year, XM will introduce its first portable satellite radio receivers combined with digital music players")

"Investors and analysts are remaining cautious on the satellite radio space, despite recent surges in both subscribers and automobile installations. Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Sirius earlier this month, and rated the stock as "overweight," while pointing to a 2008 breakeven. And Jonathan Jacoby of Banc of America Securities recently delivered a "neutral" rating on the stock, while warning of increased royalty costs and downward ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) pressures"

isto apesar de:

"labels are also eyeing a new breed of satellite receivers like the Sirius S50 that allow consumers to record sizeable chunks of satellite radio broadcasts."

(via Digital Music News)

Os dois operadores (Sirius e XM) não têm compatibilidade de recepção; ou seja, se quiser ouvir as rádios de um dos operadores tenho não só de fazer uma assinatura (como é normal), mas de comprar um receptor que só recebe as rádios daquele operador. Uma limitação?

Alguns pormenores aqui.

excerto de uma entrevista ao presidente da iBiquity, Robert Struble, "If You Aren't Thinking Digital, You're Smokin' Dope" (04/11/05)
By Reed Bunzel, Editor-in-Chief 
 

"Still, terrestrial radio has a lot of ground to make up to equal what satellite has done.
Yes, but I don't begrudge the satellite guys. If I had their business model and their capital, I'd be doing the same thing. But satellite paid mightily to get in cars. They threw 0 million at GM; they also paid every single receiver manufacturer to develop the radios. Our approach and business model is much different. We don't have the dollars, or a subscription model where you give radios away. But we do have the ability to say, “This is the standard. This is AM and FM radio. This is approved by the FCC, and if you don't have this in your product line two or three years from now, you will be selling black and white TVs in the age of color.” Sure, a number of people will want to pay for radio, and that's fine. But the vast majority of the country - 94 percent of people - get free, over-the-air radio, and this is the new standard."

- Má qualidade de som ("Satellite radio sound is, at best, barely passable")

- falta de imaginação face ao FM, copiando os formatos, programas e vozes ("Satellite radio companies have hired famous FM radio programmers from the past.  In some cases, these are the same geniuses who are responsible for perfecting today’s horrible broadcast radio formats. That means satellite music streams, while diverse, can also be monotonous, repetitive and just plain boring")

Citações de Gary Krakow, da MSNBC. com, "New radio formats sacrifice sound quality", 17/3/05

Agora é a Sirius:

"Sirius Satellite Radio will keep a major auto manufacturer in its corner, at least through 2012. The satellite underdog recently extended its exclusive deal with DaimlerChrysler, covering all Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz vehicles, as well as Freightliner Trucks. Sirius projected that the deal will generate an additional 750,000 subscribers in the next year alone, though some critics have questioned the company’s methodology for counting new customers. As part of the deal, all Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler cars will continue to offer factory-installed receivers, and new buyers will enjoy a one-year trial subscription. The deal extension is part of a much larger satellite radio embrace by auto manufacturers. That support is likely to make the difference for both Sirius and XM Satellite Radio, and help both push far beyond the first-mover crowd. Already, satellite radio subscriber levels have doubled in the last year alone, and are expected to hit 10 million by Christmas. Meanwhile, auto giant General Motors recently extended its commitment to XM, and will rollout 1.55 million new XM-enabled dashboards in 2006. Honda also continued its XM deal, and is expected to deliver 550,000 factory installs next year. Sirius will release its earnings on Tuesday."

O fabricante de automóveis General Motors acaba de anunciar que vai incorporar milhão e meio de auto-rádios com adaptadores de recepção para uma das duas empresas de rádio por satélite nos EUA, a XM Satellite Radio. Isto é muito importante para o mercado rádio, porque mostra que o satélite é uma alternativa credível.

"General Motors Increases Commitment to XM Satellite

Massive auto manufacturer General Motors has recently increased its in-dash commitments to XM Satellite Radio. The company just indicated that it would place 1.55 million XM-compliant, factory-installed receivers in its 2006 models, a 90 percent saturation rate. GM previously shipped 1.4 million XM-ready automobiles in 2005, and 1.17 million in 2003. "GM was out in front of the satellite radio movement and our customers have benefited enormously," said GM North America vice president Mark LaNeve. "We equip more GM vehicles with XM than any other manufacturer. Nobody else comes close."
For XM, the GM relationship couldn't be more important. The satellite leader recently crossed the five million subscriber mark, and a substantial number are coming from the GM partnership. For the satellite radio industry overall, the trend is becoming increasingly obvious, as car manufacturers are now including a satellite-ready receiver in a large percentage of new models. Whether that alone will create a long-term industry is unclear, though the automobile pre-installations lower the barriers tremendously for new subscribers. Most notably, a pre-installed, in-dash system means that consumers can instantly activate service over the phone or internet, a development that will help to move both XM and Sirius past the early adopter."

A rádio por satélite, beneficiando das suas vastas possibilidades, mostra que pode posicionar-se para o futuro. Competindo com a rádio na internet e, principalmente, encontrando ofertas especializadas que vão ao encontro daquilo que podem ser os trunfos dos leitores digitais de música.

A Sirius vai lançar uma rádio só com Bruce Springsteen (e não é caso único): " Fans of The Boss will soon have a station of their own, courtesy of Sirius Satellite Radio. Starting November 1st, the satellite underdog will open a channel focused entirely on Bruce Springsteen, a move that will loosely coincide with the reissue of the classic album Born to Run. The station, which will be called "E Street Radio," will offer rare cuts, live performances, interviews, and album tracks from the massive Springsteen catalog. Scott Greenstein, president of Entertainment and Sports at Sirius, pointed to the channel as "the most comprehensive presentation ever of Bruce's music and a true inside look at the work and artistry of an American icon."

E Street Radio is just one of several personality-driven stations for Sirius. Howard Stern, who is being given two channels, is the biggest example, though others like mega-rapper Eminem also have stand-alone stations. Such specialization is virtually impossible for the broad-strokes terrestrial business to duplicate, and is part of the larger advantage that satellite radio offers. Meanwhile, the Bruce channel will end on January 31st, though the station will probably entice a large number of subscribers during that three-month window."