Linux News: Radio

XM, Sirius Pick Up Marriage License
July 28, 2008

The two giants of satellite radio are about to become one. The FCC has approved the merger of XM and Sirius, ending a year-and-a-half struggle to finalize the deal. The move will give the newly combined company unprecedented power in the world of satellite communications; however, it will come with some strict conditions as well.

XM, Sirius in Orbit Over FCC Chair's Nod
June 16, 2008

The long-awaited merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio may be on the cusp of winning approval, with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin now saying he is on board with letting it go forward. Martin will propose allowing the merger to proceed, but will seek two conditions on the deal in his proposal to the full commission.

Dark Cloud Hangs Over Clear Channel Deal
March 28, 2008

Radio giant Clear Channel Communications warned Thursday that it cannot estimate when its planned sale to a private equity consortium may be closed. The buyers, which include Bain Capital and other private equity firms, stand ready to close on the $19.5 billion deal at the end of the month as planned, Clear Channel said.

Apple's 'Malware' Tactics, Motorola's Split, BitTorrent's New Friend
March 28, 2008

Mozilla's Firefox has a loyal following of people who say it's a lot better than the leading browser, Microsoft's Internet Explorer. But Mozilla CEO John Lilly looks like he also has a close eye on Apple's Safari browser, which commands a mere fraction of Firefox's market share even though it's available on both Windows and Mac.

Sirius-XM Merger Opponents Gird for Last Stand
March 25, 2008

The U.S. Department of Justice has cleared the way for competing satellite radio services to merge into one company amid fears that the combined service would create an unstoppable monopoly. Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio first announced intentions to merge in February of 2007.

CBS, AOL Stream Together in Radio Deal
March 07, 2008

CBS Radio is hoping to step up its Internet presence through a deal it announced Friday with AOL. CBS, the second-largest radio broadcaster in the U.S., plans to offer advertising-supported streams from 150 online radio stations to listeners free of charge over AOL's online radio portal.

XM Grows Revenues, Pushes for Sirius Merger
February 29, 2008

XM Satellite Radio Holdings announced double-digit growth in revenues and its subscriber base despite Congressional foot-dragging in regard to its potential merger with rival Sirius Satellite Radio. The company's revenues increased 22 percent in 2007 to $1.1 billion, driven in large measure by its 18 percent growth in its subscriber base, to more than 9 million subscribers.

Radio to the People
February 22, 2008

This week marked the anniversary of the announcement that the satellite radio firms Sirius and XM plan to merge, yet so far the companies have not been allowed to consummate the marriage. That's because regulators are standing in the way, backed by well-heeled Washington lobbyists out to prove that ridiculous ideas still have an impact if they come with dollar-sign attachments.

Control Room's Aaron Grosky on the Music Industry's 'Final Frontier'
November 28, 2007

There's no denying that seismic changes are afoot in the music industry. As the record labels engage in bitter battles over copyrights, artists are increasingly turning to alternative means of releasing music and reaching their fans. Prince chose to give away his latest album, "Planet Earth," for free; Radiohead opted to let fans pay what they want.

Sirius, XM Shareholders Give Merger Thumbs-Up
November 13, 2007

XM and Sirius on Tuesday took two key steps closer to having their merger finalized as shareholders from both companies gave their blessing to the deal, which is still awaiting regulatory approval. Sirius shareholders voted at a special meeting to amend the company's certificate of incorporation to allow the merger.

Jango Pumps Up the Social Radio Volume
November 12, 2007

The world of commercial radio is getting ever more homogenized, as media giants are running thousands of stations in hundreds of markets with remarkably similar formats and playlists. On the other hand, specialized radio services have begun offering increasingly particular formats and programming options.

Election 2008: The Role of Radio
August 27, 2007

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008, may seem far away to many, but to presidential candidates the countdown to that historic date has already begun. With so much at stake, politicians rely on multiple media outlets to get their messages out. Radio has played an important role in past elections and appears poised to do so once again.

Internet Radio Negotiations Bear Fruit
August 24, 2007

SoundExchange has agreed to implement a cap on the royalty rates large Internet radio webcasters must pay, the organization announced Thursday. The Copyright Royalty Board recently ruled that webcasters must pay a $500 minimum fee per station or channel, regardless of the overall number of stations or channels they stream.

Sirius Streams Onto Sonos Multi-Room Stereo System
August 16, 2007

Sonos, which sells wireless, multi-room home audio systems, has introduced new software that allows users to access Sirius Internet Radio. Called "Sonos System Software v 2.3," the new offering enables Sonos owners with Sirius subscriptions to access Sirius programming and control their listening with the handheld Sonos Controller.

Sirius Trims Q2 Loss, Exceeds 7 Million Subscribers
July 31, 2007

Sirius Satellite Radio further shrunk its net loss in the second quarter, thanks in large part to 561,493 new subscribers and a revenue growth of 51 percent over the same quarter a year ago, the company reported Tuesday. Revenue reached $226.4 million, while the number of subscribers rose to 7.1 million, the company said.

XM Losses Taper as Subscriber Growth Slows
July 26, 2007

XM Satellite Radio posted second-quarter results that showed it managed to stem the flow of red ink that has dogged the company, thanks in part to strong gains in sales of new cars equipped with the technology. XM lost $175.7 million, or 57 cents a share, in the quarter that ended in June, compared with a loss of $229.1 million, or 87 cents a share, in the year-ago time frame, the company said.