Archive for the ‘Internet Radio’ Category

XM Satellite Radio Cofounder Lon Levin to be the Special Guest on Playground Radio for an Exclusive Interview — Tonight at 8:00PM ET

Posted 15 Feb 2012 — by Demian Russian
Category Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News, Technology

By Demian Russian

XM Satellite Radio - Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI)Lon Levin, the Cofounder of XM Satellite Radio and current President of SkySevenVentures, will be the special guest on tonight’s Playground Radio program. Mr Levin will be discussing his early days founding XM Satellite Radio as well as share his thoughts on Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) and the radio space today.

Lon LevinLon Levin is an executive and entrepreneur with over 25 years’ experience in space, new media, and telecommunications industries. Lon is President of SkySevenVentures, which works with, helps manage, and invests in new technology companies. Lon is the cofounder of XM Satellite Radio and played an integral role in the formation and development of other satellite, media, and wireless companies including Mobile Satellite Ventures, XM Canada, Motient Corporation, American Mobile Satellite Corporation, Sentinel Satellite, Slacker Radio, and TerreStar. Lon is Senior Advisor to Blue Ridge Networks, a cyber security company. Before his corporate career, Lon was a partner in the law firm of Gurman, Kurtis, Blask & Freedman, where he specialized in space, satellite, media, and wireless matters. Lon holds three communication satellite patents.  Lon is a member of the DoD Defense Business Board and the NASA Commercial Space Advisory Subcommittee. Lon is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Space Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors of the Planetary Society and the Board of Governors of the National Space Society. He was a founding board member of the Satellite Industry Association and was its co-chairperson from 1996-98. Lon was inducted along with his satellite radio colleagues into the Space Foundation Technology Hall of Fame in 2002.

Mr. Levin will be interviewed by Satellite Radio Playground’s Demian Russian. Following tonight’s special guest interview, a discussion of all of the latest news in the world of Sirius XM Satellite Radio will follow. Listeners can join the live discussion by dialing (347) 934-0239. Read More

To discuss this article or any stock, please visit The Playground Discussion Forum!

Ford (NYSE:F) Expands Sync Availability

Posted 14 Feb 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

Ford (NYSE:F) Sync

By Amy Gilroy

The Ford Sync system is now available as standard equipment (standard, not optional) on all trim levels for the 2013 Ford Fusion and Flex, including base models.

The voice activated, phone-ready radio system is also now either optional or standard equipment on every Ford sold in North America, said Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F). Read More

To discuss this article or any stock, please visit The Playground Discussion Forum!

The Wisdom of Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) CEO Mel Karmazin

Posted 10 Feb 2012 — by Tom Taylor
Category Howard Stern, Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News

By Tom Taylor

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) CEO Mel Karmazin

Mel Karmazin

The following article comes from Tom Taylor’s newsletter, Taylor on Radio-Info.

Sirius XM chief Mel Karmazin says making mobile media pay is a big challenge.

The difficulty of converting mobile usage – which is sprouting like the proverbial beanstalk – into hard cash revenue came up near the end of the satcaster’s quarterly call. But Karmazin says something that’s probably also true about broadcast radio – “there’s just too much supply out there”, because there’s no barrier for people to get on the Internet. So there’s probably too much content competing for attention, and that makes it very hard to monetize the usage. Mel says “it puts the power in the buyer of advertising.” That’s why Mel is very pleased with his own subscriber-based model. Read More

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Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) Announces On Demand and Personalized Radio

By Amy Gilroy

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI)Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) confirmed it will launch two new premium services for its Internet subscribers including an on-demand service that will let subscribers access some of the best content on Satellite Radio.

Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin told analysts Thursday, the on-demand premium service will offer  “a continually updated library of some of our best content for listening on [the users’] time schedule.”

Additionally, later this year, the company will offer “personalized radio that will let people tailor music to their own preferences,” he said.

The premium services will be offered via the Internet  for those who pay the extra Internet access fee, and will be accessible via smartphones and other devices.

The Satellite Radio company also reported its Q4 earnings and operating results, with strong net new subscriber additions for 2011 of 1.7 million listeners, up 20 percent year-over-year. Read More

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Why Spotify Can Never Be Profitable: The Secret Demands Of Record Labels

Posted 07 Feb 2012 — by Michael Robertson
Category Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News

By Michael Robertson

Why Spotify Can Never Be ProfitableImagine a new hot-dog selling venture. Let’s also say there’s only one supplier to purchase hot dogs from. Instead of simply charging a fixed price for hot dogs, that supplier demands the HIGHER of the following: $1 per hot dog sold OR $2 for every customer served OR 50 percent of all revenues for anything sold in the store.In addition, the supplier requires a two-year minimum order of 300 hot dogs per day, payable all in advance. If fewer hot dogs are sold, there is no refund. If more than 300 hot dogs are sold each day, payments to the supplier are generated by calculating $2 per customer or 50 percent of total revenues, so an additional payment is due to the supplier. After the first two years, the supplier can unilaterally adjust any of the pricing terms and the shop can never switch suppliers.

Would this imaginary hot dog establishment be able to generate a profit? Never, because the economics are one-sided. The supplier will always elect the formula that captures the largest amount of money for themselves, completely disregarding the financial viability of the store. If the store miraculously managed to generate a profit, the supplier would simply raise the rates after two years. Read More

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New Handsfree Cell Phone Law Affects 4 Million

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Posted 07 Feb 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

New Handsfree Cell Phone Law Affects 4 Million

By Amy Gilroy

Retailers may want to make note of a new national law that went into effect January 3rd, called the Mobile Telephone Rule, which affects 4 million commercial drivers. Read More

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Rydeen to Launch Android Radio Test Market

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Posted 03 Feb 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Technology

By Amy Gilroy

Rydeen Android Car Radio DV621Rydeen said it will launch a test market in April of the Android car radio it unveiled at CES earlier last month.

The test will include about 100 to 200 units of an in-dash navigation/radio that runs on Android 2.2 and that is designed to bring the same look and feel of your Android phone to the car radio.

The Rydeen model DV621 has a 6.2 inch color screen and you can connect your USB Internet dongle to it for Internet email. You also get Bluetooth with audio streaming and other AV/navigation features. Rydeen said it may upgrade to a newer version of Android by the time the radio reaches the market around summer. Pricing will be announced.

Rydeen is also bringing Android into its replacement mirrors and using the platform to add driver safety features to your rear view mirror. Later this year and early next year it plans to offer features including lane departure warnings, crash detection, traffic updates and voice recognition for email and texts. Users can also get vehicle health reports. Read More

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Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) Plans Extensive Super Bowl XLVI Coverage in 10 Languages

Posted 30 Jan 2012 — by Demian Russian
Category Internet Radio, Media, Programming News, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News

By Demian Russian

Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI) NFL RadioSirius XM Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) plans to offer its listeners extensive, live coverage of Super Bowl XLVI in 10 languages. Listeners will be able to choose from 13 separate live broadcasts, along with a wide array of sports and entertainment programming from Indianapolis during Super Bowl Week.

Beginning at 6:00 pm Eastern on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th, Sirius XM will offer the most extensive lineup of play-by-play broadcasts live from Lucas Oil Stadium. Sirius XM’s NFL programming is available via satellite to Sirius subscribers and XM Premier subscribers. In addition, SiriusXM Internet Radio subscribers will also have access to Sirius XM’s Super Bowl coverage online through their computers and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smartphone and wireless devices. Read More

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New “Dash” Car Radio Debuts

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Posted 26 Jan 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Radio Industry, Technology

Devium Dash radio

By Amy Gilroy

The Dash is a new double DIN head unit that is basically a shell for your phone. It holds, charges and amplifies your phone. Read More

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Pandora (NYSE:P) Conquering the World? Clear Channel’s (PINK:CCMO) Bob Pittman Says “Not a Chance in Hell”

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Posted 18 Jan 2012 — by Tom Taylor
Category Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry

By Tom Taylor

Pandora (NYSE:P)The following article comes from Tom Taylor’s newsletter, Taylor on Radio-Info.

Pandora hits 125 million registered users – and it’s thinking “global.”

Pandora (NYSE:P) founder Tim Westergren, talking at last week’s CES in Las Vegas and quoted by USA Today, has an impressive update on his numbers – registered users up from about 100 million last quarter to 125 million. Average monthly usage of 18 hours. Partnerships with 16 different carmakers. But USA Today checks in with Bob Pittman at Clear Channel (PINK:CCMO) about the scenario of Pandora conquering the world, and Pittman says “Not a chance in hell.” Pittman does his universal-coverage rap (radio is “in every car and most homes, it’s embedded in the world”). And he points out that CC’s iHeartRadio can now perform some Pandora-style personalized radio tricks. Pittman’s brought new visibility to Clear Channel and to broadcasting. He’s also scouting for new revenue, with the support of an old friend — Read More

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Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI) Retail Product Partner VOXX International Corporation (NASDAQ:VOXX) Heads Up Market

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Posted 11 Jan 2012 — by Amy Gilroy
Category Consumer Electronics, Internet Radio, Media, Radio Industry, Sirius XM (SIRI) News, Technology

By Amy Gilroy
VOXX International Corporation (NASDAQ:VOXX)
Sirius XM Radio’s retail product partner VOXX International Corporation (NASDAQ:VOXX), formerly Audiovox Corporation, said it will head upmarket on car audio head units and refrain from the current “race to zero” to drive prices into the ground, said President Tom Malone.

Retailers are asking suppliers to refrain from price cutting, said Malone, adding  “The way some of the bigger manufacturers are driving prices down is a concern for dealers.” As a result, Audiovox’s Jensen-brand radios will be positioned as a value-added profit line.

“The retailers we speak to don’t understand why price needs to be driven this way,” Malone said. Instead retailers want unique features and more controlled distribution. Read More