Competitors

Now AlphaStar wants to get involved in satellite radio. The company filed a letter with the FCC stating that should the merger be approved, that 20% of the spectrum should be leased to a independent entity. AlphaStar is a broadcasting and broadband company capable of delivering television, audio as well as broadband services.

AlphaStar boasts that they already have the infrastructure to facilitate bringing a viable service to the market, and that if required, they would dedicate programming to women, minorities, small business, and noncommercial programming. They also went so far as to state that the interests of Public Knowledge and Media Access Project would easily be handled by the company. The offer goes even deeper. AlphaStar has offered to fully demonstrate their capabilities to the FCC commissioners.

The listed capabilities of the company were born from the “Star Wars” initiative under President Reagan. The company seems quite impressive, and their resume would seem to qualify them to be able to act on their proposal.

Interestingly, AlphaStar offered more information in a single filing than Georgetown Partners offered in nearly fifty! The AlphaStar proposal has to make Georgetown a bit nervous. They are seeking access to the same 20% as Georgetowns’ Davenport, but have put together what appears to be a much more compelling proposal. Primosphere would also have some worry with this deal.

Will such a proposal take root and have any meaning? In my opinion, a 20% give-back of spectrum is a deal breaker, and I do not see commissioner Tate asking for that much. Thus, in simple terms, this issue may be a non-issue when all is said and done. However, I see potential that AlphaStar may be a willing participant even at 10% or 15%, and if that concession is what it takes to get the deal done, it is something on the table for Sirius, XM, and the FCC to consider.

[ AlphaStar FCC Filing ]

Position: Long Sirius, XM.

GM announced that they are taking measures to cut costs. GM is not alone. Cash strapped OEM’s are suffering from slower vehicle sales, and many are caught with a large supply of gas hungry models that consumers are hesitant to buy with current gas prices. GM is making “Bold Moves” by making cuts such as:

• More than 20 percent reduction in salaried employment cash costs
• Dividend on common stock suspended
• Asset sales and capital market activities to raise $4-7 billion of additional liquidity

For satellite radio watchers, the health of the OEM industry is an important factor to consider. Satellite radio is installed into millions of automobiles each year, and if those cars are not selling, the subscriber rolls do not grow as expected. Yes, eventually the cars sell, and eventually the subs will come, but the subsidy costs for installation and chip sets in many cases have already been paid. A prolonged sales process means that the cash flow of the OEM deals is also stretching.

With auto makers looking to improve their own cash flow, do not look for them to absorb new costs. This is perhaps one reason HD Radio is having trouble getting into the dashboards of cars. Unlike satellite, which absorbs some costs associated with installations, Ibiquity is selling the concept that consumer will demand HD, rather than offering an installation subsidy or revenue share. The Ibiquity plan costs OEM’s money. Thus, with OEM’s cutting costs in every possible way, there is only one natural conclusion. OEM’s will not install HD.

For this reason, the Ibiquity proposal that their chip sets be included in all SDARS receivers is more important than ever to Ibiquity. Such a rule would circumvent the need to negotiate with the auto manufacturers, and ensure that HD radios get installed into dash boards. Auto makers like GM and Toyota have balked at the Ibiquity proposal, but the lobbying efforts are strong. In my opinion SDARS is not locking HD out of the dashboard, it is the economy in general, and the lack of a subsidy on the part of Ibiquity.

Slow OEM sales are a concern for many. Keep an eye on the sector.

Position: Long Sirius, XM. No position GM.

Slacker is making Father’s Day and Graduation shopping easier by including a free customized carrying case with any Slacker Portable order. They have even created a graduation themed radio station with all of the tunes that are popular during this time of year.

The custom Slacker carrying case makes bringing your tunes with you easy and stylish. The case has a value of $29.99, and is available for a limited time for all Slacker Portable orders.

Graduation Radio is the latest custom radio station created by Slacker, and the stars of the channel are all of the songs that graduating students love to jam to. Spanning differing genres and time periods, Slacker brings all of the graduation party tunes to life on one channel. As always, your listening preferences will further customize the channel to suit your needs.

Readers can learn more at Slacker Active

I got a chance to tool around with the 4GB version of the Slacker Portable Player, and it is a nifty device. The player makes the Slacker service even better than it already is. Music lovers who are already familiar with the Slacker service love it because it allows for customized radio stations that allow the user to still discover great music, while at the same time getting more of the songs that they want.

The Slacker Portable Player now enables users to take their Slacker tunes and customized stations with them wherever they go. Biking, jogging, or in the car, the Slacker Portable Player would be a welcomed addition to anyone that appreciates great music.

With the premium service available for as little as $7.50 per month, the value in Slacker is better than most realize. Customized stations, no commercials, skipping songs, saving songs, and banning songs are just some of the features that make the easy to use Slacker service and Slacker Portable Player a staple in my radio listening line-up.

Customized stations is not just a name. The stations actually become what you want to hear. Slacker even takes it a step further. Have a favorite artist? There is likely a station that will feature many songs from that artist on a more regular basis. There are literally thousands of stations to choose from.

The full review of the Slacker Portable Player is available on Slacker Active

In what can only be termed as a cautious use of words, the National Association of Broadcasters expressed opposition to the passage of the Senate Joint Resolution 28 that would serve to rescind the FCC media ownership vote that happened last December.

The NAB’s Dennis Wharton said, “NAB strongly opposes efforts to overturn the FCC’s exceedingly modest reforms made to media ownership rules. We are hopeful that policymakers ultimately come to fully appreciate the seismic changes in the media landscape over the last three decades, and stand down on this unnecessary proposal.”

This would seem to be an acknowledgment of a competitive environment in the media sector.

We have all heard of Slacker at this point, but how many have actually given it a try? If you haven’t, you are missing out plain and simple. Slacker makes radio listening easy, and better yet, lets you customize stations or simply build your own. No organizing play lists, no going crazy trying to do download after download. Simply pick a station and listen. There are dozens upon dozens of stations to choose from, and they can get pretty specific. Want to win a Slacker portable? Keep reading.

Are you a Rush fan? I am. Check out Rush Radio on Slacker. Rush Radio plays the best music from Queen, Styx, Queensrÿche, Asia, Kansas, Boston, Jethro Tull, Blue Öyster Cult, Meat Loaf, Heart and more. Oh, and yes, it plays all of the tunes from Rush as well. A fan of another band? There is likely a customized Slacker station that has a channel dedicated to them.

Slacker is filling a niche that satellite radio has left out. Highly selectable and easy to use tunes at your fingertips. Satellite could take this step, but at this point neither Sirius or XM have chosen to do so. Why is satellite not making more of an online presence?

Slacker is interactive. Album Art is displayed. You can rate songs as favorites, ban songs, and even download a song instantly if you are a premium service member. Even without the premium service the highly selective nature of radio stations is a service that bests most anything out there. If you are hearing a song, you can learn what album it is from, and even see a write-up about the artist. If you get to a song that you don’t like, you can ban it from the station (this does not ban the song from everyone, just you). If banning seems harsh, simply click the fast forward button and the next great tune will play.

Continue Reading »

Slacker is stepping up in their efforts to attract new subscribers. Their latest effort is a free shipping offer on any Slacker portable device. The Slacker service lets consumers choose between a 15 channel, 25 channel, or 40 channel device. The portables are customizable, and listeners can build their own radio stations that play songs that the user enjoys. The portable device then allows you to take your music with you on the go.

Slacker makes radio listening and customization easy. Lean more at SlackerActive

In an announcement today regarding an agreement between Sony BMG and Nokia for the cell makers “Comes With Music” phone, Nokia executive Tero Ojanperä stated that Nokia wants to”drive the consumer”, “make music a business for Nokia”, and to “expand the music industry.”

Nokia’s device comes bundled with the capability for unlimited downloads for a period of time with Nokia partners such as Sony BMG and Universal. The plan is to launch a wide range of handsets branded under the “Comes With Music” moniker in select markets in the latter half of 2008.

For satellite radio sector watchers the new Nokia service is quite interesting, as it represents yet another competitor. While the phone will sell at a premium price, the fact that it features unlimited downloads that the subscriber can keep on the phone as well as their computer is compelling. A feature that makes the device and concept even more tempting is that Nokia includes a provision which allows users to shift their downloads to a compatible device when upgrades become available.

Position - No Position Nokia

The National Association of Broadcasters, Ibiquity, and four major broadcast equipment manufacturers are all working together to try to make it easier and more budget friendly for radio stations to upgrade to HD Radio. The team intends to make the upgraded technology available to station owners at the NAB Radio Show in Las Vegas.

Bigger terrestrial radio ownership groups led the charge in getting HD Radio exposure and launched. This latest move targets medium and smaller stations to follow suit. HD Radio now has over 1,600 channels broadcasting.

The challenge for HD radio now is to get consumer acceptance, and installations into the automobile channel. Ibiquity has been lobbying the FCC to have HD technology incorporated into SDARS receivers capable of getting traditional AM and FM signals. Such a move, if implemented as a concession for the SDARS merger would enable broad based installations into cars, and circumvent the need for Ibiquity to negotiate with the major automotive brands.

NAB PRESS RELEASE

NAB AND PARTNERS UNVEIL RESULTS OF PROJECT TO LOWER HD RADIO UPGRADE COSTS FOR STATIONS

– ‘Embedded Exporter’ technology unveiled at the NAB Show —

LAS VEGAS — The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today unveiled the results of an unprecedented partnership with iBiquity Digital Corporation and four broadcast equipment manufacturers to accelerate the commercial development of products based on next-generation HD Radio “Exporter” technology. The products, which significantly reduce a radio station’s cost to upgrade to HD Radio, are being introduced and made available for purchase during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

“NAB is playing a critical role in the creation of new technologies to benefit our members and promote the future of broadcasting,” said NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr. “This is just one example of how we’re fulfilling our advocacy promise to broadcasters.”

HD Radio stations use the Exporter to combine multicast audio channels and advanced data services along with a station’s main audio channel into a format suitable for transmission. NAB and iBiquity, the developer of HD Radio digital broadcasting, worked with four manufacturers — BE, Continental, Harris and Nautel — to accelerate the development and implementation of this next-generation technology. Known as an “Embedded Exporter,” the technology further reduces the size and cost of HD Radio transmission facilities.

The project began in 2006, and the newly formed NAB HD Radio Technology Advancement Task Force was charged with overseeing the effort, culminating in today’s announcement.

Task Force Chair and Beasley Broadcast Group Executive Vice President and CFO Caroline Beasley said, “NAB is putting its money where its mouth is when encouraging stations to broadcast in digital. This new technology will give a big boost to the advancement of HD Radio, which ultimately means more choices and better sound quality for our listeners.”

Because of NAB’s contribution to this effort, NAB members receive an additional discount on these already cost-reduced products. All four manufacturers are displaying, and offering for sale, products incorporating Embedded Exporter technology at the 2008 NAB Show.

Position - Long Sirius, Long XM

Sirius Buzz has learned that Slacker has now inked deals with some of the biggest movers and shakers in the music publishing world. The deals, which have been in the works for some time, enable a full integration between the Slacker Internet radio service and the Slacker portables.

Some noteworthy comments made by music industry executives point to the broad audio entertainment landscape as well as take what may be perceived as a jab or two at satellite radio with regards to law suits surrounding recording capabilities on the wearable devices.

Consumers who have not tried slacker may want to test drive the service by visiting the Slacker website

Comments by Music Industry Executives:

“By working with the publishers, we can offer a radio experience that is more personalized and - for the first time - completely portable,” said Dennis Mudd, CEO of Slacker. “These new partnerships give Slacker customers the freedom to customize personal radio stations to their style and take them wherever they go.”

“As publishers, we must continue to be flexible and open to new business models and find creative solutions to license them,” said David Renzer, Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group. “Credit to Slacker for making sure they secured the proper rights before launching and we look forward to distributing royalty checks from Slacker to our UMPG songwriters.”

“People who love music want to discover new artists, listen to their favorites and take their songs with them wherever they go,” said Roger Faxon, EMI Music Publishing Chairman and CEO. “Slacker’s Personal Radio service is a promising distribution channel that fulfils a clear consumer demand, and that has to be good for our songwriters and for the industry as a whole.”

“The multi-tiered format of this new digital service creates a potentially rewarding user experience,” said Martin Bandier, Chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. “We are happy to agree to license a business where our writers get paid, and move the industry forward in legal song streaming and delivery in the digital space.”

Dave Johnson, CEO of Warner/Chappell Music added: “Today’s music delivery options are evolving rapidly and interactive Internet radio services have the potential to be a promising new business. Slacker’s personalized service provides the kind of interactivity and portability that consumers demand and it offers an ideal platform for us to distribute our talented roster of artists, songwriters and producers.”

[Via Slacker Active ]

Position - Long Sirius/XM