General News

As many satellite radio investors are aware, the WCS Spectrum issue is still embroiled in debate. The issue has been ongoing for years, and at one point XM Satellite Radio was even contemplating buying the spectrum. On May 20th, the issue will once again be on the forefront with the FCC. Under consideration is the allowing WCS spectrum owners to go forward without proper protection on interference to satellite radio. Consumers and investors alike are being put at risk.

Much of the debate is highly technical, and in fairness, both sides have arguable issues. However, Sirius XM’s spectrum is enjoyed by over 35 million people while the WCS spectrum has not yet been built out for any purpose. Do you have an idea that can mitigate the interference issues while still being fair to everyone? The demographics of SiriusBuzz readers is pretty incredible, and perhaps there is someone out there just looking for a little incentive to speak up. Well, I came across a promotion that could well provide that incentive.

This weekend, Iron Man 2 is opening at theaters. The first movie was a huge success, and people are eagerly anticipating the sequel. In fact, I already have tickets for my son and me to see the movie on Saturday. Howard Stern and Robin Quivers saw the premier, and loved it. So, given that this is the opening weekend for Iron Man 2, here is a unique contest sponsored by Audi.

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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the Sirius XM Facebook page, as well as the pages of Sirius XM channels.  I applauded the company for finally making a concerted effort in this arena.  Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become ingrained in our daily lives, and it is often through these social media sites that many people first find out about some sort of news.  An example of that happened today.

Last week, torrential rains poured down on Tennessee.  I felt a lot of sympathy for those people because I had to deal with flooding here in the Northeast only a couple of weeks prior.  Flood damage is extensive, and more often than not people have no insurance coverage to offset the losses suffered.   I personally spent two weeks ripping out carpet, sorting through what furniture could be saved, and getting water out of my basement.  The work is still not complete, and there were people much worse off than I was.

Well, for the people of Tennessee, the flooding and destruction meant that the CMA Music Festival, held in Nashville, might become a victim as well.  While it seems odd that people would worry about a festival in the midst of so much despair, but it is a tradition, and the CMA Music Festival is in the very fabric of the community.  To cancel the festival would be like losing a part of their identity.

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In yet another boost of confidence Ford motor Company announced a profit of $2.1 billion, and remained optimistic about the outlook of the auto sector for 2010. The company, which did not seek a government bail-out, seems to be on very solid footing. Along with their Q1 numbers, Ford indicated that they will be paying down debt early, and still be on pace to turn in a “solidly profitable” 2010.

Ford remained firm on auto sector U.S. sales of 11.5 to 12.2 million units. This would seem to indicate that auto sales in April are within the targeted numbers of Ford. This would translate to an average of just under 1 million cars sold per month, a number that should make satellite radio investors happy.

Full auto sector sales for April should be released next week.

Position – Long Sirius XM, No Position Ford

It is being widely reported that General Motors will announce this Wednesday that they anticipate paying off debt to both the United States and Canada much earlier than June of this year. While not directly tied to satellite radio, the news should carry an impact on the overall markets, and may be a step in the right direction on the perception of the economy.

GM borrowed billions from the U.S. and Canada, and still owes about $6.1 billion to the two governments of North America. Paying off all of that debt early has been helped in parts by boosted car sales in Q1 of 2010. Part of GM’s recovery can be attributed to the mis-steps of Toyota that recently continued with a recent recall of the Lexus GX 460. Those Toyota mis-steps have led to a virtual guarantee that auto incentives will continue, which could boost sales across the board. Toyota has already announced that they will be conducting very consumer friendly incentives throughout April.

The GM early repayment, combined with good numbers reported by Ford, and decent car sales for April could give the OEM channel and market a good boost. While there are many other economic conditions to consider, this piece of good news can resonate with the American public.

Position – Long Sirius XM Radio, No Position OEM’s

It took a while for Sirius XM Radio to get into the social networking scene, but now that they have, their efforts are catching on. As of this writing, Sirius XM’s Facebook page is on the verge of eclipsing 50,000 fans. While this may not seem like a “huge” number, it is an impressive start, and demonstrates that the company has a substantial core group of fans, and the main fan page is not alone.

Sirius XM’s popular Morning Mash Up (Sirius Hits 1 and XM’s 20 on 20) has an impressive following of almost 47,000 fans that are quite vocal and active on the page. What is perhaps even more impressive is the fact that The Morning Mas Up has more fans than the Howard Stern page which is approaching 43,000 fans.

Social sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer a great way for the company to promote their services to subscribers in a way that instantly connects with thousands, typically directly to their cell phone. Because Facebook is interactive, it allows fans to feel a sense of connection to the shows and talent they enjoy listening to.

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Last week Sirius XM Radio host Rosie O’Donnell inked a deal to host a new television show for the 2011-2012 season. While the time-frame is still several months away, the news should be welcomed by Sirius XM fans and investors. Rosie is more likely to integrate her “projects than some other hosts that have shows on television as well as radio.

Rosie is no stranger to television. She had a hit television show for a few years before her sudden retirement from the medium. When she retired, she did not fade away. She started a blog and was active in it. Fans of Rosie were able to “keep in touch”, and Rosie was able to remain relevant.

Rosie is an example of the consummate cross promoter. She is not afraid to share personal details, and intertwines her every day life with her television show, radio show or blog. Because Rosie does this, she wont be able to help cross promoting Sirius XM with her television show. It is this personal touch to what Rosie does that makes her special, and keeps her relevant.

Certainly we can also expect to hear more about the pending television show on Sirius XM as well. The subject has already come up on the Howard Stern Show and as the date for the television launch draws closer, will become more newsworthy.

Rosie’s radio show on Sirius XM can be heard weekdays 10am – 12pm ET, 12pm – 2pm ET & 8pm – 10pm ET on Sirius XM Stars (Sirius 102 and XM 94).

Position – Long Sirius XM

In a stunning announcement today, Sirius XM Chairman Gary Parson has stepped down. Gary Parsons, who co-founded XM Satellite Radio, announced his resignation after the market close and shortly after one of the better quarters that satellite radio has seen in recent times was announced. Eddy Hardenstein, a Sirius XM director who is also the publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times, will become the company’s non-executive chairman.

Parsons stated, “it’s the right time to step aside…the challenging economic environment, we have begun to generate positive cash flow and have substantially improved our financial condition.”

Gary Parsons contribution to satellite radio can not be denied.

SiriusBuzz is proud to announce an association with Digital Radio Mag. Digital Radio Mag was created to give satellite radio fans a simple and easy solution for satellite radio coverage by offering unique content from writers passionate about satellite radio. TSS-Radio’s Taylor, Damon from Sirius XM News, and Spencer Osborne from SiriusBuzz have joined together to give satellite radio fans more content and coverage on Sirius XM.

The unique factor about this site is that the contributors will still maintain their core sites and businesses, but will join together under the Digital Radio Mag umbrella with unique articles and insight. Readers will be treated to all of the news in satellite radio from three great sites that will work in cooperation with each other. Between these three site, we’ve got you covered with wide ranging styles and opinions.

Take a minute to become familiar with Digital Radio Mag as well as Sirius XM News. We here at SiriusBuzz will be working closely with them