If you take a Visit to the Sirius Website today you will notice that you are now able to Add the new Sirius Best of XM Package, Family Friendly, Special Interest and A La Carte Packages.

Link is here.

The Best of XM Now on Sirius:

Now for the first time, you can add XM channels
to your SIRIUS subscription. Add “The Best of XM” on SIRIUS and get
Oprah & Friends, Opie & Anthony, NHL and NBA games, the 24/7
NHL Home Ice Channel, The PGA TOUR Network, college sports, and XM
Public Radio. The Best Radio on Radio™ just got better.

Get the best of both worlds, with over 140 channels. You’ll hear the
full SIRIUS lineup, including Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, live games
and races from the NFL, NASCAR and exclusive 100% commercial-free music
channels like the Grateful Dead Channel and SIRIUSLY Sinatra.

You’ll also get a selection of XM channels – The Best of XM
- including Oprah & Friends®, NBA and NHL games, the 24/7 NHL Home
Ice® channel, The PGA TOUR Network, Opie & Anthony, XM Public
Radio® and more.

• Includes free online listening with SIRIUS Internet Radio* (32k)

• Eligible for Premium SIRIUS Internet Radio upgrade (128k)

• Additional savings on annual subscription plans

• Eligible for discounts on additional subscriptions

• See complete channel list

* See SIRIUS Internet Radio complete channel list

More information on other packages
http://www.sirius.com/packages/more

A LA CARTE INFORMATION:

A LA CARTE GOLD:

Create your own personalized package of 100
channels. Choose from the full SIRIUS lineup, plus some of the hottest
channels from XM. There are no extra charges for Premium channels,
Howard Stern or live games and races from the NFL, NASCAR, college
sports and more.

• Requires an A La Carte-capable SIRIUS radio

• This package does not include free online listening with
SIRIUS Internet Radio* (32k); choose a SIRIUS EVERYTHING package if you want to listen online.

• For complete package details and a list of channels available,
click here

* See SIRIUS Internet Radio complete channel list

A LA CARTE:
Choose what you want to listen to. Pick 50 channels
from a selection of SIRIUS’ 100% commercial-free music, sports talk,
entertainment, news, traffic and weather channels to create your own
personalized package.

• Requires an A La Carte-capable SIRIUS radio

• Does not include live games or races

• Premium channels cost extra

• This package does not include free online listening with SIRIUS Internet Radio* (32k); choose a SIRIUS EVERYTHING
package if you want to listen online.

• For complete package details and a list of channels available, click here

* See SIRIUS Internet Radio complete channel list

† Each premium channel is an additional 25¢ / month, up to a
maximum monthly package price of $12.95. Add Howard and/or Sports bundles for an additional fee. Click here for details.

http://www.sirius.com/packages/alacartegold

http://www.sirius.com/packages/alacarte

What about a Radio that supports A LA CARTE and Best of XM?

Right here. The Starmate 5

Update 1: This information is also up on XM’s Website. From what I have been hearing these packages will be officially available tomorrow October 1st, but this is also just a rumor.

Update 2: It’s now official. You can now add Best of Sirius to your XM Subscription.

SIRIUS XM Radio today announced that David Frear, Chief
Financial Officer and EVP, is expected to present at the 2008 Deutsche
Bank Leveraged Finance Conference in Scottsdale, AZ on Thursday,
September 25, 2008 at approximately 10:55 am ET.

STEVE COHEN will be SVP/Sports
Programming

PAUL TURCOTTE will be SVP/Advertising Sales

TIM
SABEAN will continue to report directly to HOWARD STERN

President
& Chief Content Officer SCOTT GREENSTEIN in overseeing THE HOWARD
STERN CHANNELS.

GREENSTEIN said, “Please join me in congratulating these people and all
who have helped build the foundation of SIRIUS XM RADIO. Please welcome
them as we continue the exciting though challenging work of being the
nation’s best provider of audio entertainment.”

SIRIUS SVP/Music Programming STEVE BLATTER will remain with the company.

[Via: Allaccess.com Registration Required]

SIRIUS XM Radio today announced stand alone SIRIUS Satellite Radio second quarter 2008 financial results, including a 25% increase in revenue to $283.0 million, total subscribers in excess of 8.9 million and a 70% decrease in the adjusted loss from operations.
“Second quarter stand-alone SIRIUS results once again demonstrated that we achieved strong revenue growth and solid cost control,” said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS. “Despite a tough economy and weak auto sales, gross additions set a new second quarter record. In the second quarter both revenue and subscribers grew 25% as compared with last year, while cash costs remained essentially flat leading to a 70% reduction in our second quarter EBITDA loss.”

“The combined company now has an annualized revenue run-rate of over $2.4 billion, making SIRIUS XM Radio one of the fastest growing and best positioned subscription media businesses. With rapid integration efforts underway, we started realizing synergies on Day 1. We expect to realize $400 million in synergies next year and see this figure growing substantially beyond 2009.”

SIRIUS ended the second quarter 2008 with 8,924,139 subscribers up 25% from 7,142,538 subscribers at the end of the second quarter 2007. Retail subscribers increased 7% in the second quarter 2008 to 4,676,814 from 4,364,646 at the end of the second quarter 2007. OEM subscribers increased 53% in the second quarter 2008 to 4,247,325 from 2,777,892 at the end of second quarter 2007. During the second quarter 2008, SIRIUS added 279,820 net subscribers.

Total revenue for the second quarter 2008 increased to $283.0 million, up 25% from second quarter 2007 total revenue of $226.4 million. Second quarter 2008 average monthly self-pay customer churn rate was 1.6%. The second quarter 2008 conversion rate was approximately 48%. SAC per gross subscriber addition was $78 in the second quarter 2008, an improvement of 27% over second quarter 2007 SAC per gross subscriber addition of $107.

Read the rest Here.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio today
announced that they have completed their merger, resulting in the
nation’s premier radio company. The new company plans to change its
corporate name to SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. The combined company’s stock
will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the
symbol “SIRI.”

SIRIUS XM Radio begins day one with over 18.5 million subscribers,
making it the second-largest radio company, based upon revenue, in the
country; and, based upon subscribers, the second largest subscription
media business in the U.S. With under 10% penetration of the home and
car market, the opportunity for continued growth is significant.

“I
am delighted to announce the completion of this exciting merger between
SIRIUS and XM,” said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS XM Radio. “We have
worked diligently to close this transaction and we look forward to
integrating our best-in-class management teams and operations so we can
begin delivering on our promise of more choices and lower prices for
subscribers.”

“Every one of our constituencies is a winner. Combined, SIRIUS XM
Radio will deliver superior value to our shareholders. By offering more
compelling packages and the best content in audio entertainment, we are
well positioned for increased subscriber growth. Our laser focus on
subscribers will continue and listeners can be assured that there will
be no disruption in service. We also believe that the completion of the
merger will eliminate any confusion that has been lingering in the
marketplace,” added Karmazin.

XM shareholders will receive 4.6 shares of SIRIUS common stock for each share of XM.

Competitive New Options for Consumers

SIRIUS
XM Radio broadcasts more than 300 channels of programming, including
exclusive radio offerings from Howard Stern, Oprah, Opie & Anthony
and Martha Stewart, among others. SIRIUS XM Radio will offer these
expanded options to consumers through arrangements with the world’s
leading automakers and its relationships with nationwide retailers.

As
a result of the merger, SIRIUS XM Radio will also be able to offer
consumers new packages in audio entertainment, including the first-ever
a la carte programming option in subscription media. In addition to two
a la carte options, the new packages will include: “Best of Both,”
giving subscribers the option to access certain programming from the
other network; discounted Family Friendly packages; and tailored
packages including “Mostly Music” and “News, Talk and Sports.” The
first of the new packages will be available in the early Fall.

“One
of the most exciting benefits of this transaction is the ability to
offer subscribers the option of expanding their subscriptions to
include the Best of Both services. Given the respective popularity of
exclusive programming on both SIRIUS and XM, we expect many subscribers
will upgrade their current subscription,” said Karmazin.

“The
upside potential for both consumers and shareholders is huge. Consumers
have the ease of adding premier programming without purchasing a new
device. For shareholders, this kind of organic growth is a key part of
the company’s future and the success we expect to see,” said Karmazin.

As
promised when the merger was first announced, existing radios will
continue to work and every subscriber has the option of maintaining
their current service package.

Benefits for Shareholders Begin Immediately, Integration Already Under Way

SIRIUS XM Radio expects to
begin realizing the synergies expected from this transaction immediately.

“In
addition to realizing significant potential revenue growth, the
management team will move quickly to capitalize on the synergies that
many analysts have predicted for this combination. We expect to begin
achieving those synergies without sacrificing any of the world-class
programming and marketing we are known for,” said Karmazin.

The
company today also reiterated guidance for the combined SIRIUS XM
Radio. Based upon a preliminary analysis, the combined company expects
to realize total synergies, net of the costs to achieve such synergies,
of approximately $400 million in 2009; to post adjusted EBITDA
exceeding $300 million in 2009; and to achieve positive free cash flow,
before satellite capital expenditures, for the full year 2009. The
company also expects that both synergies and adjusted EBITDA will
continue growing beyond 2009.

“We have all the
tools necessary to begin executing as a combined company with high
aspirations for subscriber growth and greater financial performance in
part from the significant synergies that we begin realizing literally
today — on Day One. We are moving quickly to integrate the
operations,” said Karmazin.

The corporate headquarters will be
located in New York, NY and XM Satellite Radio, the company’s
wholly-owned subsidiary, will remain headquartered in Washington, DC.

Effective after the close of the market yesterday, trading in XMSR common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market ceased.

This is all great news but I would like to hear from Mel about the stock that is down to $1.70 as we speak.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio Inc. announced today the
commencement of an offering of shares of its common stock. The common
stock being offered represent shares of SIRIUS common stock that SIRIUS
will be lending to affiliates of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
and UBS Investment Bank, the share borrowers, pursuant to share lending
agreements between SIRIUS and each of the share borrowers. It is
estimated that, based on current market values, approximately
$375,000,000 of SIRIUS common stock will be sold in a fixed-price
public offering described below, and up to approximately $65,000,000 of
SIRIUS common stock will be sold as described below from time to time
at prevailing market or negotiated prices. The exact number of shares
of SIRIUS common stock to be offered will depend on the terms of the
concurrent offering of exchangeable senior subordinated notes described
below and the hedging to be conducted by investors in such notes. While
the borrowed shares will be considered issued and outstanding for
corporate law purposes, SIRIUS believes that under U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles currently in effect, the borrowed shares
will not be considered outstanding for the purpose of computing and
reporting earnings (loss) per share because the borrowed shares are
required to be returned to SIRIUS.

The
common stock offering is being conducted concurrently with a private
offering by XM Satellite Radio Inc. of $550 million aggregate principal
amount of Exchangeable Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014 (“Notes”)
which will be exchangeable into shares of SIRIUS common stock. The
terms of the Notes, including the interest rate and exchange ratio,
will be determined at the time that such offering is priced. The Notes
have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state
securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or
to U.S. person absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of applicable securities laws.

In
connection with the common stock offering, SIRIUS will enter into a
share lending agreement with each of the share borrowers, pursuant to
which SIRIUS will lend shares to the share borrowers. The share
borrowers will sell a portion of the borrowed shares in a fixed-price
public offering expected to close concurrently with the Notes offering.
After the closing of the fixed- price offering, the share borrowers
will offer and sell the remaining borrowed shares in one or more
registered public offerings at prevailing market or negotiated prices.
Over the same period that the share borrowers sell the remaining
borrowed shares, the share borrowers or their affiliates expect to
purchase at least an equal number of shares of SIRIUS common stock on
the open market and/or enter into derivative transactions providing it
with a synthetic long position equal to such number of shares. SIRIUS
will not receive any proceeds from the sale of its common stock by the
share borrowers other than a nominal loan fee equal to $0.001 per share
issued to the share borrowers. The share borrowers will be required to
return the borrowed shares pursuant to the share lending agreements
following the maturity date of the Notes or their earlier retirement.

Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated and UBS Investment Bank will act as sole
underwriters for the sale of the borrowed shares. A prospectus can be
obtained by contacting Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 180
Varick Street, New York, NY 10014; Attention: Prospectus Department or
by email at prospectus@morganstanley.com or by contacting UBS
Investment Bank, Attention: Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New
York, NY 10171, (888) 827-7275.

This press release shall not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any
securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities
laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio today announced preliminary
second quarter 2008 financial results, including a 25% increase in
revenue to $283 million, total subscribers in excess of 8.9 million and
a 70% decrease in its adjusted loss from operations.

As of June 30, 2008, SIRIUS had 8.924 million subscribers, an
increase of 25% from June 30, 2007 subscribers of 7.143 million. Retail
subscribers increased 7% in the second quarter 2008 to 4.677 million
from 4.365 million in the second quarter 2007. OEM subscribers
increased 53% in the second quarter 2008 to 4.247 million from 2.778
million in the second quarter 2007. Total gross subscriber additions
for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were 1.029 million, compared to
1.002 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 and 1.003 million for
the quarter ended March 31, 2008. During the second quarter 2008 SIRIUS
added 279,820 new net subscribers, consisting of 246,221 from the OEM
channel and 33,599 from the retail channel.

Second
quarter 2008 average monthly self-pay customer churn rate was 1.6%,
down from 2.1% in first quarter 2008. The second quarter 2008
conversion rate is estimated to be approximately 48%, up from the first
quarter 2008 conversion rate of approximately 47%.

Total
revenue for the second quarter 2008 is expected to be approximately
$283 million, an increase of 25% from the second quarter 2007 total
revenue of $226 million. Operating expenses, excluding depreciation and
stock based compensation, are expected to remain approximately flat in
the second quarter 2008 as compared to the second quarter 2007. Second
quarter 2008 adjusted loss from operations is expected to be
approximately $24 million, an improvement of 70% from the adjusted loss
from operations of $79 million in the second quarter 2007.

They are saying this will not affect any decisions made by the FCC during the time he is gone…but do you really believe that or anything the FCC has to say?

I guess we will not be hearing about the merger until July now. By then I’m sure something else will pop up and it will be delayed another month!

Don’t you just love the FCC?

Here is a link to the source:
http://www.thedeal.com/dealscape/2008/06/will_martins_itinerary_delay_x.php

In an interview on CNBC television, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said
the XM-Sirius deal raised difficult regulatory issues. But he noted the
companies had agreed to concessions and said the agency “will hopefully
be able to do something on it soon.”

The merger would bring entertainers such as Oprah Winfrey and shock
jock Howard Stern under the same banner. It has been criticized as
anti-competitive by the traditional radio industry, and by some U.S.
lawmakers.

Antitrust authorities at the Justice Department approved the
combination in March after concluding it would not harm consumers. The
department said satellite radio companies face stiff competition from
traditional AM/FM radio, high-definition radio, MP3 players and audio
delivered by mobile phones.

Read the rest here.

Video Here.

I’m sure soon means 3-4 months to the FCC. It would be nice to hear the news by the end of the month.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced today that R.E.M.
(Warner Bros. Records) will take over its Spectrum channel for an
entire week. Radio R.E.M. will launch in conjunction with the release
of the band’s 14th studio album Accelerate and feature music from
band’s expansive repertoire. The channel will premiere on Monday, March
31 at 7 am ET.

Radio R.E.M., hosted exclusively by band members Michael Stipe,
Peter Buck and Mike Mills, will include insights from the band on the
inspiration for each song on Accelerate, as well as conversations with
R.E.M. covering a variety of topics ranging from the state of the band
to their personal world views.

During the take over, listeners will hear songs from R.E.M.’s nearly
three-decade career as well as hand selected music from some of their favorite
artists.

Radio R.E.M. continues SIRIUS’ tradition of creating exclusive
limited run artist branded channels dedicated to iconic figures at the
top of their game. Recent limited run exclusive channels launched on
SIRIUS include Rolling Stones Radio, E Street Radio, JAY-Z Nation,
Duran Duran’s Red Carpet Radio and Garth Brooks Radio, among many
others.

To learn more about Radio R.E.M. please visit www.sirius.com or www.sirius.com/thespectrum.

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