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.

• Kid Kelly is named VP of Pop/Dance/Urban
• Gregg Steele is appointed VP of Rock
• Trinity is named VP of Classical/Jazz/Latin
• Jon Anthony becomes VP of Country
• Mitch Todd is appointed Senior Director of Music Production.

During the announcment Zellner said, ”I am pleased to
announce the next level of management on the music programming team at
Sirius XM Radio. These individuals have been important contributors to
the success of Sirius and XM as leaders in audio entertainment and
bring many years of programming experience to the company. This team’s
skill, creativity and depth of knowledge in their respective music
formats will help us combine the best of both Sirius and XM programmers
and on-air talent to produce commercial-free music channels spanning
every genre of music.”

Also Steve Kingston will be stepping down as XM VP/Artist & Label Relations and Senior PD of Rock. Kingston told FMQB,
“I will be leaving Sirius XM to pursue ‘other interests,’ spend time
with my young children, and occasionally drive my wife to work at WPLJ to sit in the lobby and read the trades.”

[FMQB]

Subscribers

– The company expects to end 2008 with approximately 19.5 million subscribers and to end 2009 with approximately 21.5 million
subscribers.

Revenue

–
SIRIUS XM expects to post pro forma revenue of approximately $2.4
billion in 2008 and to post revenue of approximately $2.7 billion in
2009.

Adjusted EBITDA

– SIRIUS XM expects a pro forma
adjusted EBITDA loss of approximately $350 million in 2008 and
reiterated its previously stated financial guidance of approximately
$300 million in positive adjusted EBITDA for 2009. Adjusted EBITDA is
net income / (loss) before interest and investment income, interest
expense (net of amounts capitalized), depreciation expense, and
non-cash stock compensation expense.

Synergies

– SIRIUS XM announced it is increasing its estimate of net synergies to $425 million in 2009.

–
The Company also provided a line item breakdown of how the expected
2009 synergies will be achieved, which will be available as an exhibit
to the Current Report on Form 8-K that the company is filing today.

“We have
made great strides over the last six weeks and continue to make
progress integrating the company and delivering on our promises to
customers and stockholders,” said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS XM Radio.
“We are finding significant cost savings on every line item of the
P&L and are beginning to realize these synergies already. SIRIUS XM
also continues to be one of the strongest growth stories in media, with
pro forma revenue growth of approximately 17% in 2008.”

“Best of Both” information:

As part of “Best of Both” programming, most current XM customers will
continue to receive their existing XM service, and be able to obtain
select SIRIUS programming. Likewise, most current SIRIUS customers will
continue to receive their existing SIRIUS service and be able to obtain
select XM programming. In addition to their existing service, SIRIUS
and XM subscribers will be able to purchase the following channels:

* Sports offerings will also include channels for play-by-play of NBA, NHL, NFL, and College Sports games.

Included
on the “Best of” XM on SIRIUS will be such shows as Basketball and
Beyond, hosted by Duke and Olympic basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski;
Andretti Green, with driver Danica Patrick; 60/20, a sports magazine
show by Luke Russert and James Carville; Indy Racing League car races;
and games from the top college conferences, including the PAC 10, SEC,
Big 10, Big 12, Big East and ACC.

Karmazin stated, “We have
been working closely with our content providers since the day the
merger closed and have made significant progress in those discussions.
The resulting “Best of Both” options we are outlining today represent
another step towards fulfilling our promise of more choices and lower
prices for our subscribers. We are very excited to begin offering
existing and prospective listeners access to even more compelling
programming and new packages.”

“Best
of Both” programming will be available to satellite radio consumers
beginning October 6, 2008 on most existing satellite radios at a
monthly cost of $16.99. Also, the company’s full slate of new packages
will be available to consumers on Oct. 6, including the opportunity to
choose programming on an a la carte basis for the first time ever in
subscription media.

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.

What are the new pricing plans? Will my Monthly Bill go up now?

If you do not listen to Howard Stern (Premium Channel) there are $6.99-9.99 pricing plans, so you will actually save money on your monthly bill. You can add on optional premium channels but as long as you don’t get into any XM programing your bill will never go above the current price of $12.95. I repeat as long as you don’t add on any XM programing your bill will never go above $12.95.

So to sum up above if you are paying $12.95 now, do nothing. You will have the same programing and same price as you always had as a Sirius Subscriber.

Can I get XM channels yet? When will I be able to get XM programming?

As of right now you can not get XM channels on your Sirius Radio. There are plans for an Al La Cart system but for right now your reciever can not get transmissions from the XM Satellites. Mel said that new radios are already designed but they are not going to be available until they start mass production.

What you will be able to get is a “Best of XM” package that consists of 11 XM Channels wich will brodcast over Sirius’s current satellites. So you will not need a new radio but there will most likely be a price involved with this service. Also what 11 channels are being offered is not known at the moment.

How long before I can get MLB Radio on my current Sirius Radio? I want it now, why is it taking so long?

The MLB will not be available to Sirius right away. There are currently licensing issues that need to be worked out with no deffinate time table. The MLB will not let Sirius brodcast. So your best option is to contact the MLB and not Sirius. The same goes for NASCAR on XM.

What about Howard Stern? I’m on XM and I’ve been waiting for this day to happen, when can I hear him?

Howard Stern will be available to XM subscribers this Fall. No specific date was given yet but it could be as close as September. It’s also unclear if both Howard 100 and 101 will be included also he will not be a part of the “Best of Sirius” package since it’s considered premium content.

What about my current receiver? Do I need to buy a new one?

No not unless you need a new one. You existing WILL NOT BECOME OBSOLETE. You will still be able to enjoy Sirius or XM as you have been in the past.

What about my Lifetime Subscription?

You will still have your lifetime subscription. How it will work with different Sirius/XM packages is not known.

What about my Favorite channels? Are they going to remove channels? How will they do this?

They will be slowly merging channels from XM into Sirius programming. This means that some of your favorite channels may get replaced. If XM has a better Hip-Hop channel it may replace one of Siriu’s, but if Sirius has a better performing Country channel it will stay and replace one from XM.

No official word but the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s and 80′s channels will most likely be merged and be the same on both Sirius and XM.

I have a Factory XM radio in my car with DVD Monitors, can I convert the XM Radio and Screens to Sirius Backseat TV?

NO

That is it for now, as I gather more Questions I will post them. The main question I’m trying to find out right now is how Internet Streaming will work with the newly merged companies.

Just a small update.

Pretty interesting talk, but still nothing that we already don’t know about.

Link here http://www.marksfriggin.com/news.htm#wed

I will throw some audio up later if I can find it.

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.