XM snags Oprah Winfrey

Sirius may have secured The King of All Media in what was perhaps the biggest media personality buy of our time (as well as the watershed moment for satellite radio and new digital mediums), but XM isn't without its own tricks. In addition to Stern's exact diametrical opposite, Dr. Laura, they're adding America's richest and most beloved daytime talk show host to their ranks. That's right, Oprah's headed to XM with her new channel "Oprah And Friends," (scheduled for launch in September -- not to be confused with her own broadcast network / magazine / etc., Oxygen), which will feature an Oprah program, and programs of her, um, friends. No word on what role Dr. Phil's gonna play in all this chaos, but XM did get her for a song compared to what Sirius had to pay out to get Stern: $55 million for three years exclusively, to Stern's $500 million in cash and stock for five years.

[John @ Feb 9th 2006 9:50AM]

Not to mention XM has a show that is 10x better than stern. Check out Norton & Friends on XM202

[Zak @ Feb 9th 2006 10:00AM]

tell em fred.

[jb @ Feb 9th 2006 10:03AM]

Here come all the fanboys that tell us that Opie and Anthony are better than Stern and how they are kicking Sirius's ass. Let it go. You know you want to hear Stern, the NFL, the NBA, etc.. Sirius was killing XM in content and XM had to do this.

[slartibartphast @ Feb 9th 2006 10:06AM]

Yes with xm202 XM is already more better.

[Steve @ Feb 9th 2006 10:19AM]

Um... jb. Not so much

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/9181584/howards_end

[Ryan @ Feb 9th 2006 10:47AM]

$18 million a year versus $100 million a year? Talk about an amazing deal.

[JGE @ Feb 9th 2006 10:55AM]

Oprah! Really? Where do I sign up? Keep trying satellite radio, I'm still not sold.

[JGE @ Feb 9th 2006 10:58AM]

Meant to add... until I can listen to all my sports on one radio (like I do with terrestrial radio) I don't see any reason to convert. If and when I get satellite, it will be to replace terrestrial radio, not supplement it. I have enough unused junk hanging around. Don't need to add to it.

[Eric @ Feb 9th 2006 11:02AM]

As if I had another reason to NOT go with XM?

[mingistech @ Feb 9th 2006 11:15AM]

It's funny how most the major car companies are selling their autos with Sirius and not XM.

The only major car company selling XM is GM.

Howard really turned the tide in satellite radio.

Everyone i know who got Sirius for just one thing, Howard.

And my friends with GM cars had to get adapters to switch their systems over to Sirius.

O&A are a couple of Howard imitators and can't compair.

[strider_mt2k @ Feb 9th 2006 11:18AM]

Just listen to your radio and spare us the drama.

Yes, yes, the one you listen to is the best one, whatever it is, and whoever you listen to on it rulez.

Are we done, can we go now?

[macman @ Feb 9th 2006 11:20AM]

what the he11 is O&A?? what are you people talking about?

[pez @ Feb 9th 2006 11:34AM]

Opera is adouchbag, O&A arent worth getting XM, although I did listen to them when they ruled Boston.

As far as STERN goes. HE is the KING of The HEAVENS. satellite included.

Enough Said, go to bed.

[Ha Ha Hasbeen @ Feb 9th 2006 11:42AM]

#9 - "It's funny how most the major car companies are selling their autos with Sirius and not XM."
Yeah... those GM's, Toyota's, Nissan's, and Honda's of the world don't know how to sell cars (OK, well GM REALLY doesn't). I'm not saying Sirius isn't in with some of the companies (Ford, DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Mini), but XM has more of an automotive market share than Sirius.
I've got both. For the most part, they're the same, but face it, Sirius paid WAY too much for Stern. Plus, XM has the better technology.
Sirius, good luck, bro.

[Jacob @ Feb 9th 2006 11:48AM]

I see major husband/wife fights over which service to subsribe to. I imagine some people may actually split-up over the Oprah/Howard thing. (Both of them have THAT MUCH POWER over their hordes of dumb followers.)

I'm in Canada. The only reason I want Sirius is because it has CBC.

[Brian @ Feb 9th 2006 11:52AM]

oprah and anthony, huh?

[TheFly @ Feb 9th 2006 11:58AM]

"Who-who, I invented Oprah." Yech!

[Michaelarchangelo @ Feb 9th 2006 12:08PM]

Over the past year, Sirius has beat XM in the stock market as far as a return, so I could care less about each's content.

http://ichart.finance.yahoo.com/z?s=XMSR&t=1y&l=off&q=l&c=SIRI

[Egress @ Feb 9th 2006 2:27PM]

To the guy who said SIRIUS has NFL, yeah, thats real good. Nothing like having a sport thats on sunday and monday night, you know, when almost everyone is in a car. And your a tool if you mention anything about listening it in your home. Its a TV, use it.

Speaking of TV's, Direct TV has all 250 channels for free of XM

mingistech: before you start talking about something you know nothing about, do some research, and stop taking info blindly. XM has GM, Honda, Toyota, Nissan VW/Audi, Avis, National, and Alamo Car Rentals. Samsung, Panasonic, Pioneer. ETC ETC ETC.


STERN STATED HIMSELF THAT HE HAS DONE SUBPAR RADIO IN THE PAST 10 YEARS!!

Also, you sirius fans are getting a price hike, and Stern for only 4 days.

Hoo Hoo, Tell 'em Fred.

Listen to the boys. O and A....Party Rock!
www.opieandanthony.com

But the biggest push for xm is this:

XM: Nearly 7mil. Subs (1,087,800,000 in biz. per year)

Sirius: Nearly 4mil. Subs. (621,600,000 in biz per year, just a tad more then Sterns salary for 5 years)

[John @ Feb 9th 2006 5:53PM]

I have both sirius and xm, and like sirius a lot better. Plus O&A are TERRIBLE... Seriously whenever I turn them on they are bitching about sirius. Now I like Stern, but its not the reason why I have sirius. Sirius has cooler hardware I think (the S50 is freaking amazing!), plus much better music content and better sound quality. I do love XMs 90s channel tho,but other then that sirius rocks. XM is still sweet tho :)

[Sam @ Feb 9th 2006 6:10PM]

I can't believe you guys actually admit to listening to Stern, or O&A. Do you know what most people think about listeners of either show? Or is there something about fart jokes and listening to porn stars TALK I just don't understand?

[chris @ Feb 9th 2006 6:32PM]

for you people who still rag about satellite radio being a pay service you only do that because you havent tried sat radio! Free testicular radio is so bad these days with the 25 minutes of commercials every hour,top 40 endless rotations, FCC caring more about the word fuck then serious problems. I'll admit i have Sirius BUT I would take XM over terrestrial radio anyday but I chose Sirius for Stern and Bubba and Maxim. You know you people spend more than 12.99 a month on freaking hamburgers so put that money to good use and you will never go back any sat radio is a phenomenal product and I guarantee you will never go back!

[Jak Crow @ Feb 9th 2006 8:06PM]

How does XM have better hardware over Sirius? I've seen the claim before with nothing to back it up. And also, looking at any store, it would seem that both services have about the same number of different tuners with similar features, and a similar number of compatible head units.

[DC @ Feb 9th 2006 8:46PM]

1. Hardware - S50 is pretty like a picture - but you can't listen on the go. XM's "XM2Go" series allows you to do this - they just aren't as pretty.

2. Both Stern and O&A are entertaining - but only Stern has porn stars on - aka radio trainwreck. O&A are hysterical - it's not fart jokes, you know? Stern is still good for a laugh too.

3. F Martha and Oprah. F all the sports.

[Wry Cooter @ Feb 9th 2006 11:15PM]

What could keep someone from creating a receiver that could pick up both XM and Sirius broadcasts?

The first years of the sattelite radio, people were not sure they wanted to cough up a subscription. Now, they are not sure they want to sign up for one service over the other.

Where I think Sattelite Radio will take off is when they make it something people can pick up on their cell phone, for a small additional fee with their current cell phone carrier.

[Rusty @ Feb 9th 2006 11:50PM]

Good grief! Does anyone besides me use satellite radio to listen to music? I got an XM because of the variety and NO commericals, not talk radio. The only time I listen to "talk" is on the way home from work to listen to the news on the fox news channel.

[Scott @ Feb 10th 2006 4:15AM]

Mr Mingistech

Starting in 06 XM is exclusive to Toyota and Hyundia, along with GM. Makes for about 60% of the avialabe market. With Stern coming XM beat out Sirius by 500k subs gained in 2005, sir.

Sirius is essentialy out of money as i see it.
Lost Fox Radio to XM
Lost NHL to XM on the heals of both companies going to Canada
Practically didnt show up at CES this year.
And you know what, i heard many a rumor of Sirius and Oprah talks.

So they lost this also.
She is a marketing dream, i love her after today.

Free Club Soda Kenny!

[Satellite Radio Guy @ Feb 11th 2006 4:25PM]

Watch the video of Oprah announcing the new XM show here:
http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/video-oprah-winfry-xm-radio-announcement-show.html

[madmaxx @ Mar 2nd 2006 10:02PM]

The Howard Stern Show on Sirius is boring, zzzzzzzzzzz.
Howard is old, and dated, ive listened to his new show, and he does the same bits he was doing in '93. Sirius has a VERY shallow playlist. After one week of Sirius, I heard the same songs over, and over again. XM deliveres a better satallite experiance. WAY more song depth, Opie and Anthony are fantastic, and better hardware. Its no wonder XM has more subscribers.