Howard Stern, the reason why many people subscribe to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI), has upset country legend Dolly Parton.
The singer is madder than a rattlesnake trying to bite a fencepost at the self-styled King of All Media for splicing together audio segments that made it appear that she was saying nasty things about celebrities including Kenny Rogers, Linda Rondstadt, Burt Reynolds and Johnny Carson, according to the Associated Press.
In a statement posted on her Web site, the singer/songwriter said she had never been so "shocked, hurt and humiliated in my life...Please accept my apology for them and certainly know I had nothing to do with this. If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it's going to be over this."
I am sure that any lawyer Parton contacts -- or an law student for that matter -- will tell the writer of "I will always love you" that she doesn't have a snowball's chance of prevailing against Stern. The First Amendment gives performers the right to say vile things about celebrities in what is obviously a parody. Remember Jerry Falwell's fight against Hustler magazine which he lost in the Supreme Court? The same concept applies here.
Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) reported Q4 and full-year earnings this morning, and I have to say that the company, led by the famous and highly-respected CEO Mel Karmazin, tuned into some good numbers. Revenues for the fourth quarter increased 29%; for the full fiscal year, revenues jumped 45%. The net diluted loss narrowed during the quarter to $0.11 per share versus $0.17 per share in the year-ago period, and for the year, it improved to $0.39 versus $0.79.
Perhaps the best news in the earnings release is the cash-flow situation. The company's free cash flow more than doubled for Q4, coming in at $75.9 million. And, hey, it was positive, which is important to note, since this company has sacrificed free cash over the years to invest in its platform. In fact, management noted that, for the first time, the second half of the year saw positive free cash flow (equal to $8.1 million for the period). And subscriber growth was impressive -- the company gained almost 2.3 million listeners, and it ended the year with 8.3 million subscribers. People gravitate toward the various popular brands featured on the platform, which includes shows by Playboy (NYSE: PLA), Jamie Foxx, and, of course, the king of all media past, present, and future, Howard Stern. There's also a lot of sports programming to add value for subscribers, as well as an upcoming slate of health programming called "Doctor Radio."
So, why does the stock trade in the low single digits? Why is it priced so speculatively? For one thing, there is the merger issue with XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR). Until that goes through, investors will have to wait for further guidance on the combination of the two platforms. Also, the market is going to want to see some consistent reports of positive net income on a GAAP basis to become really excited. I like the numbers currently associated with Sirius, and I think it may offer some upside potential for risk capital. As for myself? I'm not inclined to play it just yet. I'd rather see some technical strength assert itself before jumping in.
The sizable hurdles of regulatory approval on the part of the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) remain. Those opposed to the collaboration say the deal would create a monopoly in the satellite radio industry and point to the failed merger attempt between EchoStar Communications (NASDAQ: DISH), parent of the DISH Network, and DirecTV.
"This merger is clearly in the best interest of rural consumers because it would allow a combined company to expand upon its existing services with increased efficiencies and at the same time provide rural listeners with more diverse programming and lower pricing ... [the merger] will make satellite radio a more viable option for rural consumers ... even in the most remote areas."
Indeed, a combination of the two companies could bring all 4 major sports, Oprah and Stern, and John Cougar Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen tunes, virtually commercial free, to households distanced from terrestrial broadcast towers.
Originally announced on February 19, 2007, this partnership continues to be closely scrutinized by the FCC as well as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). The latter organization effectively represents the combined company's would-be competition, weakening the argument that the satellite-radio merger stifles competition. But I digress before I slip into a monopoly wormhole.
Once Matt Drudge's report about Don Imus' return to talk radio was posted, his phone probably started ringing off the hook as members of the media elite tripped over themselves to welcome the I-man back to the public airwaves.
The reason is simple: Imus' following is too large too ignore. In this age of declining TV ratings for the network news and declining newspaper circulation, media companies want to reach out to his audience, not turn their back on them. Advertisers will eventually return too once they believe that Imus has really learned his lesson. WABC, the New York station that will be Imus' new home, will have his show on a 40-second delay for that very reason.
The fact that Imus' got a second chance and may even get a third or a fourth one isn't surprising considering the terrible shape of the radio business. Radio listeners of the 1980s and 1990s are today's Internet surfers and iPod users. Stations are desperate for talent such as Imus who already have a following. That's why shock jocks including Opie And Anthony will always have a job in radio waiting for them whenever they get fired for saying something offensive.
WebProNews reports on a rumor that Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) is proposing to take over Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI). This rumor originated with Zachary Rodgers on ClickZ who posted: "A high profile source is pretty convinced ol' Goog is on the verge of snapping up Sirius Radio."
While such a merger would benefit Google, which is looking for a satellite outlet for its dMarc/AdWords radio advertising technology, there is little likelihood that Sirius would cooperate. After all, it's trying to get approval to merge with XM Satellite Radio Holdings (NYSE: XMSR).
I think this rumor is amusing, and if Google wants Sirius to use its technology to serve radio advertisements, it could just wait until after the merger and try to sell it to the new company. It's hard to see why buying a money losing company for, say, $5 billion just to sell it some technology would generate a positive return for Google shareholders.
Hunker down with your iPod and set "Just a Lil Bit" to repeat mode ... you may be hurting for new 50 Cent tracks if he leaves the business. Last month, the Eminem protégé (née Curtis Jackson III) made a flippant statement to reporters that he would leave show business if Kanye West's latest release, Graduation, topped 50 Cent's new album, Curtis, in its first week of sales. Both albums "dropped" on September 11.
The publicized sales battle was resolved today, and to Kanye went the spoils. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the man behind the 2005 smash single "Gold Digger" sold 957,000 copies in its first week of release, while 50 Cent's new album sold just 691,000. 50's last album, The Massacre, hit shelves in 2005 and sold 1.1 million copies in its first week. A publicized temper-tantrum after the Video Music Awards and a self-mocking appearance on Sunday's Emmy's broadcast may have helped give Kanye the edge.
Graduation was released on Roc-A-Fella Records, co-founded by Jay-Z, while Curtis was on the Aftermath label, which is owned by Dr. Dre. Both are ultimately distributed by Universal Music Group, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal.
SIRI is recently up $0.22 to $3.53, over 6%. SIRI and XMSR announced on 2/20/07 a merger of equals. XMSR shareholders will receive 4.6 SIRI shares for each XMSR share.
Cowen says: "We expect FCC approval before Dec. 4, the end of the FCC review period. We believe approval as early as Oct. is possible. Maintain Outperform on both XMSR & SIRI."
XMSR-SIRI arbitrage premium spread is at 12%. Mel Karmazin is CEO of SIRI.
XMSR December option implied volatility of 68 is above its 26-week average of 51 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.
XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR) volatility up; Arbitrage spread tightens into FCC decision.
XMSR is recently up $1.07 to $14.69.
SIRI October option implied volatility of 71 is above its 26-week average of 53 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.
Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.
Like most people, I never watched `Anchorwoman.' I have better things to do with my time like gouge out my eyes. The sad fact is, though, that the program's scenario isn't that unrealistic. Like newspapers, local TV news is on the decline, and the outlook is pretty bleak.
"In 2006, audiences appeared to be dropping for newscasts across all time periods during the day - even mornings, which had been growing," according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism. "That dampened the hopes raised in earlier years that the hemorrhage in viewers had stabilized."
CNBC has the "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo and "Street Sweetie" Erin Burnett. There are scads of Internet sites rating the looks of women and occasionally men who work in television news. There's even a Naked News Internet show where the mostly female anchors strip as they deliver the news -- or at least that's what I've heard. Check out the YouTube video below if you want to see what I mean.
Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) and rival, XM Satellite Radio's (NASDAQ: XMSR) proposal to allow a la carte pricing should convince skeptical regulators to approve the merger which has been bogged down in debtae for five months.
The proposal announced earlier would enable users to cherry-pick their favorite channels as part of a discounted package. The cheapest offering would run for $6.99 per month and includes 50 selected channels; for $16.99, a subscriber can keep their existing SIRI or XMSR service and select from the a listing of the "best" offering from the competitor. Beyond the 50-channel package, additional channels can be added for as little as 25 cents a piece. Premium programming, however, would cost $5 or $6. For the full press release from SIrius detailing the proposed plans, click here.
This should rebut criticisms that the merger hurts consumers. I certainly hope it goes through. The chance to have Howard Stern, Major League Baseball, and the best in commercial-free music is tantalizing, and certainly worth the price of a movie ticket. In fact, it seems as though the only contingent that would suffer from a merger of the only two satellite firms would be their biggest competition, terrestrial radio.
Can anyone explain to me why this merger isn't over and done already? Satellite radio is not a necessity - if the Sirius-XM pairing leads to higher prices, subscribers can choose to leave. The industry faces competition from terrestrial (read: "free") radio, Internet radio, MP3 players, CDs, books on tape, and numerous other forms of entertainment for the home and vehicle.
Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) subscribers may be bidding a tearful goodbye to one of their favorite personalities come January. Thursday, Howard Stern show sidekick Artie Lange surprised listeners and his shock-jock boss when he mentioned that he may exit from his post behind the mic next January, after two years on Sirius and almost seven years with the Stern Show.
Street-smart, big-hearted, and immensely likable, Mr. Lange is among the most popular cast members on Stern's morning show. He also maintains a rigorous schedule as a stand-up comedian and works as a guest star on television programs including HBO's Entourage and FX's Rescue Me. Lange told the New York Post that this combination of projects has left him "burned out" and concerned for his health. The 39-year old has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years and is currently battling a weight problem.
Addressing a shell-shocked Stern and other show regulars, Artie said that "Nothing is set in stone, but it's something I'm seriously thinking about ... the schedule is destroying me."
Clearly surprised and disappointed, Stern suggested to his friend and co-worker that he seek counseling, advising that: "the pain in your life will never change whether you are working or not."
Crain's NewYorkBusiness.com has told me some amazing news. Today, at 5:00 pm EST, the all-talk radio station 92.3 WFNY will change back to its historic rock roots as WXRK, or K-ROCK, according to sources at CBS Radio (NYSE: CBS).
The move couldn't come fast enough.
Its the first sign of change under new CEO Dan Mason, who replaced Joel Hollander last month.
The move back to rock music ends the all-talk format when Howard Stern went to Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) at the end of 2005. WFNY has struggled from day one. The station had a paltry 1.3 share of the audience during the 2007 winter quarter, the same a year ago.
Opie & Anthony, currently serving a 30-day suspension at XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR), will get to keep their morning drive job on the new (old) WXRK. After 9 am, the station will return to its rock roots.
Just minutes ago, Opie from the O&A was the first live voice listeners heard, as Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" played in the background. The station officially kicked off the format change playing one of Nirvana's greatest hits, "All Apologies."
By now I'm sure you are all familiar with the controversy surrounding remarks made by Don Imus on his radio show, where he referred to the ladies on the Rutgers basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Amid calls for his dismissal from the National Organization for Women and activists like Al Sharpton, Imus has apologized profusely and received a 2-week suspension from the network. All of this got me to thinking: Would Imus's show be better-suited for satellite radio where he won't subject to the rule of the FCC, and have more freedom to make obnoxious, ill-advised comments that are offensive on a multitude of levels?
Howard Stern, who defected to Sirius for greater editorial freedom (and a few hundred million dollars, had this to say about Imus's apology: "He's apologizing like a guy who got his first broadcasting job. He should have said, "F**k you, it's a joke."
Last night's American Idol yielded two big shockers this morning: Sanjaya Malakar can sing and J.Lo may be splitting with her husband.
As J.Lo said at the beginning of the show "I think the key to any Latin thing is passion." Malakar, who sang "Bésame Mucho" delivered on that premise -- particularly with the Spanish vocals. And I guess that J.Lo is not getting that Latin thing from her husband -- Marc Anthony. MSNBC reports that she blames Anthony for her stalled career and his "controlling ways" -- and plans to divorce him.
But none of this matters. What's really important is that if Malakar can sing, he's no longer the worst. And who will Howard Stern pick to replace him?
Don Imus' boorish behavior would have gotten him fired long ago if he were in any other line of work.
After a firestorm of controversy, CBS Corp.(NYSE: CBS) and General Electric Co.'s (NYSE: GE) MSNBC yesterday decided to suspend the controversial radio host for two weeks for making racially insensitive comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.
What would happen to someone at your office who like Imus used the phrase "nappy-headed ho's?" Would people complain? Would the boss talk to them? Would they have a chat with human resources? If they continually showed that type of attitude, would they be fired?
Imus is lucky that he works in the media.
He tried to mend fences by apologizing at an almost Bill Clinton-like rate. He's apologized to the team, apologized to the Rev. Al Sharpton and would probably apologize to any African-American he meets on the street.
This is a pretty big deal.
Media and political bigshots are regular guests on "Imus in the Morning." Publishers send their top authors there to flog their books. It's kind of amusing that these people love Imus and hate his rival Howard Stern when the only difference between them is that Stern actually is witty.
Along with Stern, Imus has inspired a generation of shock jocks and talk show hosts who think that they can say whatever they want, whenever they want on the air. But instead of being provocative, most of them just sound boorish.
Imus is vowing to change the "tenor" of the show. I guess he deserves another chance, or is it the fifth one? I'm not sure.
Howard Stern, the reason why many people subscribe to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI), has upset country legend Dolly Parton.
The storied merger proceedings between 
Hunker down with your iPod and set "Just a Lil Bit" to repeat mode ... you may be hurting for new 50 Cent tracks if he leaves the business. Last month, the Eminem protégé (née Curtis Jackson III) made a flippant statement to reporters that he would leave show business if Kanye West's latest release, Graduation, topped 50 Cent's new album, Curtis, in its first week of sales. Both albums "dropped" on September 11. 
Sirius Satellite Radio
By now I'm sure you are all familiar with the controversy surrounding remarks made by Don Imus on his radio show, where he referred to the ladies on the Rutgers basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Amid calls for his dismissal from the National Organization for Women and activists like Al Sharpton, Imus has apologized profusely and received a 2-week suspension from the network. All of this got me to thinking: Would Imus's show be better-suited for satellite radio where he won't subject to the rule of the FCC, and have more freedom to make obnoxious, ill-advised comments that are offensive on a multitude of levels?
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