XM expanding channel lineup; going regional
XM Satellite Radio unveiled its new channel lineup that will expand the total number of channels to more than 170 with the addition of 10 new commercial-free music channels and seven regional news and talk channels coming this spring and summer.
XM added two new commercial-free music channels on March 1: Big Tracks (Channel 49), focusing on classic rock from the late 70's onward, and XM Chill (Channel 84), devoted to Chill music. During April and May, XM will bring the total number of new commercial-free music channels to 10. These new channels include the return of the heavy metal channel XM Liquid Metal. The new commercial-free music channels on XM are:
Big Tracks (Channel 49): Classic Rock from the late 70's onward
XM Chill (Channel 84): Chill Music
U.S. Country (Channel 17): Country Superstars of the 80s & 90s
Flight 26 (Channel 26): Modern Hits of the 90's & Now
XM Hitlist (Channel 30): Today's Hit Music
enLighten (Channel 34): Southern Gospel
XM Liquid Metal (Channel 42): Heavy Metal
The Heat (Channel 68): Rhythmic Top 40
Escape (Channel 78): Easy Listening
Viva (Channel 91): Latin Pop Hits
XM will introduce six new regional news and talk channels that will, for the first time, bring XM subscribers regional news coverage for every area of the continental U.S. These channels will be added in late spring/early summer period. Details about the new channels will be announced prior to launch. They will complement the recent addition of Cincinnati's tri-state news radio station WLW (Channel 160).
All seven regional news and talk channels provided by Clear Channel Communications will comprise a new category on the channel guide called "Regional News, Talk & Music Channels."
This new category will also include Clear Channel-programmed music channels KISS, MIX, Nashville, and Sunny, plus the launch of WSIX from Nashville. Clear Channel will start carrying commercials on these music channels in May, so they are grouped separately from XM's lineup of 69 commercial-free music channels on the new channel guide.
RBR observation:
Interesting that will all of the hype surrounding satellite radio's licenses verboten to include local programming, it will have regional - - pretty close. Guess since Clear Channel gets a cut from the ad sales it doesn't mind competing with itself for local news listeners. We're sure other broadcasters do, however.
Good Morning - Gain a personal edge on today's business day. Are you reading this from a forwarded email?
