NEWS RELEASE
XM SATELLITE SERVICE JOINS Billboard Radio Monitor'S INFLUENTIAL MAINSTREAM TOP 40 RADIO PANEL
8/8/2005
Washington D.C., August 08, 2005 -- XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: XMSR), the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 4.4 million subscribers, and Billboard Radio Monitor, the premier radio industry publication and online destination for timely news, charts and analysis, announced today that XM will contribute airplay data to Billboard Information Group and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems for calculation of the Billboard Radio Monitor Mainstream Top 40 Chart effective with the magazine dated August 19.
Top 20 on 20 (XM Channel 20), XM's leading Top 40 channel featuring an interactive countdown of the top 20 songs, as voted by XM listeners, will contribute data to the Billboard Radio Monitor Mainstream Top 40 Chart. The addition of XM airplay data marks the first time a satellite radio broadcaster has contributed data to a major national Billboard chart. The Mainstream Top 40 chart panel has consisted of 116 terrestrial radio stations in 99 markets until now.
"Reporting our airplay data to Billboard for inclusion in national mainstream charts demonstrates the impact of XM Satellite Radio on the music industry," said XM's Executive Vice President of Programming Eric Logan. "The millions of people who choose XM as their source for new music will now be vital part of the music industry's most influential charts. XM's 20 on 20 is expected to be the first of many XM music channels, across multiple formats, that will follow suit and contribute airplay spins to the Billboard charts."
"This is an important development in the expansion of the Billboard charts. Satellite radio, like other emerging technology acknowledges yet another new way music fans are listening to music across America," said John Kilcullen, President and Publisher, Billboard Information Group. 1 About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number one satellite radio service with more than 4.4 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM's 2005 lineup includes more than 150 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music channels, plus premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information. XM was named Best Radio Service at the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 120 different vehicle models for 2005. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.
About Billboard Radio Monitor:
Billboard Radio Monitor is the premier radio industry publication and online destination for timely news, charts and analysis. Using the integrity, depth and probing journalism of Billboard magazine, coupled with the data of Nielsen BDS, the expanded Monitor covers every major format of music radio, including 24/7 reporting on the latest regulatory developments, news/talk radio, satellite radio and the people that make it happen. Billboard Radio Monitor is a flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also consists of BillboardRadioMonitor.com, Billboard magazine, Billboard.biz, Billboard.com, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories and Billboard Licensing & Events. The Group is a unit of VNU Business Media, a worldwide media company that provides specialized publications, electronically delivered data, expositions and marketing services and is owned by VNU Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, an international publishing and information company.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 3-4-05. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department.
XM Contact: Anne-Taylor Griffith
2 Phone: 202-380-4151 [email protected] The Rosen Group (for Billboard) Contact: Arlyn Davich Phone: 212-255-8455 [email protected]
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