SIRIUS Backstage

SiriusBackstage.com has learned that Stern will start broadcasting this afternoon, reportedly at around 1pm EDT. Nevertheless, we have heard from several good sources that Stern will be online by this afternoon. This will meet Sirius’ goal of being on by Father’s day, as stated in the 1st quarter conference call back in April. We apologize for not reporting this to you sooner, but this is the first date we have confirmed to the extent that we believe it could happen, and we did not want to post false rumors.

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UPDATE: 12:10ET Howard 100/101 have launched on the online stream!

UPDATE: There may be interuptions of service over the weekend as Sirius continue to tune and update Howard Online.

World famous Del McCoury will have his own show exclusively on Sirius starting this month. Hand Picked with Del McCoury launches on Saturday, June 24, and will air every Saturday at 3 pm ET on SIRIUS Bluegrass, channel 65. The show will feature his own choices for bluegrass music, from the early recordings to today’s newest artists. The grammy award winning McCoury has been in bluegrass for over 40 years, released over 20 albums, and he/his band has won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the year award nine times, and he has performed on the Grand Ole Opry, back in 1963 as part of the group the Bluegrass Boys, and became a member of the Opry in 2003.

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SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced today that Andrew Wilkow will join the SIRIUS Patriot channel as a new national talk show host.Wilkow is the next generation of talk radio. He began his radio career as an 18-year-old college student, has hosted a daily talk program on WGY-AM/Albany since 2003, and also hosts a weekend talk show on WABC-AM/New York. Wilkow’s move to SIRIUS takes his contemporary approach to conservative talk radio to a national and diverse audience.

“SIRIUS features today’s biggest names and constantly seeks the best new talent,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS President of Entertainment and Sports. “Adding an emerging star like Andrew Wilkow is just one more example of SIRIUS offering our subscribers ‘The Best Radio on Radio.’”

Wilkow said, “Now is the time for a new school of conservative voices with a whole new style and passion, which is what my show is all about. Moving to SIRIUS lets me take that style and passion nationwide. I am honored to be given this opportunity.”

Wilkow’s show will air on SIRIUS Patriot, channel 144, weekdays from 12 to 3 pm ET, starting on August 1.

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In honor of 6-6-6 Sirius comedy grabbed an EXCLUSIVE interview with none other but Satan himself!
SIRIUS Comedy: Welcome, Satan.

Satan: “Welcome” my [pointy tail]*! The boss said if I don’t do this stupid [darn] interview, he’d dock my pay!

SIRIUS Comedy: How is it you came to work here at SIRIUS? Do you enjoy being the voice of Raw Dog?

Satan: Look…let’s get this straight: I “enjoy” torturing human souls for all eternity! I “enjoy” playing craps with Saddam’s boys! For Hades’ sake, I don’t “enjoy” working for idiots who tell me to “reset the topic” every five minutes!

Problem is: with fuel costs what they are these days, keeping hell hot costs a [whole heck of a lot] of money… a demon needs to do what a demon needs to do… so… one day, me and Sam and his youthful ward, Sal, are watching Gilmore Girls and…

SIRIUS Comedy: Satan watches Gilmore Girls?

Satan: What? C’mon, Gilmore Girls is an excellent show! Tell me you wouldn’t want a mom like Lorelai!?!?…ugh! Anyhoo…this “Sal” mentions that his bosses over at Raw Dog are looking for an announcer for the channel, and that it pays pretty well. So I went to the audition, eviscerated everyone in the room, and started showing up for work!! AHHHHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA…

It’s a great arrangement: they don’t [mess] with me, and I let them keep their mortal souls. AHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA… for now.

SIRIUS Comedy: So, Satan, are you excited about June 6th, 2006, when the date will be 6/6/06. Is this like a big day in hell, like a birthday for you?

Satan: Hades help me! That whole “666″ thing is a pile of crap! Sort of like Cinco de Mayo in Mexico, or St. Patrick’s day in Ireland!

Here’s the deal: it wound up in the Bible, then Iron Maiden put it in that [flipping] song… and once you put something in a song…well, just call the poor sonovabitch who has 867-5309 as his phone number…he’ll tell ya. But personally I’m thinking I just might call in sick that day and smite the entire lot of you!

Ugh!…there goes my ulcer. I really wish I didn’t need this gig.

Enough about that! Next question!

SIRIUS COMEDY: An ulcer? Forgive me for saying this, Satan, but that doesn’t seem very Satanic…

Satan: Not satanic? Call me on October 6th, 2014…let me know how “not Satanic” it feels. MUUUAHHAHAHAHA…

Full Interview

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Today Sirius released an 8-K detailing their settlement in the CBS/Stern case. From the 8-K…

The lawsuit brought by CBS Radio Inc. against us along with Howard Stern and others referenced in Item 3 of our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K has been settled. As part of the settlement, CBS Radio is conveying its rights in the recordings of the Howard Stern Show that aired on CBS Radio from 1985 through 2005. We will have the right to use those recordings as part of our Howard Stern channels through December 2010. We are making a total payment of $2 million to CBS Radio. This is the only payment we will make under the settlement agreement.
Complete 8-K

There are no details on what Stern will pay himself, but Sirius got out very very well.

CBS Says Sirius To Pay $2M As Part Of Stern Settlement.

In a statement, CBS said the payment is related to the transfer of rights to recordings of “The Howard Stern Show.”

CBS said other terms and conditions of the settlement were confidential.

More details as they develop.

All Access is reporting that Howard Stern and CBS Corp. have settled the suit against the talk show host. The announcement comes from the Court Clerk where the case was to be tried.

According to All Access “the settlement was reportedly disclosed to Judicial Hearing Officer IRA GAMMERMAN’s office by attorneys for the parties this afternoon, but details of the settlement terms were not disclosed, and attorneys for both sides will only say that the agreement has not yet been signed.”

Update: A Sirius spokesman told Forbes.com that, “The settlement agreement is not signed. We will release a statement when it is.”

The Archdiocese of New York and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) will create and collaborate on The Catholic Channel. The lifestyle radio channel will air nationally seven days a week, 24 hours a day and will feature contemporary talk, music programming and live daily masses from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.

Launching this fall exclusively on SIRIUS, The Catholic Channel will feature a modern format with an open dialogue focused on Catholicism in the 21st Century, especially as it is lived in today’s world. Listeners will be encouraged to call in to talk about the issues that are on their mind and in the news - everything from what’s happening in the Church today, to the headline stories of current events and politics, and the latest in the world of entertainment, the arts and sports. They will interact with hosts who will bring a Catholic perspective to the world around us. Daily program hosts and guests will include members of the clergy and distinguished laity from across the land. Regular and previously unavailable content from The Vatican will also be a part of the channel, including programming from Vatican Radio.

The Catholic Channel programming will also include human interest stories and inspirational themes, shows offering counseling and guidance, educational programs, musical content, and daily Mass from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. A detailed schedule with specific programs and hosts will be announced prior to launch.

A prominent contributor to The Catholic Channel will be His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, who will periodically appear exclusively on the channel.

Cardinal Egan said, “The Catholic Channel represents a splendid opportunity for the Church in the United States. By using this modern medium, we will be able to communicate directly with the Catholic faithful as well as anyone of any religious faith who might be interested in what the Catholic Church is saying and doing here in New York and around the country. SIRIUS Satellite Radio has my sincere thanks for making this channel become a reality.”

“This partnership with the Archdiocese is a significant step forward in our development and mission to provide our listeners with the finest and most distinctive Christian programming in radio,” said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS. “The talented and diverse personalities who will guide this channel and the special contributions of His Eminence Cardinal Egan will make The Catholic Channel an extraordinary experience for our audience.”

Press Release Source: SIRIUS Satellite Radio

Deepak Chopra, World Renowned Mind and Body Expert and Author, to Host Weekly Show on SIRIUS Satellite RadioThursday May 4, 8:00 am ET
‘Deepak Chopra’s Wellness Radio’ will take calls on health, spirituality, relationships and success
Saturday mornings on SIRIUS Stars, channel 102.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio ( announced today that Deepak Chopra, best-selling author and leader in the field of mind and body medicine, will host a live, weekly three hour health and wellness call-in talk show, Saturday mornings on SIRIUS.

Deepak Chopra’s Wellness Radio will debut in Summer 2006 exclusively on SIRIUS. Each week Chopra will discuss the areas of health, spirituality, relationships and success. Often putting today’s news in the context of mind and body wellness, Chopra will teach, explain, inform, nurture and advise his listeners nationwide. Listeners will be able to call in for personal one-on- one conversations. Deepak Chopra’s Wellness Radio will air every Saturday morning on SIRIUS Stars, channel 102.

“With SIRIUS I hope to reach a critical mass of people with a message of self development and personal and social transformation,” said Chopra. “I will be focusing on four areas — success; love, sexuality and relationships; well being; and spirituality. My hope is to develop a more personal relationship with a back and forth communication, something that I haven’t been able to do with my books.”

“Deepak Chopra’s exceptional success as a doctor, author and teacher has touched the lives of millions of people. Deepak is leading the field of mind and body medicine and is changing the way we look at our health,” said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS’ President, Entertainment and Sports. “We are excited to add Deepak Chopra’s Wellness Radio to our already strong line-up of lifestyle programming.”

Deepak Chopra has written over 42 books and released more than 100 audio, video and CD-ROM titles. They have been translated into 35 languages with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. In 1999 Time magazine selected Dr. Chopra as one of the Top 100 Icons and Heroes of the Century, describing him as “the poet prophet of alternative medicine.”

His latest book, Peace Is the Way (Harmony Books) won the Quill Awards and The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of your Life was awarded the Nautilus Award. Some of his NY Times best-sellers include Ageless Body, Timeless Mind; The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success; Grow Younger, Live Longer: 10 Steps to Reverse Aging; and The Path to Love.

In 1995 the Chopra Center for Well Being was established in California, and has since become a leading institution for advancements in melding traditional western medicine and alternative healing practices. Deepak serves as an adjunct professor at the Kellogg School of Management, and regularly mentors corporate and political leaders through his Soul of Leadership workshops. He’s the recipient of the Einstein award through Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in collaboration with the American Journal of Psychotherapy, and the recipient of the 2006 Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. Along with Nobel Peace laureates Oscar Arias, Betty Williams, and others, Chopra is a founding director of the Alliance for the New Humanity. Chopra joined the Gallup Organization as a senior scientist in 2005.

For more information on Deepak Chopra please go to http://www.chopra.com .

SIRIUS has an extensive commitment to lifestyle programming, featuring related shows on its Martha Stewart Living Radio and LIME Radio channels.

Mark Cuban, the brains, or should we say deep pockets, behind Broadcast.com, HDNet and the Dallas Mavericks will host a 2-hour weekly show on SIRIUS. In an email statement, Cuban states “Howard Stern won’t have anything on me. I’m going to cover everything and anything, from sports to business to technology, movies and entertainment. I’m going to take full advantage of the no-holds barred opportunity that Sirius is offering me.”

Mark Cuban’s Radio Maverick will air on Sirius - the official satellite radio partner of the NBA - Sundays from 11 to 1 p.m. CDT.

We’ll also note that Cuban later sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo for 4.7 billion in 1999. Maybe he can provide some leverage to get Howard streaming online.