I read the Wall Street Journal so you don't have to (5/30/2000 og B11)

[lglavin@lycosmail.com]

The WSJ's marketing and media section had an article 
today of some interest to radiophiles;  here's a summary:
HEADLINE "Satellite Radio Picks Agencies for Launch"
The two startups planning to offer digital radio service
in the next year or so expect to spend as much as 200-
million dollars on marketing and advertising. Sirius
Satellite Radio which hopes to be beaming 100 channels of CD-quality music by the end of this year has chosen
the advertising firm of Goodby Silverstein, a unit of 
Omnicom Group, to handle its $100-million account.
Rival XM Satellite Radio is still mulling its choice of
ad firm for a matching $100-million marketing splurge.
XM plans a service launch by 1 year from now. 
Interpublic Group's McCann-Erickson and Omnicom's 
Chiat/Day are finalists for the account.  (My note:
this means 2 shops of Omnicom may be promoting rival
firms...is this legal?)  Back to summary:  both
companies claim they will be able to offer coast-to-
coast news, sports and entertainment programming for 
about $9.95/mo.  Sirius says its programming will be
entirely commercial-free; XM says SOME of its channels 
will be commercial-free.  According to Carmel Group,
a consulting firm that tracks the satellite radio business (my note: how can you be a consulting firm
in an industry that doesn't EXIST yet?), satellite radio
is expected to have 25-million subscribers by 2006, 
generating about $4-billion in revenue from subscribers
and sales of equipment.  Both companies agreed on a 
technology standard so any satellite radio could be 
used with either service provider.  Sirius and XM are
also making deals with retailers, auto makers and car
rental firms.  The article ends by quoting an official
from Goodby, Silverstein saying that the ad campaign 
they create will focus on educating the public about 
how satellite radio is the perfect solution for what's
wrong with radio today.

My observation:  if you have a copy of the WSJ lying
around or peruse it at you local liberry, the tone
seems to be that radio is so LOUSY that people will 
clamor for this product and service.  Can't say I disagree.

Laurence from Methuen

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