XM Satellite Radio, America’s #1 satellite radio service, announced that it recently surpassed 1 million subscribers, reaching this major milestone in less than two years since its national debut on November 12, 2001.
“With more than one million subscribers, XM has firmly established a new mass-market entertainment medium for consumers nationwide,” said Hugh Panero, XM’s President and CEO. “XM’s success is particularly evident when compared to other media, from the inception of radio to today’s latest technology.”
Consumers have adopted XM Satellite Radio faster than local radio, television, satellite TV, CD players, MP3 players, or digital video recorders. As a mass medium, XM has reached one million subscribers in less time than cable television or online subscription services — two of the nation’s most successful subscriber businesses.
Number of Years to 1 Million Comparative Products and Services DVD Players 1 yrs 9 mths XM SATELLITE RADIO 1 yrs 11 mths Compact Disc Players 2 yrs 4 mths MP3 Players 2 yrs 4 mths Radio 3 yrs 3 mths Television 3 yrs 4 mths Digital Video Recorders (DVR) 4 yrs 5 mths Video Cassette Recorders (VCR) 4 yrs 10 mths Online Subscription Services 9 yrs 6 mths Cable Television 12 yrs Satellite Television 12 yrs Sources: Greystone, Yankee Group
“XM’s success has been driven by several factors. We offer 101 channels of critically-acclaimed, live programming, coast-to-coast coverage, and superior sound. We have succeeded in bringing down the cost of equipment quickly, and we have unprecedented distribution through retailers and automotive dealerships nationwide. Plus, the positive word-of-mouth about XM has spread at an extraordinary rate. XM is well-prepared for the traditionally strong holiday selling season,” Panero said.
XM will celebrate its one-millionth subscriber with a gala celebration on November 4 at its national broadcast headquarters in Washington, D.C. The master of ceremonies for the day-long celebration will be musical legend Quincy Jones. The event will feature live music and stand-up comedy by a wide array of artists, including Shelby Lynne, Cassandra Wilson, Marty Stuart, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Musiq and Lewis Black. The event will be aired throughout the day exclusively on XM Live (XM Radio Channel 168). Guests will tour XM’s state-of-the-art studios where world-class DJs and expert music programmers broadcast live every day.
The celebration will feature displays of the latest XM radio products and many of the more than eighty 2004 vehicles with XM on board. Among the products will be the brand-new Delphi XM Roady receiver, the first satellite radio solution for vehicles for under $120; the critically-acclaimed Delphi XM SKYFi radio, the satellite-radio industry’s best-selling receiver, which connects to car radios, home stereos, and portable boom boxes; the XMCommander, XM’s latest receiver/FM modulator that works with any AM/FM car stereo, and the XM Personal Computer Receiver (PCR), the first and only satellite-radio unit for PCs that needs no Internet connection.
