Top > Business > 2006 > February > 2006-02-14

XM Radio Closes Mega Deal

The queen of the talk show, Oprah Winfrey, will soon become queen of all media. She, like the king of all media Howard Stern, has decided to try out satellite radio. Competing with Sirius Radio, X-M Satellite hopes that Ms. Winfrey will not only boost their sales, but bring them above Sirius. Oprah Winfrey`s universe continues to expand. The media mogul signed a 55 million dollar, three-year deal with X-M Satellite Radio to launch a new radio channel.

The new channel, called "Oprah and Friends," is scheduled to launch in September and will include a weekly show hosted by Oprah, as well as programs featuring other personalities from her popular nationally syndicated TV talk show. The channel will air programming on fitness, health and self-improvement with personalities such as fitness guru Bob Greene and decorator Nate Berkus, who appear on Winfrey`s TV program and in her magazine. Winfrey and her friend Gayle King will also be featured on a weekly radio show.

The deal is seen boosting XM`s lead on Wall Street and among listeners, analysts report. Winfrey`s TV show has been the No. 1 talk show for 19 consecutive seasons with an estimated 49 million viewers weekly. Considering the different choices that are present on the television, it seems that bringing Oprah into the XM family will definitely bring down the current satellite radio powerhouse.