NEW YORK and
DALLAS—SIRIUS, the premium satellite radio provider
(NASDAQ: SIRI), known for delivering commercial-free music and sports
programming to cars and homes across the country, today significantly increased
its number of listeners across the country when it made its music service
available to EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its more
than 9.7 million DISH Network satellite television customers. The official
launch of the service is to take place today at the DISH Network 2004 Team
Summit Satellite Television Conference in Dallas.
“Beginning today,
SIRIUS is now in front of more listeners than anyone in satellite radio,” said
Joseph P. Clayton, CEO of SIRIUS. “More than 9.7 million DISH Network
subscribers now have the opportunity to listen to 100 percent commercial-free
music from SIRIUS, and can enjoy the tremendous variety of music genres that we
provide in digital quality sound. Once they hear what we have to offer, we
believe that DISH Network customers will want to have SIRIUS in their cars,
boats, RVs and trucks, as well as their homes.”
Subscribers of
DISH Network’s premium packages – America’s Top 120, Top 180 and America’s
Everything Pak – now receive SIRIUS’ music channels at no extra charge.
The remaining DISH Network subscribers have the option to upgrade their
subscription packages to include SIRIUS.
“Satellite radio is one of
the hottest products, and SIRIUS has the best programming in this exciting new
entertainment category,” said Charles Ergen, chairman and CEO of EchoStar.
“At DISH Network, we stand for the best in quality, and that’s why we decided to
link up with SIRIUS -- to provide our listeners with the most varied music in
satellite radio. With over 60 channels of commercial-free music, we
believe that SIRIUS has the depth and variety of programming to satisfy our
customers.”
