XM Acquires Effanel Music, Leading Live Music, Remote and Mobile Recording Company

XM Acquires Effanel Music, Leading Live Music, Remote and Mobile Recording Company WASHINGTON, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:XMSR), the nation's leading satellite radio provider with more than 3.2 million subscribers, today announced it has acquired Effanel Music Inc., America's leading live music, remote and mobile recording specialists. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000724/XMSATLOGO ) Since its founding in 1980, Effanel has developed a sterling reputation for delivering high-quality live broadcasts and recordings for major television networks, record labels and A-list talent. These range from large- scale, multi-artist concerts and festivals, to intimate club performances, to multi-channel post-production work. Numerous high-profile artists insist on working with Effanel. "Bringing Effanel into the XM family is a strategic fit because live content plays such a central role in XM's programming," said XM President and CEO Hugh Panero. "With Effanel, XM now has a built-in mobile recording and broadcast division that enables us to air -- in digital sound -- live music, sports and entertainment events from anywhere in the world." Boasting an impressive client roster, Effanel is responsible for numerous classic live performances from The Grammys(TM), MTV Video Music Awards(TM), U2, Madonna, The Dave Matthews Band, Santana, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, among others. In 2004, Effanel worked with XM to provided live broadcasts of the three-day Phish Coventry Festival and the Vote for Change Finale Concert, featuring performances from artists such as Bruce Springsteen, the Dixie Chicks, Pearl Jam, and R.E.M. "Effanel has had great experiences working with XM in the past and we're excited to join the XM team," said Randy Ezratty, founder of Effanel Music. "By merging XM's breakthrough technology and production facilities with Effanel's industry-leading remote broadcast and mobile recording capabilities, XM will be able to share with listeners all of the excitement from live music, sporting and entertainment events." In addition to delivering new remote broadcasts and mobile recordings to XM, Effanel will continue to service its established clients with high-quality remote broadcast and recording services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. About XM Satellite Radio XM is America's number one satellite radio service with more than 3.2 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City and Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame, XM's 2005 lineup includes more than 130 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: 68 one-hundred-percent commercial-free music channels, featuring hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; more than 40 channels of premier sports, talk, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information for major metropolitan areas nationwide. XM was named Best Radio Service at the 2004 Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards. Popular Science recently chose XM products for two prestigious "Best of What's New 2004" Awards. As the Official Satellite Radio Network for Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Exclusive Satellite Radio Service for NASCAR, as well as the Official Satellite Radio Service for ACC, PAC-10 and Big-10 collegiate football and basketball, XM Satellite Radio is the industry leader in sports radio programming, offering thousands of live sporting events each year. XM, the leader in satellite radio for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 120 different vehicle models for 2005. XM also is available in Avis, National, and Alamo rental cars, and it will soon be available on JetBlue and AirTran Airways. Consumers can experience XM over the Internet through XM Radio Online at http://listen.xmradio.com/. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com/. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements in this press release include demand for XM Satellite Radio's service, the Company's dependence on technology and third party vendors, its potential need for additional financing, as well as other risks described in XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 3-15-04. Copies of the filing are available upon request from XM Radio's Investor Relations Department. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000724/XMSATLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: XM Satellite Radio CONTACT: Chance Patterson of XM Satellite Radio, +1-202-380-4318, or chance.patterson@xmradio.com Web site: http://www.xmradio.com/ ------- Profile: International Entertainment