Xm Satellite Radio Holdings

Warner Music Group Corp. and XM Satellite Radio say they have settled a legal dispute over a portable music player sold by XM that enables users to record and store individual songs from the firm's broadcasts. The agreement announced Friday covers all of XM's current and future devices with copying features. New York-based Warner Music and other major record companies sued XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. last year for copyright infringement.

The Federal Communications Commission said licenses held by XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. would prevent them from combining, but one industry expert said they could ask for the licenses to be modified. "There's a prohibition on one entity owning both of those licenses," FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin said. However, Martin also said the FCC would examine any transaction submitted to it.

Walt Disney Co. will offer its radio stations through satellite broadcasters Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. Sirius and XM will offer ESPN Radio, Radio Disney and ABC News and Talk, the companies said. Sirius also will offer ESPNews and the "Midnight Cowboy Trucking Show." XM Satellite plans to begin airing as many as 100 channels of news and music from two satellites to U.S. motorists for $9.95 a month by the end of September.

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the first U.S. satellite broadcaster, said Chief Financial Officer Heinz Stubblefield has resigned. Stubblefield, who joined XM in 1998 and helped with the company's early development and raising capital, will become CFO at Atlanta-based AHL Services Inc. His resignation is effective Monday, XM said. Washington-based XM named treasurer Greg Cole as acting CFO while it conducts an executive search.

Volkswagen, Europe's largest car maker, will offer a choice of satellite-radio services from Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. to buyers of Volkswagen and Audi cars in the United States. Terms of the agreements weren't disclosed. New York-based Sirius and Washington-based XM Satellite each provide 100 digital radio stations to customers for a monthly fee, the companies said. In January, General Motors Corp.

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s chief executive said the company made enough sales during the holiday period to meet analysts' estimates for 20,000 to 30,000 subscribers to the satellite radio service by Monday. Shares of XM rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. gained 8%, led by expectations the companies' sales will prove pessimists wrong, analysts said. Both money-losing companies had missed subscriber estimates after delaying the introduction of service.

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the biggest U.S. satellite-radio service, said it might need to raise money to pay for a fourth satellite. Shares of the company, which never has turned a profit, dropped as much as 24%. XM also said its second-quarter net loss widened to $161.9 million from $117.2 million. On a per-share basis, the loss was unchanged at $1.38 after XM increased the number of shares outstanding.

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., the No. 2 U.S. pay-radio provider, surpassed 3 million subscribers as users signed up ahead of talk-show host Howard Stern's debut at the company next month. The New York-based company, with more than 120 commercial-free stations, said in a statement that it expected a strong end of the year. Sirius on Nov. 1 had predicted more than 3 million users at year's end.

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the biggest pay-radio company, said it expected to have 5.5 million subscribers by the end of this year and that it added Dr. Laura Schlessinger and G. Gordon Liddy as radio show hosts. XM added 1.8 million subscribers in a year and now has more than 3.2 million customers, the company said. Schlessinger's "Dr. Laura" show and Liddy's program will begin broadcasting next month, Washington-based XM said. XM Satellite shares fell 79 cents to $34.56.

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., the second-biggest pay-radio company, said it would double subscribers this year after ending 2004 with 1.14 million, exceeding its target of 1 million. The New York company credited retail sales, more awareness of the benefits of satellite radio and recognition by consumers of the company's programming. "A growing percentage of subscribers" will come from the new-car market, spokesman Patrick Reilly said. Sirius has said it needs 2 million subscribers to break even.