Anthony from The Opie and Anthony Show installs Windows Vista

Anthony from The Opie and Anthony Show on XM Radio and Free FM was excited to get the new Microsoft Windows Vista on his computer. He picked up his copy of Vista on the night of its release, and went home to install it on his brand new high end “Vista Ready” Dell PC.

Unfortunately the install didn’t go as planned as his hardware(very high end NVidia) was found to be incompatible with Vista, but not until the whole install process was almost complete and he was greeted with the ever-so-popular Blue Screen Of Death.

Here is a quick video of Anthony “installing” Windows Vista after troubleshooting his issue for a few hours:

XM Radio needs Your Help: Don’t Let Congress Hurt Satellite Radio

As we posted early last week, the Music Industry is trying to force Congress into to pass a legislation, that would prevent XM listeners from being able to use the new XM radios, unless XM pays much, much higher royalty fees.

XM Satellite radio is already pays tens of millions of dollars in royalties to artists, songwriters and record labels, more than any other company, while free FM pays nothing.

XM Satellite Radio sent out an email to subscribers tonight, and is asking for your help. Click here to locate and write to your Senators and Representative in support of satellite radio.

Here is the email that went out to XM subscribers from the CEO Of XM Radio, Hugh Panero.

Dear XM Subscriber,

I’m emailing you personally because XM Satellite Radio needs your help.

The big record companies are pressuring Congress to pass legislation that would prevent XM listeners like you from having access to more music choices and new technologies. If these powerful special interests get their way, it will be much tougher for satellite radio to keep bringing you the unique and innovative artists you find on XM. Continue reading XM Radio needs Your Help: Don’t Let Congress Hurt Satellite Radio…

XM Satellite Radio VS Warner and the Music Industry

Music industry representatives are trying to push the U.S. Senate committee to consider a new legislation that would force satellite radio, cable and Internet radio companies to pay much higher royalties.

XM Satellite radio and rival satellite company Sirius already pay tens of millions of dollars in royalties to to the labels, writers, and performers, while terrestrial radio(Free FM) pays nothing.

The music industry charges royalties along a continuum. The rates depend on whether the listener can possess copies of the music. Purely passive listening, or performance as it is called, as happens in free, traditional radio is at one end of the continuum. iTunes, which charges the user to download copies of the music for personal play, is at the other end.

Currently, XM and Sirius pay performance royalties, but do not pay royalties for distribution services. XM Satellite Radio currently pays more in royalties than any other single company.

Supporters of this legislation argue that satellite radio companies should pay for distribution services similar to other broadcasters. For instance, Internet radio download services pay distribution royalties for temporary downloads. On the other hand, opponents contend that the portable satellite devices are a high-tech way for consumers to record radio programming for personal use in their homes, a practice that is commonly considered a consumer fair use right.

XM representatives explain that XM subscribers have the right to record a song for themselves, from the radio for free.

“Our subscribers, just like radio listeners have done for 50 years, have the right to make a single copy of a song for themselves,” said Mr. Parsons of XM, the largest satellite radio distributor in the United States. “They don’t have the right to distribute that copy on the Internet for others.”

The Perform Act, as the bill is called for short, is sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-California), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), and majority leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee).

XM411 and Subscribers fight back.

XM411 urges all satellite radio subscribers to write to your congressperson, to let them know that this is a “scam”. If you want to do your part in helping, here are some websites to help you locate your congressperson in regard to THE PERFORM ACT.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm