XM Responds to 'Free' Radio Campaign

NEW YORK A week after terrestrial radio broadcasting groups unveiled a campaign to tout the advantages of free, over-the-air radio, XM Satellite Radio has mounted a parallel publicity push on its Web site (www.xmradio.com).

XM’s response is to the radio industry’s launch of a series of radio ads featuring artists such as Nelly, Ludacris, Avril Lavigne and Hoobastank who declare, “Radio: You hear it here first.”

XM’s campaign retorts, “Hear it here best: 100 percent commercial free!” XM’s Web site further tosses mud in AM/FM’s eye by featuring pictures of the very artists featured in the terrestrial campaign whooping it up in the XM studios.