Washington — XM Satellite Radio is pushing its strategy to bring live programming, announcing that it has teamed up with AOL and AEG, a leading concert, entertainment and sports presenter, and Kevin Wall, executive producer of Live 8, to create Network Live, an AEG, AOL and XM Company.
Network Live is a multiplatform digital entertainment company dedicated to delivering live entertainment through the Internet, satellite and other third-party global media platforms, such as Video On Demand, wireless and HDTV, said XM. Wall is CEO of the newly formed joint venture.
Network Live expects to offer live music and comedy that will be promoted to AOL’s audience of more than 100 million subscribers and to more than 4.4 million XM subscribers.
“This joint venture will produce an enormous variety of live, original entertainment programs,” said Hugh Panero, president/CEO of XM.
AEG has promoted concert tours for artists including Prince, Usher, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera.
XM pointed to the success of the recent Live 8 rock concert held in multiple cities simultaneously and aired live AOL and XM as an indicator of potential demand for multiplatform live programming. The Live 8 concert attracted an estimated 2 million listeners on XM. More than 5 million people streamed a part of the concert on AOL on July 2, said XM.
XM earlier this year joined forces with AOL to create an online radio service. Also this year XM purchased Effanel Music, a leading live music, remote and mobile recording specialist.
