Bridge Ratings projects that over the last 15 weeks 1,718,945 additional subscriptions to satellite radio have been entered at the retail level, writes MediaBuyerPlanner. XM's share of this 15-week projected retail sales is 50.2 percent, Sirius's 49.8 percent. Based on the slowing trendline of sales for XM, Bridge Ratings now projects XM total subscriber count at 8.4 million by year end 2006 and 6.5 million for Sirius.

The "Stern-Effect" seen during Bridge Ratings' satellite research trends of 2005's fourth quarter and into the first quarter of '06, continues to be less of a factor this quarter. Bridge's latest estimate is that a total of 1.33 million (11 percent) of Stern's terrestrial fan base has migrated to Sirius.

As Bridge Ratings continues to interview former Stern listeners, it has noted an apparent apathy regarding future Sirius subscriptions.