New York, NY – December 1, 2006 -- United Stations Radio Networks, Inc., (USRN) an independent leader in original network radio programming, today announced that it will be further expanding it’s menu of daypart offerings to radio stations nationwide with the introduction of hardDrive XL, a new program designed for current-based rock radio stations. The new program, which will be satellite-fed to affiliates, is intended to help radio stations fill their 7pm to Midnight time slot with a high-profile, guest-filled, music-intensive package. The announcement came from United Stations President/COO Jim Higgins at the network’s New York headquarters.

hardDrive XL is the latest addition to the rapidly growing field of evening daypart programming and it is the network’s second such entry into programming rock for the evening daypart; USRN’s Nights with Alice Cooper has been available to Classic Rock stations since January 2004. United Stations has been producing and distributing a weekly two-hour program called hardDrive since early 2001, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in syndication and airs in 115 markets currently. The nightly version titled hardDrive XL will feature a broader playlist of new rock music than the weekend program, although like the original version, the nightly show will be targeted primarily at the 18-49 year old audience.

Like its weekend counterpart, hardDrive XL will be very artist and fan-friendly and the will bring its listeners a wide variety of news, interviews, features and contributors from the rock music landscape. Also, like the weekend edition, the nightly show will be hosted by air personality Lou Brutus. Brutus is one of the most respected rock radio hosts of the last two decades. His relationships with recording artists, his encyclopedic knowledge of music trivia, his interviewing skills and his ability to entertain using the medium of radio make him a quadruple threat on the airwaves. His radio career has earned him awards as well as ratings success at some of the nation’s most legendary broadcast outlets including WMMR/Philadelphia, WRCX/ Chicago, WBCN/Boston, WHFS/Washington DC and WHJY/Providence. Lou has also been hand-picked to host album premiere radio specials for various bands, and he has hosted hardDrive each weekend since its inception in 1996.

In making the announcement, USRN’s Higgins pointed out that the introduction of this new show is another response to current trends in radio. “With the success of Alice Cooper’s show in Classic Rock, we’ve seen more and more stations in other niches of rock who wanted to capitalize on the advantages of having a national show on at night. Since we have the brand and a great staff already in-house, it’s seemed like a natural to expand from weekends only into 5 nights a week.” The staff that Higgins is referring to is the hardDrive team led by veteran rock producer Roxy Myzal along with USRN’s EVP/Programming, Andy Denemark. hardDrive XL will premiere nationally on Monday, February 5, 2007.

United Stations Radio Networks, Inc., is the nation’s largest independently owned and operated radio network. The company currently distributes and produces dozens of format specific programs and services to roughly 4000 rated radio stations across the country including Adult Contemporary, Album Rock, County, Contemporary Hit, Oldies, Country, Smooth Jazz, Urban and Talk. The New York-based company was founded in 1994 by radio pioneers Dick Clark and Nick Verbitsky.