The NIH Radio News Service has a few new listeners — more than 4 million of them. That's the number of subscribers claimed by Washington, D.C.'s XM Satellite Radio. Beginning July 1, XM began running a daily 60-second radio feature called "NIH Health Matters," hosted by former XM broadcaster and current NIH Radio News Service production manager Bill Schmalfeldt.

"Health Matters is a feature aimed at health care consumers that tells the many success stories here at NIH," Schmalfeldt said. "In July, our stories include such topics as ways to avoid Type 2 diabetes, news about a study concerning problem drinking in colleges, and how NIH researchers are getting closer to cures for such things as food allergies." He said the stories include audio cuts from NIH researchers and grantees, geared to a lay audience.

Mark Schramm, executive producer of talk programming at XM Satellite Radio, said the subscriber- based radio service was looking forward to airing "NIH Health Matters." He called the features "informative and interesting" and said "they will be a strong addition to our news/talk lineup of channels."

"Health Matters" will air up to 8 times each weekday on the nearly two dozen news and talk channels on the satellite radio service, which went on the air in 2001 with a lineup of commercial- free music channels and news/talk channels including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and CNBC. The service is available coast to coast for a subscription price of $12.95 per month and requires a special radio, available from most consumer electronic stores. From 2001 to 2003, Schmalfeldt was the program director of XM's "On Broadway" channel.

The NIH Radio News Service, supported by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, OD, also produces weekly features available online (http://www.nih.gov/news/radio/index.htm) and by telephone at 1-800-MED-DIAL.