April 30 (Reuters) - Satellite-radio company SiriusXM

beat analysts' expectations for quarterly revenue on

Tuesday, helped by demand for its advertising services and

lower-priced offerings.

SiriusXM has stepped up efforts toward bolstering its

content line-up with exclusive talk-shows such as "This Life of

Mine" with James Corden, which has gained popularity and helped

the company to increase its media presence.

The company reported first-quarter revenue of $2.16 billion,

above analysts' average estimate of $2.13 billion, according to

LSEG data.

SiriusXM had rolled out a new streaming app in December,

with a lower, all-access plan priced at $9.99 a month, looking

to retain subscribers and attract new users as it faces

sustained competition from larger rivals Spotify ( SPOT ) and

Alphabet's YouTube.

The company reported a 7% rise in advertising revenue to

$402 million in the first quarter, helped by continued

investments in podcasts.

"We are seeing increasing success by taking a network-first

approach, allowing for greater flexibility and audience

targeting for our advertisers ... Buying across the SiriusXM

Podcast Network allows marketers to target their key audiences

at scale, and to reach dedicated fandom," CEO Jennifer Witz

said.

SiriusXM, which offers its audio products to automakers, has

also received a boost from rising U.S. auto sales in the first

quarter on sustained appetite for crossover SUVs, pickup trucks

and better supply of new vehicles.

But, according to the company, positive auto sales have led

to an increased monthly churn rate - the rate of customers who

stopped using the company's services - among self-pay users at

1.7% versus 1.6% in the first quarter of 2023.

Self-pay subscribers decreased by 359,000 in the first

quarter, compared with a decline of 347,000 a year ago.

The company's net income for the quarter stood at $265

million, versus $233 million a year ago.