So far, they are going about it with the old-fashioned methods, trying to lure advertisers and subscribers.

The company, though, still has $600 million in cash and a little time to lure subscribers before its big payout to Stern.

Then there is America Online, which was luring new subscribers with offers of free time but without specifying the costs at the end of the trial period.

Competition between the wireless companies has become intense in recent months, as several providers have rolled out new service plans to lure new subscribers.

In Japan, P.H.S. phones are being sold for as little as 1 yen (or about 1 cent) to lure subscribers.

But commercial companies are allowed to offer discounts, which they use to lure healthy subscribers away from Empire.

To the contrary, cable is luring new subscribers at impressive rates.

The only reason for Bazaar, a subscription-driven magazine, to be on the newsstand is to lure potential subscribers, he said.

Most important, they hope to make their offerings complete enough to lure subscribers from America Online, by far the largest provider of Internet access over dial-up modems.

Mr. Jarvi is also credited with luring new subscribers to the Detroit Symphony.