Yesterday's WSJ article about Sirius (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

In a perfect world it would be great
if satellite radio had the available
bandwidth to broadcast High Definition
(or at CD quality).

I would certainly pay a higher premium
to have this sort of quality pumped into
my home or car.

High Definition FM is a joke as long as
one must deal with comnmercials and corporate
run playlists. Don't see why that format
is even being pushed.

At this point the sound quality doesn't
really bother me. I have a bass kicker
in my trunk and having those sort of lows
really adds punch to the music. Any flaws
I hear tend to be in the "highs" which often
sound very shrill.

 

[Chris]

What I am really waiting for is an "on demand" type satellite radio system that would allow you to "buy" offerings. I don't mean this jokingly. I think often that it would be more then slick if you could buy audiobooks/premiere content via satellite radio

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

I don't know if anyone's posted a link to this one yet but here's an interesting article I ran across today:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...imit_for_birds

This quote was interesting:
"While Sirius dominated the headlines with its Stern grab, XM believes its long-term success resides in its music programming, which it argues is more adventurous -- and cultivates more listener loyalty -- than Sirius'."

 

[TheLongshot]

I like that statement. XM is all about the music for me.


Well, it would be nice if XM Music Lab was sitting next to Fine Tuning. Maybe then XMML would actually play the progressive rock that they are supposed to be playing.

Course, I don't think anyone human is running XMML anymore. :rolleyes

Jason

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I can't begin to tell you how true this is.

Even my girlfriend who I am introducing to satellite
radio has commented about how much Sirius repeats their
music.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I don't think the comparison to TV is valid. Most people only listen to the radio when they're in the car driving. They watch TV for hours on end at home.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Satellite radio will change that. I suspect it will
become a centerpiece for home gatherings, parties and
after-work relaxation.

No Cds to change. Very easy to pick a favorite
genre for the ocassion and just let the music play
all day/night without commercial interruption.

 

[BrianAe]

I think it is valid. The fact is people spend a lot of time in their cars and listen to a lot of radio. That is why it is such big business. Perhaps it is even more compelling than the cable analogy given that there is nothing else to do in your car.

I think other than the car, radio while working will become bigger. I think sat radio during free time at home is a stretch.

 

[TheLongshot]

Well, I know with Real's Rhapsody, that my wife listens to it both at work and at home. I sometimes listen to Radio Paradise (a internet radio station) at work.

It isn't beyond reality to expect some home penetration as well. Granted, it isn't going to be like TV, but I do think it is signifigant.

Jason

 

[Chris]

I think it has more options then you think. I know of companies that use both SIRIUS and XM for "on hold" music.. the reason is because it handles issues related to song royalties, etc. through special plans you can get with both companies. Smaller companies can get away with pumping the radio through, etc. but if you're a larger company, you get nice "cease and decist" letters unless you're paying royalties. More then that, some smaller companies don't like using regular radio because while you are on hold, you might hear ads for their competitors.

SIRIUS and XM both have special plans available for business that put all of that in their hands and allow them to use commercial free radio sources for on hold music with guarantees of no local advertiser competition in the on-hold que.

 

[Philip Hamm]

This is a good point! I know people who use the music stations on Dish and DirecTV for this, even sometimes just having the music coming out of their TV!

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

I agree 100%. The key is getting the masses exposed to satellite radio. My feeling is that once most music lovers realize what they're missing by not subscribing to XM Radio or Sirius then a significant percentage of them will jump on the bandwagon. That's my theory, anyway. For example, I currently have XM Radio in my car, and my wife has never really listened to it. When I mentioned getting a second subscription so I could listen at home her response was "I just don't understand why we have to pay money to listen to the radio." That argument is parallel to people in the early days of cable television. During those days, people like my father, who had never sampled cable tv, said "I don't understand why I have to pay money to watch TV." By now, most of the world understands that cable tv/satellite tv is not the same as traditional broadcast television. With satellite radio, what I believe will eventually happen is that people (like my wife) will realize that satellite radio is not "radio" in the traditional sense of the word. I guess time will tell, though...

Link Removed

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Mark,

You hit the nail directly on the head.

What is happening now with FM vs. Satellite
Radio is the exact same situation and argument
that existed back in the late 70s/early 80s
when cable TV came into existence.

People couldn't fathom the concept of paying
for television -- especially when it was being
pumped in their homes over the air at no charge.

It took some time, but soon enough people
realized the benefits of PAY cable with its
vast entertainment choices and improved reception.

Sound familiar eh?

No doubt in my mind that satellite radio will
diminish or replace FM radio in the next few
years.

If I were you, I'd buy stock in XM, SIRIUS or
both. XM has already gone from $5 to nearly $40
in the past year. I have co-workers who bought
XM stock at $5. I was lucky to get in at $24.