Sirius Satellite Radio

Before satellite radio came to be, radio listeners have to wait for a long set of commercials before getting back to the music program. Listeners have to scroll the tuning knob looking for a good sounding radio station that fits their mood but only end up listening to same songs over and over again. But that was the way before satellite radio. One of the two companies to operate on the new medium is the Sirius satellite radio.

Satellite radio was a listener’s wet dream come true. A radio that could offer a variety of musical programs, with needless talks and commercial-free hours and a signal that is spontaneous and steady all across the American States.

With over decades of research and study the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finally released the availability of a new frequency band (2.3 GHz) that will be allocated for satellite based digital audio radio services or DARS.

There were four companies who applied for licensing but only two were permitted. Sirius Satellite Radio receivers started to flock store shelves in 1997 and since then its loyal fans never ceased to grow.

Because of the near CD like sound of satellite radio Sirius satellite radio usually named its service CD Radio. Serious competition then leads the company to upgrade its brand to Sirius in a few years. It was no easy investment during those times when people have strongly gripped on the popularity and familiarity of the traditional free terrestrial radio.

The company had to pay $80 million as franchise fee for using the new frequency band. And the market for satellite radio was scarce. Sirius satellite radio receiver was relatively more expensive than the conventional radio receivers. Patience and perseverance paid off when in 2006 the company reached 6 million subscribers from 0 in 2001 with only a margin of less then 2 million against its only rival XM Satellite Radio.

Sirius satellite radio sound quality was boosted after the completion of a three-set satellite constellation on November 30, 2000. Its competitor XM has four. Both companies have commissioned a spare satellite ready to be launched should any of their existing satellites fail. A satellite could cost up to $300 million to build including its launch.

Today the company boasts of over 130 channels of diverse music, talk and lifestyle programs. Sirius satellite radio employed stellar names in the radio industry such as Howard Stern, Martha Stewart, and signed deals with seasoned and important media entities like, CNN, CBS, CNBC, Radio Disney, ABC News, BBC World, National Public Radio and E! Entertainment. This had made its satellite programming services a huge market drawer.

The company is staffed by dedicated professionals who are experts in their fields of interest. Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin in a report states that what separates their service from their competition is the quality of programming. This is achieved through their effective demographic and market research coupled with a team of seemingly radio scientists and performers.

The channel spectrum of the company’s satellite radio service has reached even the smallest and most discriminating niche market. Now reaching 198 channels the most listened to service is the Sirius Hits 1 that caters to teenagers and young adults geared to listening pop and trendy songs. Other favorites include the Starlite for lite pop programming, Totally 70s for seventies music programming, Big 80s for 80s music programming, Sirius Gold for 50s music programming, and other channels that focus on a single music genre.

There is even a channel dedicated to pure Elvis Presley music. And a set of channels that carry up to the minute weather forecasts and news updates in key cities of the country.

In the early part of January 2007, Sirius and XM Satellite Radio submitted a Consolidated Application for Authority to Transfer Control to the FCC otherwise known as the merger. This was strongly opposed by the members of the National Broadcasters Association or NAB who are advocates of non-monopoly over mass media. Sirius satellite radio however firmly stands that the mergers will help keep the satellite radio services getting better.