Satellite Radio Popular Here?

[Mike03]

Over the past two months I have become a passionate fan of both XM and SIRIUS Satellite radio, even to the point where I am caught up in how they are performing as companies and whether they will merge or whether one might attempt a takeover of the other.

I'm just very curious to know if others here at DU have tried, like/dislike, or whatever the phenomenon of Satellite Radio. It's the only way I can receive Air America where I live, and that was one of the initial reasons I got it, but over time I have found many other benefits--especially the news channels, since I do not own a TV. Either XM or SIRIUS is playing in my house from around 3 AM to 9 PM.

Does anyone here have and enjoy SR (or are you sorry you ever bothered to get it)?

Will this technology succeed?

Would you pay $13 a month for radio?

Have you had problems with SR?

Any opinions, positive or negative, would be appreciated. For some reason this whole industry fascinates me.

[WolverineDG]

1. I've had Sirius for over 2 years now

I wouldn't go back to terrestrial radio if they paid me to listen to it! While I'm still hacked that they took off AAR, there is still Sirius Left as well as the music channels & those beat any of the crap they try to force-feed you on terrestrial radio. Sometimes I goof around & listen to other channels, like Howard Stern. I do own some stock in Sirius (not much).

Would I pay $13/month? Hell yes. I love not being a slave to Clear Channel.

dg

[Mike03]

4. Same Here

That is exactly how I feel! I couldn't go back to terrestrial if I tried. And the price is a bargain as far as I am concerned as well.

Wow, you had it from way back before it was big news. Only after my parents got it and lent me their portable for a week did I realize what I was missing. It's truly an awesome technology, and I just hope that terrestrial radio doesn't sabotage it through negative press. (Howard Stern was talking about this last week--the effort of some radio unions to depict Sat. Radio as a "failure").

There's a new SIRIUS portable coming out next month and I'm really excited about that.

[CrushTheDLC]

2. XM subscriber here

Signed on when AAR came to XM, because my local AM affiliate had both a lousy signal and a screwed up lineup. So now I get the whole AAR network feed with no Ed Schultz crap or anything else like that. Plus all the great commercial-free music channels. The price is equivalent to 1 CD a month, so that's not a big setback for me, especially since there aren't a lot of CD's out there worth buying, and the XM music stations help me find the few that are.

[Mike03]

7. Yes, pure AAR

I think Ed is on that stray Talk Radio station, but like you I can live without him and would much rather get the untainted line up.

XM also has "Ron and Fez." Call me retarded, but I laugh like hell at that talk show. I think the Bush Administration has made me so crazy that I can finally appreciate vulgar male-oriented humor.

[alarimer]

3. I just got Sirius

There is TOO MUCH to listen too! I really love Disorder. It is even more random than my CD collection. I love it.

[Mike03]

6. Same problem here

There is a lot to listen too, and many good shows are on simultaneously. Also, because the radio is actually worth listening to, as opposed to just background noise, it is hard for me to "be productive" while I'm listening--I tend to just listen. Some of these news portable devices tape so I am trying to learn how to tape programs for replay.

I really like that LIME ("Healthy living with a twist") channel. It is the channel I retreat to after CNN becomes too much.

[sendero]

5. I have Sirius..

... and generally like it, although there is only 1 channel devoted to progressive politics, and some of the hosts on it are dubious at best.

Overall, for $13 a month, I get plenty of "entertainment" value.

From what I'm hearing, XM is in deep doo-doo.

[Mike03]

8. XM stock has tanked badly

But I believe they are in a slightly better position financially because the last time I checked they had less debt. SIRIUS is spending a ton of money right now, but it seems to be paying off in subscribers.

It is a true tug of war, and I check the news almost every day or so to see what is happening. Two years ago, it looked like XM was the top dog, but that has reversed in the past nine months. SIRIUS even has plans to launch a fourth satellite at a cost of $300 to $360 million by 2008.

[leeroysphitz]

9. I've had sirius for nearly two years.

and I would rather jam KNITTING NEEDLES into my EARS than be forced to listen to
old fashioned radio again. I have an unavoidably lengthy commute and the sat. radio thing is a huge boon to me.