XL Cover Story: Comparing Satellite Radio Services
August 11, 2005
| Sirius Satellite Radio Rockefeller Center, 1221 Avenue of the Americas; New York, NY 10020 www.sirius.com |
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XM Satellite Radio 1500 Eckington Place NE, Washington, D.C. 20002; www.xmradio.com |
| 1.8 million | Number of subscribers | 4.4 million |
| 3 million | Subscribers by year's end (company predictions) |
6 million |
| $12.95 per month; $142.45 per year (one month free); $271.95 for two years (three months free); lifetime subscription, $499.99. Up to three additional subscriptions for $6.99 each per month. | Subscription cost | $12.95 per month (Playboy Channel $2.99 per month extra); $142.45 per year (one month free); $271.95 for two years (three months free); $359.64 for three years (8.2 months free); $479.52 for four years (11 months free); $599.40 for five years (13.7 months free). Up to four additional subscriptions for $6.99 each per month. |
| 65 | Number of music channels | 67 |
| More than 55 (some change format out of season; including 10 regional traffic and weather channels) | Number of talk, sports, news/ information, entertainment, weather and traffic channels |
86 (including 21 regional traffic and weather channels) |
| National Football League; National Basketball Association; National Hockey League; college football; Arena Football League; English soccer; Wimbledon; horse racing; Sirius Speedway; ESPN Radio; ESPNews Radio; Sports Byline USA; and SIRIUS Sports Action | Sports | Major League Baseball; NASCAR (going to Sirius in 2007); the Indy Racing League; the PGA tour; World Cup Soccer; college football; ESPN Radio; ESPNews Radio; Fox Sports Radio; and Sporting News Radio |
| Sirius makes a variety of plug-and-play models usable with existing vehicle and home systems and with portable boomboxes; they list from $99.95 to $299.95 (boomboxes and adapter kits are usually extra). The company also has auto-only models and home receiver and tuner models, plus a retro-styled home "table radio" for $299.99. An MP3-style portable receiver will be introduced this fall, and an MP3/satellite player is in development. | Radio types | XM makes three "XM2GO" MP3-style receivers usable with existing vehicle and home systems and as independent portables. Each lists for $299.99. Other plug-and-play models can be used in cars, homes or in portable boomboxes; they retail from $49.99 to $119.99 (boomboxes and adapter kits are usually extra). The company also has auto-only models and home receiver and tuner models. XM and Napster will introduce a Samsung MP3/satellite player later this year. |
| Alpine; Audiovox; Blaupunkt; Brix Labs; Clarion; Delphi Delco; Eclipse; Jensen; JVC; Kenwood; Pioneer; Sanyo; Tivoli; Visteon; and XACT Communications | Hardware manufacturers | Alpine; Audiophase; Audiovox/Terk; Crestron; Delphi; Denon; Dub; Garmin; Jenson; JVC; Kenwood; Panasonic; Onkyo; Pioneer; Polk; Samsung; Sony; TAO; and Yamaha |
| Best Buy; Circuit City; Crutchfield; Office Depot; Sears; Target; Wal-Mart; and RadioShack | Major retailers of hardware | Best Buy; Circuit City; Crutchfield; Sears; Target; and Wal-Mart |
| Audi; BMW; Chrysler; Dodge; Ford; Infiniti; Jaguar; Jeep; Land-Rover; Lexus; Lincoln-Mercury; Mazda; Mercedes-Benz; MINI; Mitsubishi; Nissan; Porsche; Scion; Toyota; Volkswagen; Volvo; Winnebago; plus Hertz rentals. | Vehicles for which post-production and dealer installation are available |
Acura; Audi; Buick; Cadillac; Chevrolet; GMC; Honda; Hummer; Infiniti; Isuzu; Lexus; Nissan, Pontiac; Porsche; Saab; Saturn; Scion; Toyota; Volkswagen (adding Hyundai in 2006); plus Avis, National, Alamo and Zipcar rental cars |
| Howard Stern; Martha Stewart; Eminem; Lance Armstrong; Little Steven (programming only); Adam Curry; Jim Breuer; Vincent Pastore (from "The Sopranos"); Cousin Brucie; Bill Walton; Bill Bradley; Joan Jett; David Johansen; Fred Schneider (B-52's); the Rev. Run (from Run-DMC); Tony Hawk, Bam Margera; Jonny Moseley; Mojo Nixon; Joan Jett; Shooter Jennings; Cowboy Jack Clement; Mojo Nixon (coming soon: Austinite Dallas Wayne). | Personalities | Snoop Dogg; Tom Petty; Bob Edwards; Opie & Anthony; Wynton Marsalis; Cal Ripken Jr.; Mobb Deep; Quincy Jones; Trick Daddy |
| • Five "decades" channels from the '50s to the '90s and now • Seven pop channels: top 40 hits; "lite" pop; love songs; easy listening; "mellow rock"; Elvis Radio (all Elvis Presley, all the time); and Radio Margaritaville (lots of Jimmy Buffett) • 15 rock channels: early classic rock; later classic rock; deeper classic rock; jam bands; adult album alternative; classic hard rock; "pure" hard rock; alternative; classic alternative; '80s hair bands; free form; garage; indie/college; heavy metal; and "Faction" (punk, hip-hop, hard rock for extreme sports fans; features Lance Armstrong • Six country channels: today's hits; '80s and '90s hits; classic; "outlaw" (with Mojo Nixon); bluegrass; and folk/singer-songwriters • Four hip-hop channels: Hip-Hop Nation; mixes and remixes; old-school rap; and Eminem's unedited channel • Five R&B/urban channels: urban contemporary; hits; soul ballads; classic soul; and gospel • One blues channel • Six electronic/dance channels: breakbeats/old school; club mix; trance & progressive house; smooth electronic; dance hits; and disco • Six jazz/standards channels: contemporary jazz; smooth jazz; classic jazz; swing; standards; and Broadway show tunes • Three classical channels: symphonic; vocal and pops • Five Latin and world music channels: reggae; Latin pop; "Mexicana"; tropical; and world music • Two children's channels: Kids Stuff and Radio Disney • Two Christian music channels: hits and gospel • 14 news channels: CNBC; Bloomberg; CNN; Fox; NPR Now; NPR Talk; PRI; the Weather Channel East; Central and West; C-Span; World Radio Network; BBC; and BBC Mundo (Spanish) • 21 talk and entertainment channels: Martha Stewart Living; Wisdom Radio (spiritual); classic radio shows; Court TV Plus; Discovery Channel; E! Entertainment Radio; WSM Entertainment (Grand Ole Opry); SIRIUS Trucking Network; ABC News & Talk; SIRIUS Patriot (conservative values); SIRIUS Right; SIRIUS Left; Maxim Radio; family comedy; uncensored comedy; Talk Central; SIRIUS Out Q (gay & lesbian radio); Global Catholic Network; The Word Network; Radio Catolica Mundial; and Hispanic Talk • 21 sports and play-by-play channels: ESPN; ESPNews; Sports Byline USA; Sports Action; NFL Radio • 10 Regional traffic & weather channels |
Channels |
• Six "Decades" channels from the '40s to the '90s. Seven country channels: classic; progressive (including the "Armadillo Radio Hour" from Theadgill's); old-time, round-the-clock hits; "bluegrass to newgrass"; folk and top hits • Nine hits channels: top 20 countdown; current hits; pop mix; love songs; "beautiful music"; adult contemporary; movie hits; Broadway showtunes; and world pop hits • 13 rock channels: deep album cuts; stadium rock and "hair" bands; new music; classic alternative; "mellow alternative"; classic album cuts; alternative hits; hard alternative; singer-songwriters; progressive rock and fusion; unsigned bands; punk/hardcore/ska and classic alternative hits • Seven urban channels: "the greatest soul music of all time"; neo-soul; urban adult; old school R&B; hip-hop; uncensored hip-hop and urban Top 40. Four jazz channels: traditional; contemporary; contemporary eclectic and "Sinatra and friends" • One blues channel • Three "lifestyle" channels: Hear Music (the Starbucks channel), Fine Tuning (an eclectic mix) and Audio Visions (cerebral new-age) • Four dance channels: underground; club hits; electronica; and disco • Four Latin channels: pop; regional Mexican; tropical and Latin jazz • Three world music channels: world; reggae; and African • Three classical channels: symphonic; vocal and pops • Two kids channels: XM Kids and Radio Disney • Three Christian music channels: rock, adult contemporary and gospel • 17 talk and entertainment channels: High Voltage (with shock jocks Opie & Anthony); Extreme XM (controversial talk); MTV Radio; VH1 Radio; Discovery Radio; E! Entertainment Radio; Sonic Theater; Radio Classics; Ask!; America Right; Air America; The Power (African-American talk); Family Talk (Christian); Open Road ("America's first trucker channel); XM Live (concerts and special features); uncensored comedy; and family comedy • 12 news channels: XM Public Radio (with Bob Edwards); Fox; CNN; CNN Headline News; ABC; the Weather Channel; CNBC; Bloomberg; MSNBC; BBC; C-SPAN; and Spanish CNN • 27 sports and play-by-play channels: ESPN; ESPNews; FOX; Sporting News; NASCAR; NASCAR 2; PGA Tour Network; Major League Baseball Home Plate • 21 regional traffic and weather channels • 1 emergency alert channel |
