satellite radio on the web

XM Satellite has launched their web streaming service. Essentially you can get 75 channels of streaming content for $4 a month (if you already subscribe to XM Radio, which we do in both our cars and in our home).

Satellite radio is at a tipping point in terms of adoption, from millions of vehicles to ship this year alone, portable and home use, and finally on the web. Look for more content to be developed, and innovative uses for the data side, for example url's embedded with the content for online interactions.

Comments

[Brian Weaver]

There are thousands of Internet radio stations out there, with little or no advertising. At 128Kbit the sound is excellent. Why would I want to pay for 75 stations just to have it in my car?
Currently listening to Bach's Violin Sonatas with WimAmp V10.

[jeff]

and internet radio is another option...

To clarify, this is XM satellite radio for your desktop (or I guess mobile if you use a wifi connection). XM radio for your vehicle is another service offered by the company, and to answer your question of why you would pay just to have it in your car... try it out and you won't ask that question again.

I think both of the satellite radio companies recognize that content is what will drive adoption. You already have seen some big moves here with Sirius signing Howard Stern, XM hosting a Bob Edwards (formerly of NPR) program, and both of the companies doing deals for sports broadcast rights. Also available are audio broadcasts of Fox News, CNN, CNBC, and more.

There are a great number of internet radio stations, but the quality and service reliability is a pretty broad range. I've never found internet radio stations to be a particularly appealing option, but that's just me.

[Al]

Thanks for mentioning the new service Jeff. I wonder how this will play out in the market. I got the 3 free months of XM Radio with my new Honda. While I certainly enjoy the service (especially the Cinemagic Movie music channel 27), I 'm not sure I'll be paying the $120 per year once my 3 free months are up. Not sure there is a value proposition for most typical folks. When I lived in Japan, I enjoyed a cable radio service to pipe some English content from the States into my apartment and didn't mind paying. But when I can hear so much content on NPR, music around San Francisco, and an in-dash 6 cd changer full of tunes, I'm not sure I can justify paying for an additional novely.

I wonder what the sign up rate has been once the free trials with new cars are up, especially in metropolitan areas where there are many free air waves.

Curious about a VC's point of view of the whole Satellite, digital radio business and other interesting non-traditional content applications, like traffic info,etc.

[Shawn Lea]

I'm a Sirius subscriber - and this has always been free on Sirius. And I agree with the other comments - why would you pay even "only $3.99" a month for online music that you can get in so many locations on the Web. I could see charging non-subscribers, but charging subscribers extra for online music makes no sense to me.