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February 13, 2009

Why Sirius Should Ditch Satellite And Go To The Web...

Slate | Read Full Story >

Though many of Sirius XM’s problems have been exacerbated by the economy—the company loaded up more than $3 billion in debt with the expectation that cheap credit would remain plentiful—satellite radio has always been an idea out of step with the times. Like print newspapers, travel agencies, and record shops, Sirius XM offers what seems like a pretty great service—the world’s best radio programming for just a small monthly fee—that has, in practice, been eclipsed by something far cheaper and more convenient: the Internet.

Go online and you can find just about any music or talk show that you want. It’s pretty much all free, and it’s computationally personalized to suit your tastes. You can get these services on the go, too. Apple’s iPhone, Google’s Android platform, and other smartphones can stream a huge lineup of radio content through cellular networks. There are still many hiccups—3G wireless networks don’t yet blanket the nation nearly as well as Sirius XM’s seven geosynchronous satellites—but Internet radio’s reach is sure to expand. Indeed, it’s already mesmerizing: Load up a program like Pandora or the Public Radio Tuner on your iPhone, plug it into your car’s audio-in jack, and you’ve got access to a wider stream of music than you’ll ever get through satellite.


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#1 wheatus says:

Satellites and outer space radio transmissions....Only old A$$, raised in the 50's, baby boomers could have thought that would make a sound business model in the internet age.

Watch Soundexchange be all about the websternet now.

Baby Boomers...PLEASE go away.

brendan b brown
wehatus.com


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