What is Satellite Radio?

Satellite radio is a new phenomenon, and advertisers are making a lot of effort to convince people they should pay to listen.  But what IS satellite radio, and is it worth your money?

Satellite radio is a satellite communicated digital radio signal, enveloping a larger geographical scope than normal radio signals. It provides a useful alternative to terrestrial radio in some countries,especially the United States. Services like Sirius, XM, and Worldspace, provide the functionality for listeners to rove an entire country allowing them to tune in to the same audio programming wherever they travel.

Satellite Radio services are typically inexpensive, and offer programming you can’t hear on other stations. The different services are proprietary signals, needing specific hardware for decoding and playback. Providers typically supply a selection of news, weather, sports, and music, and may have little to no advertising. The clarity of satellite radio signals is also better than regular radio stations. Currently, Sirius and XM both offer more than 100 channels of uninterruptedprogramming. Satellite radio is very similar to the dedicated radio channels offered on digital cable and satellite TV.

In satellite radio, playlists are assembled for specialist channels and loaded with suitable music. The playlists are uploaded to computers, which then assign them to orbiting satellites. The music is then communicated to listeners on the ground. Broadcasts are organized into music type, as well as into channels devoted to comedy, sports, news, chat, and leisure.  The FCC doesn’t censor satellite radio, making it similar to HBO or other premium cable stations. You’ll hear things on a satellite station you’d never hear on a regular station, and for some people, that makes it all worth it. It’s just one of dozens of reasons why a satellite subscription may be for you.