If you listen to the promotions for satellite radio, who would say no? Digital quality tunes and talk, live concerts, hundreds of channels to choose from, no more fiddling with a fading reception in Framingham, no more static in Seattle.
Satellite radio. It’s coming, it’s here, and the stickers on the new cars say they’re already wired to dial-in sounds from the sky. All for just 10 bucks a month.
It’s a mantra of hype for a technology that’s either about to come into its own or that may founder, finding that after all, the weather and the traffic and the friendly local DJs matter to the drive time commuters.
It’s all very big business, with billions invested and the two competing firms needing big customer lists to survive.
Guests:
Margaret Low Smith, Vice President for Programming at NPR
Lisa Crane, managing partner of Media Venture Advisors, and digital media consultant
Steven Gavenas, Executive Vice President of Programming and Business Development for XM Radio
Joe Capobianco, senior vice president of content for Sirius Radio