Sirius+Satellite+Radio

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With the intense government regulation of public radio, the introduction of satellite radio allows for a more creative and innovative for of media distribution. Satellite Radio has no limits to its distribution signals. You can experience your favourite music, sports, news, comedies, talk shows in a new and extraodinary way. "Satellite radio gives you the freedom to hear what you want, when you want it."

Sirius satellite radio is one of two satellite radio services (the other is XM radio) operating in both the United States and Canada. Sirius Satellite Radio is headquartered in New York City, USA and was founded in 1990 when it was known as CD Radio before having its named change to Sirius on November 18,1999. Sirius provides 24 hours a day of commercial free broadcasting. Sirius provides 69 channels of music along with 65 channels of sports, news and entertainment to listeners. It's model is set up much like premium cable television, in that you pay for commercial free content.

Recently in October 2006, Sirius launched its Sirius Internet Radio with about 75 of its 135 stations being available worldwide on the Internet to subscribers with a legitimate user name and password.

= = =Sirius' Satellite=

Most public radio signals only have the capability to travel around 30-40 miles from their source. This limits the range in which one can travel before losing radio signal. Satellite radio resolves this issue. Satellite radio has the capabilities of broadcasting its signal from more than 22,000 miles from its source and provide absolute clarity in their sound. In 1992, the US federal Communication Commission (FCC) allowed the "S" band (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of satellite-based Digital audio radio service. Four companies applied for a license in order to broadcast over the band but only two companies were granted permission to do so. In 1997, the FCC gave licenses to Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio who each paid more than $80 million to use the "S" band space for digital satellite transmission. Sirius broadcasts their signal using 12.5 MHz of the S band between 2320 and 2332.5 MHz. Sirius uses a variant of Lucent's Perceptual audio coder to compress the audio channels they transmit.

Sirius currently has three satellites (LS-1300) orbiting earth 24 hours a day. Sirius claims the path of its satellite ensures that each satellites spend about 16 hrs a day over the USA, with at least one of the satellites over the country at all times. Sirius also has a fourth satellite which remains on the ground as a spare which would be ready for launch if any of the three active satellites ever encounter any technical difficulties. This fourth satellite is located in Palo Alto, California. The three active satellites broadcast their signals directly to the consumer's receiver, but only two of them can broadcast simultaneously to a receiver. A third, separate signal is uploaded to the AMC-6 Ku band satellite and received by 36 inch satellite dishes for the ground repeater network. This third signal is broadcast on a third segment of the signal with a four second delay between each segment. This allows the receivers to maintain a large buffer of the audio stream which would alleviate any temporary loss of signal if one were to lose line of sight of any of the satellites.

=Content=

Howard Stern
On October 6,2004, Sirius satellite radio announced their biggest contract deal signing Radio personality host Howard Stern to a lucrative deal worth approximately 100 million dollars per year for a 5 year period. Howard Stern is one of the most recognizable radio show host due to his outrageous content material and his strange yet creative personality. The deal guarantees Howard Stern three full time programming channels, in which Stern is currently operating two while still retaining the rights to the third channel. After the Superbowl halftime debacle that was created by a "wardrobe malfunction" by pop performers, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, the FCC implemented a more stringent regulation, which Howard Stern felt stifled his freedom to speak and ultimately his creative abilities. This would be the push that edged Howard Stern over to satellite radio, a new form of media distribution that Howard Stern advocates is one of the greatest industry he has been apart of.

Others
Sirius' main strategy from the beginning of launch was to host an abundant of high performance entertainers and in this they've brought in big name celebrities such as Martha Stewart, E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt, and Eminem to executive produce some high profile radio shows.

=Program Offerings=

Sports Streams

 * ESPN Radio
 * ESPN News
 * Sports Byline USA
 * Sirius Sports Action
 * Sports 1
 * Sports 2
 * Sports 3
 * Radio Deportivo (En Espanol)

Entertainment
>
 * Sirius Trucking Network
 * Discovery
 * E! Entertainment
 * Radio Classics
 * WSM (Grande Ole Opry)
 * Court TV
 * A&E
 * Sirius Comedy
 * Howard Stern
 * Martha Stewart
 * Playboy Radio

News

 * Fox News
 * CNBC
 * Bloomberg News
 * ABC News & Talk
 * CNN Headline News
 * C-SPAN
 * TWC (4 Weather Channels)
 * NPR Now
 * NPR Talk
 * BBC Radio

Kids

 * Disney radio

=Subscription=


 * $12.95/mth for single account
 * @ $10.00/mth 1 year prepaid account
 * $6.99/mth for family account (up to 4 radios)

Additional Cost

 * $10.00 Activation Fee if done online
 * $15.00 Activation Fee if done over phone

=Sirius Canada= On November 5th, 2005, Sirius announced Canada would start up a satellite radio service in which it would include a full 100 channels of the best music, news, sports, and entertainment available, SIRIUS Canada will provide the most comprehensive satellite radio service in the country. SIRIUS Canada is a partnership of CBC/Radio-Canada, Standard Radio Inc. (Canada's largest privately-owned radio network) and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (U.S.), the fastest growing satellite radio company in North America. Mark Redmond, CEO and president of Sirius Canada was quoted saying "we are launching SIRIUS Canada with 100 channels of music, entertainment, sports and information, the true //A-List.// With 60 channels of commercial-free music, incredible sports coverage from the NFL, NHL, and the NBA, great entertainment programming from Maxim to Martha Stewart and up-to-the-minute news from CBC/Radio-Canada and the BBC, SIRIUS has it all."

Sirius Music

 * Pop
 * Rock
 * Electronic, Dance, Hip hop
 * Country
 * Jazz
 * Standards and Classical

Sports
Sirius Canada will have the most in depth coverage and play by play commentary for the most dedicated of sports fans. Sirius will broadcast a variety of hockey sports as well as features from //ESPN radio// and //ESPN news//.

Talk
Sirius will have a diversity of talk shows ranging from enterntainment for gay and lesbian communities to //Sirius Out Q// to radio talk show for guys on //Maxim Radio//

Other
In addition, Sirius Canada will have features on International entertainment, radio streams for women, and many more

=Bibliography=

"How Satellite Radio Works" __Howstuffworks__ 1998-2006. Nov 17. 2006. http://www.howstuffworks.com/satellite-radio.htm

"Sirius Satellite Radio FAQ" __Sirius Satellite Radio__ 17 Nov. 2006. http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Sirius/CachedPage&c=Page&cid=1018209032792

"Sirius Satellite Radio" __Wikipedia__ 17 Nov. 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIRIUS_Satellite_Radio

"Sirius Canada Unveils 100 Channel Premium Satellite Radio Service" __CBC__ 2 Nov 2005. 17 Nov. 2006. http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/newsreleases/20051102.shtml