XM Radio: Why Rudy Is Excited About It!
Every now and then, a new format comes along that shakes up convention and makes the public aware of something newer and better than what they are used to. This has happened over the years, but in more recent times, the CD took over for the LP and cassette, DVD has pretty much become the predominant video format (taking over VHS and killing Laserdisc, which never really took off except in video enthusiast circles), and DSS (digital satellite television) changed the way people perceived existing satellite systems (BUDs...Big Ugly Dishes) and conventional cable and terrestrial (antenna) broadcasts.
While it hasn't completely caught on like wildfire yet, I believe satellite radio is poised to become one of the next "big things" in consumer electronics. XM Radio and Sirius are the two big players. As of Feb. 1, 2004, XM joins Sirius in providing 100% commercial free programming on all of their music channels. XM is cheaper by three dollars per month, at $9.99. AM and FM will continue to exist, but there's good reason to believe that XM will eventually erode market share for terrestrial radio broadcasting and cause them to either reinvent themselves (highly unlikely with the corporate "lock" on programming, marketing and demographics), or force the smaller players out of the market and make radio even more worse than it already is.
But just what is wrong with radio today? Programming. Over the years our listening habits have been channeled to accept the fact that radio stations now only play very narrow sets of music that have "tested well" with listeners. That and the fact that advertising takes up almost 20% of programming time on some stations is enough to send a music lover running for cover.
XM Radio has programming that in my opinion makes conventional radio look like dying roadkill. What have I found with XM radio so far that I like?
- Each channel has its own program director, experts in their own fields. Because of that, they can concentrate solely on programming a lot of interesting material for their broadcasts. They can dig deep, finding popular hits that haven't been played in years, or deep cuts that fans haven't heard on a broadcast recently up until now.
- Some channels are all music, while others have live disc jockeys during the day. It's a nice, human touch. While some DJs are of the fast-talking types you hear on radio today, there is a difference. You can tell by listening to them that they know and remember the music they are playing, and they genuinely sound like they enjoy their work and, more importantly, like sharing their music with their listeners. So many of today's FM DJs are just talking heads...some even "voice track" for stations they've probably never visited.
- 100 or more channels can seem overwhelming, but anyone who loves music will find at least a half dozen channels they like. It is very easy to be tainted by your typical AM/FM channels. Let's look at a format like Oldies. If our local Oldies station is an indicator, there were not many songs recorded throughout history, and 25% of them were Motown. XM has six Decades channels, from the 40's to the 90's, and I've found they play any popular music from those decades regardless of genre. I would never admit to being an oldies fan, but I find I'm listening to the 50's channel and really liking it, as they play blues, rockabilly, instrumental, pop vocals, early rock and roll, and doo-wop. There is a lot of variety. I'm hearing old music I've never heard before and liking a lot of it.
- The cost is very affordable. Granted the hardware could be a little less expensive, but the monthly cost is peanuts. $9.99/month for XM. I have heard a few arguments along the lines of, "Why should I pay for radio when I get FM for free?" or, "That's a lot of money for only music programming!". It doesn't fly. Think about the last CD you bought. You paid more for it, you listened to it a few times, you filed it away. The ones you really liked are probably still near your CD player, but what about all of those $14.99 duds you bought a long time ago that you haven't played in months...or years? In that light, $9.99 is cheap, continuous entertainment that you will find yourself listening to a lot more often.
One drawback to XM Radio right now is that I feel they could be marketing this to the home and background music markets. They are doing a great job with the automobile manufacturers, but with so much programming spread over the day, compared to the relatively small amount of time spent in a vehicle (for most people), XM makes even more sense in someone's home or as background music in a store, office or restaurant. As of yet there are few options for home use; many involve a home "cradle" for a car unit, which is neat since you can take your receiver with you and only pay for one subscription.
Bottom line, I find that I've pretty much given up on FM broadcasts in general. I have no desire to listen to a four-hour loop of the same songs repeated ad nauseum, not to mention the advertising. Whenever I don't specifically want to listen to any of my own LP and CD collection, I find I'm turning on the XM receiver and tuning in to whatever I'm in the mood for. For a music lover, XM Radio is a real treat and a good value for the money. XM has put the fun back into my own "radio" listening, and--wouldn't you know it?--it makes me want to write down some of the tunes I really like and go out and buy the music! (The recording industry should take note.) I could think of plenty of other ways to spend entertainment dollars that go nowhere, and XM's a great bargain in that respect.
Posted on Jan 14, 2004 at 1:43 am by Rudy.
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