Satellite Radio: Inducted in 2002
How do you like the radio stations in your town? If you're lucky you may be able to tune in to a handful of good choices, such as one or two decent music stations, an informative news station, and hopefully a pure sports station.
But even if you live in a large urban area replete with an alphabet soup of station call signs, you may still feel frustrated with music station playlists or lack of game coverage for a favorite team. Not to mention what happens when you drive too far from your usual stomping grounds and the signal is replaced with static.
In 1997 two companies launched new services to help frustrated listeners find the right ear candy for them, and when we say "launched," we mean as in rockets going up.
Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio were the winners in a FCC bandwidth auction that allowed them to lay claim to the ultimate in broadcast antenna height. Broadcasting from Earth orbit, the two stations satellites provide hundreds of digital-quality channels to all of North America. With no commercials, though you need to pay to subscribe and use their proprietary receivers.
Despite a rocky start in uneven economic times, the innovation could set the standard for broadcasting in the future. Unlike satellite TV services, you don't need a stationary dish antenna aimed at a point in the sky. You can even listen in your car -- during long trips -- without ever touching that dial.
Next page: VISAR - Out of chaos, order
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