Radio Revolution?
With congressional passing of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the world of mass media was seemingly turned upside down and inside out virtually overnight. While the effects of new regulations in ownership and a shift towards niche programming have seemingly sapped the creativity out of popular radio, a concept like XM satellite radio was sure to debut sooner than later. XM Satellite Radio is a new way of delivering radio programming utilizing two geostationary satellites to beam down to cars, homes and other listening environments up to 100 channels of music, news and audio entertainment. The service will offer coast-to-coast coverage and digital-quality sound, but will require the purchase of a special tuner and antenna. The XM Satellite Radio service expects to launch in late 2000 and will cost a monthly fee of $10. While some are heralding the XM system as the most revolutionary advancement in radio broadcasting ever to hit the airwaves, it still remains to be seen as to whether or not this idea will ever come to fruition. Stay tuned. ◼
