XM & Sirius Satellite Radio
America's hottest and most popular satellite radio broadcaster is the Sirius XM Satellite Radio. It was not until 2008 that the separate broadcasters Sirius and XM merged to become America's biggest radio broadcaster.
The merged Sirius XM group now broadcasts two satellite radio services – the main Sirius section and the subsidiary XM service. Both are pay-for-service channels. Satellite CD Radio Inc and XM Satellite Radio Holding Inc were both founded in 1999. The former became the Sirius Satellite Radio and the two became Sirius XM Satellite Radio after the merger in 2008.
Sirius officially went on air on July 1, 2002. It has its main studio in New York City and two smaller ones in Memphis and Los Angeles. Today, Sirius offers 69 music channels and 65 others of sports, entertainment and news. The XM offers 73 types of music channels and 39 of news, sports, talk and entertainment.
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The XM also offers 21 regional channels that broadcast a 24x7 stream of data and news on traffic and weather. XM Satellite Radio also airs 23 play-by-play sports channels. However, all music channels on the combined Sirius XM Satellite Radio are free of commercials.
Downloads of Sirius and XM content can be obtained via the Napster service which has been upgraded to provide content that can match modern receivers that come with Mp3 file handling abilities.
There are many types of receivers that you can use to hear Sirius XM Satellite Radio broadcasts. These include:
There are currently several types of receivers available to consumers:
- Plug & Play receivers: The machine has a base unit for power, antenna and audio connections. A single home can include multiple base units that can also be installed in the car. The portable boom-box unit can be carried around the house. This is the cheapest variety of receivers available in the market.
- In-dash receivers: These are particularly meant for the car stereo system. Several car manufacturers are now offering stereo systems with built-in Sirius XM Satellite Radio receivers.
- Desktop/Home theater system: These are high-quality expensive receivers that can be connected to a headset if required. These can include small dock-radio machines or heavy duty home theater receivers.
- Portable receivers: Are for private personal hearing only. These are self-contained with no requirement for external antennas.
Some Sirius XM Satellite Radio channels are available on the Dish Network too. But these channels are only of entertainment content produced by the radio channel and not syndicated items or talk shows. The XM traffic and weather service can also be heard only on the receivers.









