Paper Feedback

My team mates did fairly well on the rough draft. The main problems included a lack of seven sources and grammatical/spelling errors. Everyone had similar information, which made the essays redundant. The reason for this is because we all used the same sources. However, there were a lot of things that I noticed about theirs that I should include in mine like the various types of satellites each system uses.

In my own essay, I noticed that I should provide more details -- as noted by one of my team members. I also lacked sources and had some problems with in-text citation. One thing I forgot to attach to my essay was a reference page, which is a major no-no. I was also short in the word count. I didn't have too much to say so the paper was very weak. There were no major strengths other than the basic information I got from the sources provided on Blackboard. However, I believe that with a little revision my paper will be good as new.

I am planning on adding a lot more information, especially about the complexity of satellite radio. I noticed that I was lacking in this area in the essay, so I researched some more sites that helped me out with this portion. I will also make sure my reference page is completed before I even start revising the paper. As for the grammatical errors, they were minor and I couldn't believe I overlooked them but I'm planning on fixing them.

Overall, I did pretty bad on the rough draft but I expect to do a lot better on the final version. ( 287)

What a difference a year made for satellite radio

This article was written by Sarah McBride of The Wall Street Journal and was published by the Associated Press Financial Wire for the Business News section and is dated December 8, 2006. McBride compares the success of satellite radio in 2006 with that of the previous year, and notes that the hype about satellite radio has slowed. Although there was much talk about the format in past years, it is apparent that satellite radio has not reached mass-market status. In order for satellite radio to stay in the game, XM and Sirius have teamed up with car manufacturers to install satellite radio receivers in their cars. They have also designed campaign strategies to raise public awareness of the products including special deals for subscriptions. McBride suggests that the best route for the satellite radio providers is to focus on business in the car industry where they are making most of their profit.

I agree with McBride’s analysis. It seems that satellite radio isn’t doing too well in the gift giving arena, and is doing a lot better by teaming up with car industries. By having installed satellite radio receivers in cars, it eliminates the complexity of consumers learning how to set it up.

COMPLEXITY:

• Sarah McBride notes in "What a difference a year made for satellite radio" that some may be put off by the trouble it takes to actually use satellite radio. As one consumer said, installing the components needed to make satellite radio work is "too complicated."

TRIALABILITY:

• In an interview with McBride, Dan Krokosky, the recipient of a satellite radio player explains, "I would want to include the subscription for a year, and that would make it pretty expensive."
• Receiving satellite radios as gifts has not proven to be an incentive to get costly subscriptions.

OBSERVABILITY:

• According to Sarah McBride in “What a Difference a Year Made for Satellite Radio,” while most users of satellite radio are early adopters, it has yet to reach mass-market status.
• Fans may find the benefits of satellite radio satisfying, but it is not appealing to those who have yet to try it.
• McBride points out that some strategies satellite radio providers are using include “prime-time television commercials and advertisements in magazines and big-city newspapers…sponsoring public-radio programming” and having celebrities of satellite radio like Howard Stern make public appearances on talk shows. (416)

Subscribers fall at satellite radio cos.

This article found in LexisNexis Academic was written for “AFX International Focus” and was dated Thursday, December 14, 2006. The purpose of this article was to observe problems with satellite radio in accumulating subscribers. It focuses on how satellite radio broadcasters are trying to rejuvenate the falling subscription growth. As pointed out in the article, satellite radio broadcasters are planning to work with car companies by installing more satellite radio receivers in cars. The satellite radio companies plan to give consumers who buy these cars a free trial subscription in hopes of eventually turning them into long-term subscribers. However, they may face competition as MP3 players, like the iPod, are coming out with ways in which consumers can hook up their players to car stereos to listen to music without commercials.

Because I am not a driver myself, I can’t observe the adaptations of satellite radios in cars. However, I don’t think it’ll make much of a difference to consumers whether or not they have satellite radio. Like the article pointed out, many MP3 players have already started to take over potential satellite radio consumers. Because of the ease of hooking up MP3 players into car stereos, many people I know don’t even listen to their radios anymore.

TRIALABILITY:

• The two U.S. satellite radio providers, XM and Sirius, try to hook consumers with free trial subscriptions in hopes that these will turn into long-term deals.

OBSERVABILITY:

• In the article entitled, “Subscribers fall at satellite radio cos.” written for “AFX International Focus” on December 14, 2006, Bernstein analyst Craig Moffett explains that “[i]n 2006, about 27 percent of the new cars manufactured had satellite radios. He expects that percentage to increase to 55 percent by 2010.”
• UBS analyst Lucas Binder points out in the same article that “it took seven years for compact disc players to achieve the installation rates that satellite radios have gotten in three years.” (337)

Satellite Radio vs. High-Definition Radio for the Layperson

The article, “Satellite Radio vs. High-Definition Radio for the Layperson” was found at the following URL: http://stereos.about.com/od/homestereotechnologies/a/radio.htm. This article talks about the competition between satellite radio and high-definition radio for listeners and profit. It compared the two formats noting specifically the advantages of satellite radio and HD radio. The article explains that satellite radio users get higher quality sound, more variety of content and channels, and nearly commercial-free music with no restriction from the FCC. To enjoy satellite radio, however, the article notes that U.S. residents must subscribe to either XM Satellite Radio or Sirius Satellite Radio costing the consumer around $13 a month. In order to combat satellite radio, iBiquity Digital introduced high-definition radio technology to conventional radio providers. The company explained that HD radio would be a quick fix to problems like static and sound-quality. Radio stations would invest a minimum of $250,000 to use HD radio technology. HD radio is free, but consumers may have to buy add-on components. However, HD radio is not commercial free and does not provide as many channels and content as satellite radio. For this reason, the writer of the article declares satellite radio the winner in the long run.

I disagree with the writer that satellite radio would be more successful in the long run. After reading this article, I realized that the main advantage of satellite radio was its ability to provide listeners with a variety of content and channels. However, I wouldn’t pay $13 a month just to listen to it when I can listen to high-definition radio for free. Also, the variety of content can be combated with products like MP3 players that can be played over car radios. MP3 players also allow consumers to control the music and content variety. As for the sound quality of both formats, personally, I don’t think it’s too much of a problem. In my opinion, it's nice that there are options out there but there’s not a dire need for satellite radio or HD radio.

RELATIVE ADVANTAGE:

• The digital signal provides subscribers with more channels than conventional radio.
• Satellite radio is not restricted by the FCC.
• It is mainly commercial-free.
• Internet subscribers may also listen to satellite radio.
• Satellite radio serves a wide range of listeners and niche markets.

TRIABILITY:

• In order to use satellite radio, one must subscribe to at least one satellite provider.
• To use satellite radio, listeners pay $13 a month. (425)

World Space

This is part of an article entitled “How Satellite Radio Works” written by Kevin Bonsor. The author uses this section to talk about World Space, another satellite radio system that is going global. Bonsor explains that World Space is currently leading the satellite radio industry by launching two of its three satellites before either XM or Sirius – AfriStar and AsiaStar launched in October 1998 and March 2000. The third satellite, AmeriStar, has yet to launch but will eventually cover South America, as well as, Mexico. The United States will not be covered. However, because World Space invested in XM, it has a deal to share technology. Each of the satellites transmits three signal beams capable of delivering over 50 channels with clarity. Users of World Space also have the choice of various multimedia programs.

Bonsor explains that within the global uplink beam is a centralized hub site or an individual feeder link station where broadcasters can uplink their signals to one of the three satellites. Like XM and Sirius, World Space also uses receivers. Their receivers are capable of retrieving the signals at a pace of 128 kilobits per second through an antenna. The chips used in these receivers are manufactured by the same company as XM.

After reading this section of the article, I think World Space has the best chance of lasting in the satellite radio industry because it is going global. With so much coverage, they have more potential listeners than XM and Sirius. However, because it does not cover the United States, it seems irrelevant.

INTRODUCTION:

• According to Kevin Bonsor in “How Satellite Radio Works,” World Space is the leader of satellite radio and has “a potential audience of about 4.6 billion listeners spanning five continents.”
• World Space intends on utilizing three satellites with two already in geostationary orbit: AfriStar and AsiaStar.
• AfriStar and AsiaStar launched in October 1998 and March 2000 before either one of the XM and Sirius satellites.
• The third satellite, AmeriStar, will cover South America and Mexico but not the United States.
• World Space invested money in XM Satellite Radio so they share similar technologies.
• Like XM and Sirius, World Space uses receivers to retrieve signals.

RELATIVE ADVANTAGE:

• World Space can cover areas that cannot be reached by conventional radio. (398)

Sirius Satellite Radio

This is part of an article entitled “How Satellite Radio Works” written by Kevin Bonsor. In “Sirius Satellite Radio,” Bonsor compares the system to that of XM Satellite Radio. He also describes how the system works. Unlike XM Satellite Radio which uses two GEO satellites, Sirius Satellite Radio utilizes three SS/L-1300 satellites which were deployed by November 30, 2000. These three satellites form an elliptical constellation with each satellite spending at least 16 hours above the U.S. and with at least one above the country at all times ensuring non-stop coverage. Like XM Satellite, Sirius also beams signals to the satellites which then beam the information back to radio receivers on the ground. Also similar to XM Satellite is that Sirius uses ground repeaters in urban areas to prevent the signal from being disrupted by buildings. Those who use Sirius Satellite Radio can enjoy it from satellite car radios, home entertainment systems or portable kits for the car and home. Conventional car radios can also receive the Sirius signal through the use of an adapter.

There are two parts to the Sirius receiver: an antenna module and a receiver module. The main use of the antenna module is to pick up signals, amplify them and filter out interference. The receiver module receives signals and converts them to “a lower intermediate frequency” using a chipset made up of eight chips.

Aside from the number of satellites used, I believe Sirius and XM function in pretty much the same way. Sirius seems to have a more going for it though. The idea of the adapter for conventional radios is a great idea.

INTRODUCTION:

• Sirius uses three satellites instead of two like XM.
  
• The satellites are not GEO satellites but are SS/L-1300 satellites.
  
• The satellites form an elliptical constellation with each spending at least 16 hours above the U.S.
  
• On November 30, 2000 the satellite constellation was completed.
  
• It works the same way as XM radio by sending a signal to the satellites and having the satellites beam the signal information back to receivers and ground repeaters.
  
• The Sirius receiver consists of two parts: the antenna module and receiver module. The receiver module is used to amplify signals and filter interference while the receiver module converts the signals into “lower intermediate frequency” using eight chips.

RELATIVE ADVANTAGE:

• Sirius Satellite Radio filters out interferences.
  

COMPATIBILITY:

• Sirius Satellite Radio sells an adapter for conventional radios so that they can receive the satellite signal.

TRIALABILITY:

• Those who use Sirius Satellite Radio can enjoy it from satellite car radios, home entertainment systems or portable kits for the car and home. (456)

XM Satellite Radio

This is part of the “How Satellite Radio Works” article written by Kevin Bonsor at “HowStuffWorks.com.” In this part of the article, Bonsor goes into detail about XM Satellite Radio and how it functions. According to Bonsor, XM Satellite Radio has two satellites, “Rock” and “Roll,” that are currently placed parallel in the Geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) located 22,223 miles above earth. He explains that when a signal is transmitted from the ground station to the two satellites, it bounces to ground radio receivers which “receive and unscramble the digital data signal.” In dense areas, ground transmitters act as reinforcements in case a signal is blocked by buildings. The signal not only transmits sound but also broadcasts information like the song title, name of artist and music genre which is then displayed on the radio.

Bonsor notes that XM Satellite has numerous partnerships with big named companies like Motorola and Pioneer to manufacture car radios. Car companies like GM and Honda have signed deals to use XM Satellite radios in their cars.

Subscribers pay $12.95 per month to receive up to 100 channels varying in news, talk and music, as well as, XM Radio online where subscribers can access up to 70 channels. These channels contain no commercials, and if they do, the commercials are limited to only 7 minutes of ads.

When I first read Bonsor’s description on how the XM radios work in cars, I was a bit loss. Although the consumer does very little, the technology seems complicated. However, there also seems to be some benefits about satellite radio like the variety of channels. Also, many consumers may be put off with the idea of paying for radio. Conventional radio is free and belongs to the public, so it might be tough to draw consumers into using something that they will have to pay extra for.

INTRODUCTION:

• XM Satellite Radio has two satellites: “Rock” and “Roll.”
  
• The satellites are placed in GEO 22,223 miles above the earth.
  
• XM Satellite Radio functions through the use of satellites, radio receivers and ground transmitters.
  
• Bonsor explains that radio receivers contain a chipset consisting of “two custom integrated circuits.”
  
• Radio receivers use small antennas to receive signals.

TRIALABILITY:

• The subscription fee for XM Satellite Radio is $12.95 per month. (398)