Why does satellite radio have commercials?

Question

I recently got Sirius and I am shocked to hear commercials! I thought the greatest thing about satellite was not having to hear them. Why is satellite a pay service if now there are advertisers on the air? Do all the stations have commercials or am I just "lucky" finding the ones that do?

Answer 1

I would be shocked to because the company makes money from the monthly subscriptions. On the commercial it says commercial free, so try the other channels and see if they have commercials.

Edit: Make sure that they are commercials and not like something from the company.

Answer 2

You pay for cable TV with commercials, kinda the same thing here.  The music channels are commercial free, but non-music channels are loaded with them.  My grip about sat radio is the sound quality sucks, it's too compressed and watery sounding.

Answer 3

This has been asked and answered many times. For more detail put your question in the "Search for Questions" box at the top of the page.

The why is easy. They need the money. Both companies spent huge amounts on start-up costs: the best studios, talent, promotion and advertising.

The short version of the misconception is both XM and Sirius' own MUSIC channels are commercial free. Their talk, comedy, sports channels and any programming from another source, including music, (ie: a rebroadcast of programming from NPR or a syndicator like "American Top-40," O&A or Howard etc) COULD have commercials.

The answer above mine makes a good point. What may be a commercial to you, might be a promotional announcement to them. So if you hear a spot on "Sixties at 6" and it is promoting an XM Special later that evening on Channel 150 - it is a promo and not considered commercial.

It's pretty much been this way since the incepton of both services.

-a guy named duh

Answer 4

i have sirius, i only hear commercials on the talk stations, like the comedy or Howard Stern.  No commercials on the music stations which is great, I LOVE satellite radio, sirius rocks and so does Howard Stern!