Will Boston Stations Accept XM Ads After This

[SteveOrdinetz]

  Steve West wrote:

>Now today comes news that both services will be adding new channels and 
>the above mentioned local weather service, and even video.  Here's a 
>scenario for you.  What if, much like DirecTV, XM/Sirius offer full-blown 
>local radio channels based upon listener's zip codes?  Would then Kiss 
>108, Jamn and even WBZ 1030 feel the heat?  What's to stop them?  XM says 
>they will have about 130 channels of programming later this year.


Curiously, (assuming they actually happen) will the "local Boston" channels 
be audible only within a certain geographic area, or do you just need to be 
a resident of said area to subscribe, but will be able to receive them 
wherever you can get an XM signal?  Will you even need to subscribe 
separately to the "local" channels?  Will any subscriber, anywhere be able 
to listen to San Diego weather?  Doesn't XM have over 100 channels 
now?  (I'm just full of questions tonight!)  Expanding to 130 won't allow 
for very many regional channels.

I'm not a DirectTv subscriber, but aren't the "local" channels just 
rebroadcasts of terrestrial signals?  If the same scenario applies to XM, 
then my guess is that WBZ, Kiss 108, etc. will want to get their stations 
on the service.

How were the objections to XM's repeaters resolved?  I thought there was a 
stipulation in there somewhere stating that they would not do locally 
targeted programming.  Maybe only for a certain time period?