A sound future?

Long ago, in the days of "The Lone Ranger" and Frank Sinatra, radio was an invention thousands of families all across the nation used as a primary source of after-dinner entertainment.

Now, half a century and many technological advances later, that same form of entertainment has blossomed into CD players, iPods, MTV and one that may now be threatening the original idea of local radio altogether: satellite radio.

Steadily growing in popularity, XM or Sirius satellite radio is a device customers can buy for their car or home. A monthly or yearly subscription enables listeners to enjoy more than 100 crystal-clear, commercial-free channels offering everything from jazz to a comedy routine by Jeff Foxworthy to traffic updates from St. Louis.

With all the variety and features, are local stations in danger of being replaced?

"I find the idea of satellite radio intriguing in that you can literally drive all over the country listening to the same station," said KRCU general manager Dan Woods. "But if I had to guess, the odds are against long-term use of satellite radio; they have a lot of hurdles to overcome. It's still so new."

That's why multiple car dealerships have invested millions of dollars in equipping their cars with satellite radio -- half of the subscribers come from the new-car market. Most recently, Ford put the Sirius radio in 21 different models.

Some people love the idea and see this as a continuing trend in audio entertainment.

"Getting satellite radio is like buying cable," said Kyle McCormick of Best Buy in Cape Girardeau. "It's not just a fad. It's here to stay. There's so many things it offers. I personally recommend it."

Also enjoying the variety is Southeast Missouri State University freshman Paige Hinkle, who says she loves how many stations there are, and although she may occasionally flip back to local radio, she tunes in to satellite radio for the majority of her car ride.

"If I feel like listening to music from the '70s, then I can and I will," she said.

But the joy of satellite radio is not shared by everyone, especially those involved in the local radio industry, whose main source of income is profits from local advertisers, which would be lost if more people switched to satellite.

Simply put, "We sell them their airtime to keep us on the air," said KZIM production assistant and reporter Candace Banks. "Honestly, I don't think it's going to affect anything around here. I think local radio will have more appeal to people in this area, especially in small towns like this. Plus, you have to pay for satellite radio, and that probably doesn't float many people's boats."

So although it would appear this new technology is growing, with over 2 million XM subscribers in 2004 compared to the 347,000 in 2002, most stations, around here at least, are not intimidated by it.

Woods also said there would be advantages and disadvantages if NPR programs were to be transferred to satellite radio.

"Perhaps people who aren't familiar with public radio will listen in on their satellite radio, like the programming and then find a local station to get involved with," he said. "But public radio listeners may opt for the satellite public radio over their local public radio station. This could impact a local station as far as membership contributions from listeners."

So is satellite radio becoming the next big thing for consumers? Only time and the almighty dollar will tell us. In the meantime, it would appear that both Banks and Woods love the job local radio provides them and will continue to be in the profession for as long as they can.

"My heart is with local radio," said Woods. "It's important to have people living in your area giving you information about your community. Satellite radio is so impersonal."

sdereign@semissourian.com