First U.S. satellite radio service being launched

WASHINGTON -- Satellite radio went on the air Tuesday, promising listeners greater variety on the dial -- for a price.

Hugh Panero, president of XM Satellite Radio, flipped a switch in the company's Washington headquarters shortly after 11:30 a.m. and began offering service in San Diego and Dallas. The company plans to expand nationwide in the coming months, and a competitor, New York-based Sirius Satellite Radio plans to come on line later this year.

"It's the signal of the future," Panero said while tuning into his company's reggae channel to hear Bob Marley sing "One Love." He described the concept as "part rocket science, part rock 'n' roll."

XM Satellite Radio is offering 100 channels of varied music and talk, with limited advertising on some and no commercials on more than 30 channels. The company has 1.5 million songs in a digital library to aim at markets ranging from opera to Latin romance. Service costs $9.99 a month.

Besides the reggae channel, called The Joint, XM offers a hard rock station called Bone Yard and 24 hours of disco on Chrome. Teens can discuss their problems on Babble On, while adults can tune into comedy, sports or news from a dozen sources, including The Associated Press.

Each of the 100 stations has its own hosts, who broadcast from XM's headquarters. Among them is Lou Brutus, whose Special X features every type of music imaginable, up to and including people playing the spoons.

"The word has gone out through the bizarre music community and they are coming out of the woodwork," he said. "This is not some college rock station with 50 listeners. This is going to a nationwide audience."