(September 29, 2005) — “And now I want you to take your shirt off,” says the familiar voice of Howard Stern, the man we thought was gone for good. Little did we know that getting kicked off conventional radio couldn’t stop the controversial host from spreading his endless sermons on sex, sex and sex. He soon found refuge with Sirius, one of two satellite radio providers in the United States. In addition to being a haven for the likes of Stern, Sirius boasts an uncensored, commercial-free environment for a collection of music, entertainment, news, sports, talk, comedy, traffic and weather stations. Its leading competitor is XM, which is currently in possession of 150 radio stations, while Sirius has 120. What, however, is satellite radio? The technology is easy to understand; instead of using old-fashioned antennae to transmit radio waves into peoples radios at home or in the car, Sirius and XM utilize the seemingly limitless expanse of coverage provided by satellites orbiting the earth. Listeners have their own digital radio receiver that works anywhere, because the signals they receive from the satellites cannot be interrupted by factors such as the curvature of the earth. What makes satellite radio so unique (and is also Sirius and XM’s biggest marketing point) is the fact that both companies have made it “100% commercial-free” and uncensored. Listeners get to enjoy their choice of music or comedy without having to tolerate pesky advertising attempts. The absence of censorship is what makes satellite radio so appealing to the likes of Stern; no topic is considered taboo–nor are there limitations on word choice–thus creating a fine example of a American’s First Amendment of freedom of speech. Although satellite radio may seem like the obvious alternative to conventional radio, it comes for a price. Monthly fees are about $13, and receivers can cost up to $300. Therefore, as tantalizing as the thought of an uncensored and commercial-free listening experience may be, the average American is still most likely to stick to media-ridden but free conventional radio. Freedom is great, but it’s hard to find without a price tag.