It might be a relatively new outgrowth of the satellite age, but that isn't stopping subscription-based radio from offering some serious advantages over regular FM and AM bandwidths. Providing listeners more choice than they could ever imagine, services like Sirius satellite radio are to the airwaves what cable was to television not too terribly long ago.

These services work in much the same manner as cable television, too. Potential listeners need to subscribe and obtain special receivers to be able to tune into programming. The subscription fees are generally fairly low on these services considering the options they provide. Receivers are generally made available for automobiles, homes and even offices. Some providers offer receivers that are portable, so satellite programming can go anywhere the owner does.

Sirius satellite radio is just one provider taking advantage of this technology to deliver subscription-based programming to vehicles, offices and households all over the country. The advantages of satellite radio over basic FM or AM stations are pretty amazing. The pros include:

Syndicated shows: With lots of major radio personalities all over the country jumping on the satellite radio bandwagon, favorite shows from Boston to Los Angeles are starting to appear on subscription stations. This means listeners have lots of choice in talk shows, sports programming and more.

Lack of censorship: The censoring on outlets such as satellite radio tends to be limited, which means listeners hear songs and programs as they were intended. While this isn't always great for those with kids in the car, it is for those who abhor songs and comedy routines being altered to fit a censor's whims.

Variety of music: With so many different channels at their fingertips, Sirius satellite radio subscribers find they can listen to just about anything. From the classics to the classical and beyond, the variety provided by satellite is simply fantastic.

More news: Some people tune into packages like satellite radio simply for the news programming. Offering more stations than regular radio could ever hope to, these services provide up-to-the-minute reports on a variety of news channels. It's even possible for people living in major markets to hear local news as it happens.

Comedy: Make no mistake, this is one of the big draws for programming offered by providers such as Sirius satellite radio. With a variety of comedy stations, subscribers can hear the latest stand up routines from comics from one coast to the other.

Traffic: One of the biggest perks found in satellite radio is the on-time traffic reporting for most major metro areas. This means all it takes is tuning in to find out how the drive home is going in a person's own hometown or across the country.

While it does come with a subscription fee, Sirius satellite radio is the choice of many because of the variety of listening options it provides. The choice, reception and portability offered by satellite providers helps these type of services beat regular FM and AM stations hands down. This type of satellite service has quickly become to radio what cable was to the television not too long ago.