Satellite Radio is scoring big with Coloradans. It’s commercial free. It avoids playlists. You can listen to cable news channels live. All for $12 to $15 a month.

There are two competing companies offering different programming. The bigger of the two is XM. But it’s the smaller one, Sirius, that scored by grabbing Howard Stern. Car companies are beginning to offer the feature in new models:

XM has contracts for its technology to be installed in new cars from General Motors and Honda, which, combined, also own 13 percent of the company. Sirius has deals with BMW, DaimlerChrysler and -Volkswagen. Through these partnerships, XM and Sirius radio are available as options or as standard equipment on higher-priced models.

This reminds me of the beginning days of videorecorders….do you buy beta or VHS? I don’t know, I just hope I get one of them for Christmas.