Sirius Satellite Radio has announced plans to offer a satellite TV service for cars in the second half of 2006.
The service will use Microsoft’s Windows Media platform and offer several channels of children’s programming, Sirius said. The satellite radio operator said it will also work with Microsoft for “further development of video applications.” No agreement has been reached with automakers to support the service, Sirius said.
Sirius and XM Satellite Radio Holdings are vying to win customers with exclusive programming and by including receivers in cars. Neither company has had a quarterly profit and they need at least 40 million subscribers to succeed.
Sirius said it was creating the service amid demand from automakers, which are including TV screens in the back seat of models designed for families.
Ford Motor, DaimlerChrysler and BMW already offer Sirius’s receivers as a factory option. Those companies have shown preliminary interest in the video product. The company plans two to three channels, which might feature cartoons and music videos.