Wireless Video For The Back Seat

Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. reported that Sirius will offer three channels of children's video over their satellite service starting in 2006. The service will be delivered by video displays in the back seat of vehicles, where the little munchkins spend their travel hours. There is a great deal of sense in targeting the wee ones, since they are often bored in the rear of the car, the parents want to distract them, and the nature of the programming can be such that it is delivered in 5 minute chunks as opposed to 2 hour movies. Cartoons make an obvious example. Children also have a greater ability to be satisfied only watching partial programs, unlike adults. This is important since in a broadcast mode, every customer must watch the same program at the same time, which means that the programs do not start and stop when your family enters or exits the vehicle... Imagine how much fun it will be to pull your kid away from a partial program once arrived at Gramma's. A parting thought: As a child, I remember learning a lot about my world through the car windows during road trips. The sky, the culture, the shops, the landscape. Maybe that's the best programming for our kids.

Filed Under: telematics