Is It Safe? iPhone App Won't Save Sirius

Sirius has been on the decline for years. The last time the company generated a profit was the first quarter of 2003. While this year's first quarter saw the smallest quarterly loss since then, it was still sizeable at more than $50 million.

The woes of Sirius suggests that customers aren't willing to pay for something they can get for free. Satellite radio offers a dizzying array of stations and fantastic audio quality, but the monthly fee turns most people off. Podcasts and music streamed from the Web costs less to produce and are often free.

TheStreet.com Ratings rates Sirius "sell" with a grade of D-minus. While satellite technology is impressive, it has simply been outrun by technological advances and handicapped by consumers who have become spoiled by free access to media. A pack of Bubblicious might give investors more enjoyment than Sirius in the long run.

TSC Ratings provides exclusive stock, ETF and mutual fund ratings and commentary based on award-winning, proprietary tools. Its "safety first" approach to investing aims to reduce risk while seeking solid outperformance on a total return basis.