# SiriusXM RadioClassics (Channel 148)

Official URL: https://www.siriusxm.com/channels/radioclassics  
Category: Commercial Subscription · Operator: SiriusXM Satellite Radio (Curated by Greg Bell) · Founded: 2001  
Benchmark Card: https://www.radiologs.org/data/providers/siriusxm-radioclassics.md · JSON: https://www.radiologs.org/data/providers/siriusxm-radioclassics.json

## Summary

Curated 24/7 linear satellite/app radio channel hosted by OTR historian Greg Bell, paired with rotating 2-hour on-demand themed blocks in the SiriusXM app. Offers superb verbal historical context and clean audio restoration, but provides no searchable archive, no permanent on-demand episode library, and DRM-locked streams.

## Pricing & Access Regime

- **Model:** subscription ($9.99–$23.99/mo)
- **Monthly / Annual USD:** $9.99/mo · $119.88/yr
- **Billing Note:** Requires SiriusXM Streaming or All Access satellite/app subscription.
- **Free Tier / Access Note:** None (Occasional promotional trial periods require credit card).

## Catalog & Technical Metrics (Audited 2026-11-01)

- **Playable Broadcasts:** 420
- **Catalog Broadcast Records:** 420
- **Distinct Series:** 85
- **Full-Length WebVTT (.vtt) Subtitles:** 0
- **Date Span:** 1935–1962
- **Online Streamable Share:** 100%
- **Median / Max Bitrate:** 96 kbps / 128 kbps
- **Audio Formats:** AAC+ / HE-AAC Encrypted Stream (64–128 kbps)
- **1 Item / Episode (IA + Stremio SDK UUID):** No

## Features (14 Audited Capabilities)

**Yes (1/14):** Zero Mid-Roll or Display Ads

**No (13/14):** 100% Free Catalog ($0/mo), Instant Play (No Account Login), Public Recording UUID / RID Index, SHA-256 Audio Stream Deduplication, Schema.org RadioEpisode JSON-LD, Per-Series Podcast RSS Feeds, Public JSON API & /llms.txt, 100% Full-Length .vtt Subtitles, Primary Newspaper & Trade Log Scans, Original Studio Broadcast Scripts, Per-Episode Actor ↔ Character Graph, 16" ET Disc / Lossless FLAC Streams, Sequential Multi-Part Serial Arcs

## Verified Specification Evidence

- **100% Free Catalog ($0/mo):** Requires $10.99–$23.99/mo SiriusXM subscription; linear Channel 148 + rotating on-demand buffer (~2,800 episodes).
- **Public JSON API & /llms.txt:** Closed DRM app stream; no public URLs, no RSS, and no permanent archive.
## Provenance & Archival Methodology

- **Primary Master Source:** Restored broadcast transcription discs and curated collector masters with professional EQ/noise restoration
- **Air Date Methodology:** Host Greg Bell verifies air dates and cast biographies against published radio histories for featured broadcasts
- **Cast Attribution Method:** Spoken host introductions detail lead and supporting character actors (not exposed as structured text/JSON)
- **Caption / Subtitle Engine:** None (Live radio stream + uncaptioned on-demand blocks)

## Capability Scores & Quoted Evidence

- **primary_source_verification** (verified, score 85/100): Host Greg Bell provides accurate, researched broadcast dates and production history in spoken intros for every aired show.
  - Evidence: "Greg Bell's spoken introductions cite original network air dates, wartime context, and supporting players."
- **cast_credit_accuracy** (partial, score 65/100): Supporting cast and character names are announced verbally by the host, but are not searchable in a structured web database.
  - Evidence: "Rich verbal cast attribution in audio intros, but app metadata displays only a short block title."
- **vtt_transcripts** (none, score 0/100): Zero WebVTT transcripts or closed captions on satellite or app streams.
  - Evidence: "Audio-only DRM stream with no synchronized transcript track."
- **master_provenance** (verified, score 84/100): Uses carefully selected, professionally restored transfers with balanced dynamic range and hum removal.
  - Evidence: "Broadcast-grade restoration sourced from premier transcription disc collections."
- **serial_continuity** (partial, score 50/100): Occasionally airs 5-part *Johnny Dollar* marathons in a 2-hour block, but listeners cannot browse full series runs on demand.
  - Evidence: "Rotating schedule of 2-hour blocks; episodes expire from the app after a few weeks."
- **open_api_export** (none, score 0/100): Completely closed DRM ecosystem; no direct episode URLs, no RSS, no downloads, and no API.
  - Evidence: "Encrypted HLS streams restricted to proprietary SiriusXM web/mobile/car receivers."
- **ad_free_playback** (partial, score 60/100): No third-party commercial breaks interrupting stories, but requires a $9.99–$23.99/mo subscription ($120+/yr).
  - Evidence: "Commercial-free channel included in SiriusXM paid subscription tiers."
- **dedup_integrity** (verified, score 88/100): Hand-curated broadcast rotation guarantees zero corrupt or mislabeled duplicate files.
  - Evidence: "Every broadcast is hand-screened and scheduled by channel producer Greg Bell."

## Limitations, Trade-Offs & Gotchas

- **[CRITICAL] Not an On-Demand Archive (~420 Rotating Shows vs. 100,000+):** You cannot look up and play a specific episode of *Suspense* or *Escape* on demand; you can only listen to the live linear stream or ~20 rotating 2-hour on-demand blocks.
- **[CRITICAL] Highest Annual Cost ($120–$280/yr) + DRM Lock-In:** Requires an ongoing SiriusXM subscription with notorious cancellation friction and zero offline file ownership.

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*Audited by [radio logs](https://www.radiologs.org/) — Built by [The Archive of American Radio (radioindex.org)](https://www.radioindex.org/). Held to the same primary-evidence audit rules across all 22 platforms.*