• by Karl Greenberg , March 30, 2007

Sirius Radio is now in the TV business.

Chrysler Group and partner Sirius Radio are bringing TV to minivans. The DaimlerChrysler unit will offer Sirius Backseat TV--a product new to cars and satellite providers--first to its minivans and then to the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Magnum, and Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokee late this summer.

The feature--exclusive to Chrysler Group vehicles for the first year--will initially carry content only from Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network. Consumers who opt for Sirius Backseat TV, for which Chrysler will tack on $425, get the service for free for the first year. After the initial year, the service is $7 per month when packaged with Sirius satellite radio, which is $12.95 per month.

"Like all of our MTVN brands, our goal for Nickelodeon is to be everywhere our audiences are, and the launch of SIRIUS Backseat TV gives kids and families even more screens to interact with us," said Denise Dahldorf, executive vice president, MTV Networks Content Distribution and Marketing.

Murphy says Chrysler and Sirius worked on the program together, as well as the initial content offerings. "We went with the three biggest providers of children's content."

The reason? The minivan market, flat for the past several years and holding at about 1 million units per year, is divided between empty nesters and families. Murphy sees an opportunity for Backseat TV principally among echo-boomers, or millennials, who are now starting to have kids.

George Murphy, senior vice president/director of marketing for Chrysler Group, says the company will tout Sirius Backseat TV as just one of several changes to the new minivans. The technology will be highlighted in marketing communications to promote the company as a technology leader.

Chrysler will try to balance the message so the Backseat TV feature is promoted as one of a suite of information and entertainment options.