AIROS carried a variety of Native American radio programming, including news and music.
Initially, it was jointly produced by AIROS and the Alaska Public Radio Network and originated from the studios of KUNM, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[5] In the 1990s, satellite communications were considered especially useful for reaching radio stations in remote locations that did not have access to services like special high-quality telephone lines or the Internet.
[3][7][6] In 2001, the New York Times described AIROS as the "primary distribution system for (Native American) public radio".
[9] Broadcast stations continued to be the primary means of reaching American Indians on reservations lacking reliable Internet.