Update: DOJ approves Sirius/XM merger

[senorpepr]

Sen. Arlen Spector: Merger decision by end of month

Senator Arlen Spector (R-PA) today said that while the process on the Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. merger has taken a long time, a decision should reached by the end of the month to his knowledge.

Spector, who is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the comment during an interview on The Howard Stern Show.

The Senator added that the core issue with the delay in coming to a decision was that there are complex anti-competitive considerations and that there generally isn't a sense of urgency over the case.

More than likely, at least in my opinion, Senator Spector is basing this estimation on the public comments made by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. Martin stated, twice, that a decision on the Sirius-XM merger would be reached by the end of the first quarter. Nonetheless, it's encouraging to hear such a statement from someone as high ranking as Senator Spector.

[MississippiHurricane]

I havent fully decided if I am for it or against it. While I enjoy my xm radio (mostly channel 202) I do wonder what shows and channels would be cut? I DO know that the 1-artist channels like XM led XMThriller ect were ideas taken from Sirius. I do hope that you can pick what channels you want as a way to cut down on prices.

[senorpepr]

I havent fully decided if I am for it or against it. While I enjoy my xm radio (mostly channel 202) I do wonder what shows and channels would be cut? I DO know that the 1-artist channels like XM led XMThriller ect were ideas taken from Sirius. I do hope that you can pick what channels you want as a way to cut down on prices.

Check out the channel plan: http://investor.sirius.com/ReleaseDetai ... &newsroom=

[Category 5]

Theres no reason not to let this go through. I don't see what the debate is.

[lurkey]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1
Justice Dept Approves XM-Sirius Deal


Mar 24 03:20 PM US/Eastern

Write a Comment
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department approved Sirius Satellite Radio's $5 billion buyout of rival XM Satellite Radio on Monday, saying the deal was unlikely to hurt competition or consumers.

The deal was approved despite opposition from consumer groups and an intense lobbying campaign by the land-based radio industry.

The buyout received shareholder approval in November. The companies said the merger will save hundreds of millions of dollars in operating costs—savings that will ultimately benefit their customers.

The Justice Department, in a lengthy news release explaining its decision, said the two companies compete not just with each other but also with other forms of radio and entertainment.

"The likely evolution of technology in the future, including the expected introduction in the next several years of mobile broadband Internet devices, made it even more unlikely that the transaction would harm consumers in the longer term," the Justice Department said. "Accordingly, the division has closed its investigation of the proposed merger."

XM Satellite shares rose $1.97, or 16.5 percent, to $13.90 in afternoon trading after the government's announcement while Sirius shares rose 28 cents, or almost 10 percent, to $3.18.

[gtalum]

Good news. Having two incompatible formats in a technology like this hurts everybody. I may go out and buy a satellite radio once I know that the one I pick won't quickly become obsolete.

[senorpepr]

DOJ approves Sirius, XM merger: The FCC is next

Now that the Department of Justice has closed its review of the Sirius-XM merger - without any conditions - the focus now shifts to the Federal Communications Commission.

Will Sirius and XM gain the FCC's approval? Blair Levin, analyst at Stifel Nicolaus believes so.

"We believe the companies will likely be able to [win FCC clearance]," writes Levin in a recent note reflecting on the DOJ's announcement. "While there is always a risk that three commissioners could decide the merger is not in the public interest -- and in this case we suspect at least one and maybe two commissioners will vote that way -- we note the FCC has never, to our knowledge, rejected a merger approved by the DOJ. We don't believe this one is likely to be the first."

Those "one or two" commissioners are likely the Democratic commissioners Adelstein and Copps (pictured above, in order from the left, followed by Martin, Tate and McDowell), who have historically been opposed to media consolidation.

And what of timing?

The last we heard, the FCC might not reach an agreement by the end of this month (one can always hope though). Stifel Nicolaus thinks that the timing will depend on how the two Democratic commissioners will choose to rule: do they impose further conditions? or do they simply oppose the deal?

If it's the latter, the decision will likely be done in a matter of weeks.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Prices are bound to rise.

AM/FM/Cassette/CD rocks, although the choice of radio stations becomes sparse when more than about 50 miles from a big city when driving in Texas.


Unless you like country & western. Every every small town in Texas seems to have a 26 watt C&W station you can pick up within ten miles of town.


On I-35, near Jarrell, there was a community station that played polka music. I don't know why, I'm not German or Slavic, but I like that polka music.



If you live in the Northeast, where every major city is about 100 miles from the next major city, there should be few gaps in the radio station coverage of a wide variety of music, so if satellite radio gets too pricey, one has an alternative.

[lurkey]

. . , so if satellite radio gets too pricey, one has an alternative.

yeah, . . . it's called an FM transmitter and a mp3 player (iPod, Zune, etc. .)


Clear Channel wants the FCC to force XM / Sirius to obey indecency laws
Posted Mar 25th 2008 9:32AM by Paul Miller
Filed under: Portable Audio

Apparently Clear Channel's new motto is "if you can't beat 'em, make life suck on the other side of the merger." The broadcast giant has dropped a whole big list of requests on the FCC to impose as conditions upon XM / Sirius for a merger, not the least of which is asking for broadcast decency rules be applied to satellite radio. Clear Channel feels the competitive threat of satellite radio could be mitigated a bit if the "edgy" content (Howard Stern) ceased to make terrestrial radio's edgy stuff look weak by comparison. Of course, the big difference is that XM and Sirius are paid subscription services, and we're guessing they're going to pound the "but HBO can do it" argument for all they've got, but it seems like these days no request is out of reach for terrestrial radio: Clear Channel also wants another satellite radio competitor, 5 percent "public interest" radio, and zero local programming or local advertising.

[gtalum]

Prices are bound to rise.

I'm not sure they will rise more because of the merger than they would have without. As you noted, there are still plenty of "free" alternatives to satellite radio.

[Regit]

Good old hypocrisy on Clear Channel's part. The FCC needs to be abolished and replaced with a new, less powerful organization.

The whole storm over this merger has been ridiculous. The NAB argued it would be a monopoly and hurt terrestrial radio. But if it hurt terrestrial radio, it clearly is not a monopoly since it has competition.

Also, it just infuriates me that there have been more congressional hearings over this merger than over Exxon and Mobil.

[gtalum]

Good old hypocrisy on Clear Channel's part. The FCC needs to be abolished and replaced with a new, less powerful organization.

The whole storm over this merger has been ridiculous. The NAB argued it would be a monopoly and hurt terrestrial radio. But if it hurt terrestrial radio, it clearly is not a monopoly since it has competition.

Also, it just infuriates me that there have been more congressional hearings over this merger than over Exxon and Mobil.

Follow the money.

[Regit]

Good old hypocrisy on Clear Channel's part. The FCC needs to be abolished and replaced with a new, less powerful organization.

The whole storm over this merger has been ridiculous. The NAB argued it would be a monopoly and hurt terrestrial radio. But if it hurt terrestrial radio, it clearly is not a monopoly since it has competition.

Also, it just infuriates me that there have been more congressional hearings over this merger than over Exxon and Mobil.

Follow the money.

It's amazing how cheap it is to own a congressman.

[lurkey]

Good old hypocrisy on Clear Channel's part. The FCC needs to be abolished and replaced with a new, less powerful organization.

The whole storm over this merger has been ridiculous. The NAB argued it would be a monopoly and hurt terrestrial radio. But if it hurt terrestrial radio, it clearly is not a monopoly since it has competition.

Also, it just infuriates me that there have been more congressional hearings over this merger than over Exxon and Mobil.

Terrestrial radio is getting its comeuppance in a way: Satellite radio (XM and Sirius) and internet radio (Pandora, Radio Paradise, etc) are demanding that terrestrial radio pay the same royalty fees that RIAA insist satellite radio and internet radio pay.