Enforcement issues all that stand in way of XM-Sirius deal

[jayfish]

Source: Ars Technica

The two companies report that they hope to broker a consent decree with the FCC in which XM will close down 50 "variant terrestrial repeaters" and either fix or shut down another 50; Sirius must either repair or bring into compliance another 11 repeaters, which it says it shut off in October 2006. In addition, XM will make a "voluntary contribution" to the FCC of $17 million, and Sirius will pay $2 million. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said that the approval is almost a given at this point. "I think it's fair to say an agreement in principle has been reached," Martin told the Wall Street Journal (subscription). "We're still trying to work out the language."

Read more: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080724-enforcement-issues-all-that-stands-in-way-of-xm-sirius-deal.html

---

Just wow! Anti-trust, payola and partisan politics all rolled up into one festering package. I don't subscribe to either of these services but if I did I would be pissed.

Jay

[Beetwasher]

1. It's A Protection Racket

Man did they get shook down or what?

[Eric J in MN]

2. I hope XM and Sirius merge.

I've never had satellite radio, but if I ever get it, that way I'll have all the channels.

[jayfish]

5. At Double The Price.

And don't forget this isn't about you getting all of the channels. As a matter of fact, if this goes through, I suspect they will drop a large percentage of channels from the line-up.

Jay

[Skeet]

7. Considering that many of the channels would essentially

be duplicates of one another (i.e. 80's on 8 = Totally 80s or whatever it is called on Sirius), it would probably be a good idea that they do drop some of the stations. I would welcome Sirius's Jam Band station since XM dropped Music Lab.

[celestia671]

10. I don't think so..

An XM rep told me that there would probably be more channels. I hope that's true. I love my sat radio, esp Air America!

[pattmarty]

8. Are you fucking for real???????

[Eric J in MN]

9. I'm against most corporate mergers, but...

...if I decide to get satellite radio, I don't want to feel like I'm lacking half the channels I'd want to listen to.

[chelsea0011]

3. Wow! 19 mil. And that "fee" is for what?

[jayfish]

6. "voluntary contribution"

Remember... "voluntary contribution". There, that makes it all better. Doesn't it? :eyes:

Jay

[BrklynLiberal]

4. What ever happened to competition in this country? Soon, EVERY SINGLE business will be owned by one

corporation, and we will have no choices whatsoever. Life will be a monopoly....hmmmm Sounds like Fascism?