Sirius shareholders on board for XM deal

No surprise here, but Sirius shareholders voted overwhelmingly today to approve the $5 billion acquisition of XM. Those kids with the cash are behind the deal 96 percent strong, and Sirius says it hopes to finish the deal by the end of the year, with some obvious regulatory hurdles to clear first. C'mon FCC and DoJ, we know you want to do the right thing here, make it happen.

[muddyh2o @ Nov 13th 2007 1:01PM]

how many of us actually use these services? i flat-out refuse to pay for radio. while i love howard stern, i don't love him enough to give him my money.

with all the great independent radio on the internets at the moment, why go satellite in anything but a rental car?

[sean @ Nov 13th 2007 1:09PM]

do you have HBO?

[muddyh2o @ Nov 13th 2007 1:26PM]

no, i use bittorrent.

[Josh @ Nov 13th 2007 1:41PM]

Nearly 14 million people already use these services.

Once you go Sat Radio, there's no going back. Its so much better than actual radio, I haven't listened to a terrestrial station in nearly 3-4 years.

[JHosche @ Nov 13th 2007 1:46PM]

I have to agree - the lack of commercials is worth it alone...add in living in the desert in the middle of nowhere where we pick up more channels in Spanish then in English...its completely worth it.

[david @ Nov 13th 2007 1:56PM]

I use it as well. Commercial free radio and I don't have to worry about loss of signal in the boonies. Or searching for a station and I can stay up on the news.

[Deus Innomen @ Nov 13th 2007 2:01PM]

Glad ya asked. I've had my XM radio for years and years now, and I absolutely love it. I couldn't even imagine going back to FM radio except to occasionally listen to Chicago Public Radio.

Between the selection, no-commercial music stations, 16-character artist and track title on my display, MLB telecasts and all the bands I've been introduced to via XM that I've never heard (or heard months later) on FM... yep, money well spent.

I guess I can understand people not wanting to pay for something that's available free, but to me I feel like I'm paying for all of that extra stuff I mentioned above that matters to me. For me, it's a great value.

[Deus Innomen @ Nov 13th 2007 2:02PM]

Also, I might add that as I spend a fair amount of time in the car, that's also a factor for me. I'm all for the independent radio stations while I'm at work or home, though. DI.fm is constantly playing at work. *grin*

[Craig @ Nov 13th 2007 2:35PM]

Until the day I can get internet to my car semi reliably I will continue to pay for satellite. I don't have the time to always search for new music, it's nice to have somebody doing that in the genre I like.

[Johnny @ Nov 13th 2007 1:04PM]

I hope this merge go threw. I've had Sirius for 3 years and love it. Radio played the way it supposed to be. Censorship free! So XM would be a plus.

[muddyh2o @ Nov 13th 2007 1:36PM]

not really sure that it's censorship free. they'll only carry content which fits with their political views or will make them money. like bobby brown said, it's their prerogative of course. it is their company.

but do i think this is a coup for free speech? no, but it's certainly great for $9.99-a-month-speech. Not free, but relatively inexpensive for people with entertainment budgets.

[david @ Nov 13th 2007 1:59PM]

They have a very diverse amount of content. I would say 99.9% censorship free (I don't know what the DJ's contracts say though!). They cover right wing nut jobs, centrist, and left wing loonies. There are even bible thumper channels, even if all of the religions aren't represented (yet?).

[Johnny @ Nov 13th 2007 2:30PM]

True about that whole speech thing. But more often then none I tune in for the music. Not really for the talking. Unless I'm in the mood for it. And I like the fact that Sirius doesn't have commercials(music channels) VS terrestrial radio.

[kjb434 @ Nov 13th 2007 1:10PM]

I'm with muddyh2o. Everybody that I know that has either system doesn't use it as much as they thought they would. They end up using their PMP or CD's because they can hear the music exactly as they want.

[Jon @ Nov 13th 2007 1:41PM]

I bought a new GMC Envoy last year, and they game me 3 free months of XM. Once it was over, I figured I could live without it. That lasted about a month before I called to renew my XM subscription.

[kjb434 @ Nov 13th 2007 1:54PM]

I hear you. Some people love it, especially when they listen to music on stations that have too many adds or travel a lot.

I also remember sirius not canceling people's service when their subscription ran out. The main reason is to keep their subscription numbers up for investors. I had a car with a sirius radio and free subscription. When it ran out, i didn't renew, but it still operated. I thought is was fluke, but found several other drivers that it happened to also.

In the end, satellite radio is just another choice from terrestrial radio and other vehicle entertainment devices. I don't think it will ever replace anything. That's the main reason I feel monopoly charges are unwarranted also.

As long as the merge company can turn a profit while providing it's service, I have no issues, but they'll need to turn a profit eventually.

[Ed @ Nov 13th 2007 1:21PM]

Wait, what's the "right thing" here? You're counting on a monopoly to voluntarily lower prices? The skeptic in me says No.

[kjb434 @ Nov 13th 2007 1:59PM]

There isn't a monopoly. Sirius/XM will have to compete against terrestrial radio, CD's, and PMP devices in cars. If the price goes up too much, people will just ditch satellite and used something else. That's competition.

If satellite radio was the only choice for in car entertainment, then the monopoly charge will be valid.

[Shahryar @ Nov 14th 2007 9:55AM]

well said

[der00 @ Nov 13th 2007 1:27PM]

I Can't Wait for O&A on my Sirius Radio

[Mel Karmazi @ Nov 13th 2007 4:21PM]

I cant wait to hear Hair Nation and Margaritaville after I listen to O&A!! Linger Longer

[der00 @ Nov 13th 2007 4:30PM]

Hell Yeah!

[M L Rine @ Nov 13th 2007 1:28PM]

I hope this does finally get approved. MLB on my Sirius radio will be sweet.

[WillisOGeeky @ Nov 13th 2007 1:30PM]

Wow, I've never seen a deer and headlights look on somebody from just shaking hands and taking a picture... Did someone tell the puzzler that the camera steals your soul?

[Scott @ Nov 13th 2007 1:54PM]

"Censorship free!"

NOT REALLY!

"But in our case where the FCC's issue was that "you say the 'F-word' and you're gonna get fined," now we don't have that issue, and our talk-show hosts do say the "F-word" from time to time, but I want to make sure they're not saying it for the shock value." - Mel Karmazin

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/friday/chi-oped1109siriusnov09,0,1571993.story

I hate Mel and Howard but love my XM radio. Blech to this merger.

[kuade @ Nov 13th 2007 1:56PM]

Sirius shareholders are the biggest morons in the world. Sattelite radio has yet to turn a profit and there losses are in excess of $10Billion. Howard Stern doesn't deserve five cents for the filth that spews out of his mouth.

[tim @ Nov 13th 2007 2:03PM]

No, this isn't a acquisition, it's a merger of equals, from my recollection.

And (very very simply put), this would not be a monopoly, as satellite radio's main competition is terrestrial radio which still reigns (and it's FREE), versus Sirius/XM, where they are a paid service. Immediately one thinks of Dish/DirecTV, but their merger was denied because their main competition was Cable, which all THREE are paid services. At last call, terrestrial radio is still free, and will always still reign.

I'm for the merger. Good for them. I think this would be good in the long run.

[Alex Abdou @ Nov 13th 2007 2:04PM]

XM is great! On my long commutes to work, there's nothing I hate more than to listen to talk/commercials. I just want music!

I had the 3 months free with my new car, and couldn't last without it for very long...

[tim @ Nov 13th 2007 2:04PM]

and Stern was signed before Kel came on board, so let's not start bashin Kel for that.

[Frankenstein Black @ Nov 13th 2007 2:12PM]

WHAT MONOPOLY?
Hum, let’s see now:
- Radio AM
- Radio FM
- Radio HD
- Pod Cast
- Internet Radio
- CDs
- iTunes
- Rhapsody
- Napster
- Yahoo Music
- MP3Sparks / AllofMP3
- Bittorrent
- DirecTV Audio streams
- Dish Audio streams
- Sirius / XM
Wow! That some monopoly you got there Sirius / XM.

Come one FCC / DoJ even a 6 year old with a lollypop and internet access knows this is not even close to being a monopoly given the multitude of content sources (a 10th of which is listed above). I’m just saying.

Also you, yea you (RIAA / MPA) you should be all over lobbying on behalf of this merger ASAP! Why? Because a Sirius / XM merger offers you and the Artist the ability (and another avenue) to collect revenue for your works! Yea, let Clear Channel and the NAB continue to “out lobby you” with there conflict of interest, smoke and mirrors arguments (leaving you at the mercy of the Pirates). SCHMUCKS!

[websyndicate @ Nov 13th 2007 2:24PM]

There is a Monopoly when it come to Sat Radio. There is no more freqencys to give out for the media type. Leaving XM/Sirius as the 1 and only. Its like use only being able to have 1 cellphone carrier thats if all the carriers go together. There is no more frequecys to give out to the cellphone industry. Thus "screwing over the consumer."

I am an XM user and love my XM I was always under the impression that paying for radio was dumb. Now after having XM for about a year now I really like it and will never go back to regular radio. People will not understand till the actaully use it.

[Lc @ Nov 13th 2007 3:09PM]

"There is a Monopoly when it come to Sat Radio"

Sure if you define the prameters to suit your arguement, you can claim monopoly on just about anything. Apple has a monopoly on computers is you only count OSX. Comcast has a cable monopoly in it's regions if you don't count broadcast and Sattelite Tv.

The fact is, when it comes to content, it would not be a monopoly as they will compete against broadcast and internet radio for music listeners.

[XM RULES @ Nov 13th 2007 2:24PM]

I've had XM since 12/2001 -- it's amazing. When I get into a car without sat radio, it's horrible. For the cost of a CD or an album download, I have sat radio all month -- can't imagine not having it.

For those who refuse to pay, you are missing out. You really have to experience it. While I prefer XM to Sirius, either is better than terrestrial radio.

The best is having the portable device -- I can be outdoors in the nice weather and listen to whatever I'm in the mood for at any given moment. Something you don't get from an MP3 player.

[Slvrgun @ Nov 13th 2007 2:55PM]

I hope sirius can acquire better radios: damn they are ugly.

[cartboy @ Nov 13th 2007 4:18PM]

I went to sirius because I got tired of hearing 50 commercials and only 1-2 songs on the way to work. Now the question remains, what stations on both XM and sirius stays and goes?

[grog @ Nov 13th 2007 7:09PM]

i've had XM for 4 years now. wouldn't trade it for terrestrial again. i'm driven nuts every time i get into a car that doesn't have satellite radio now.

terrestrial stations are slowly losing their numbers for the same reasons... playlists that are too short and too tight, refusal to play anything different, skewed demographics, too many ads. the few dollars i pay a month makes up for the lack of all that and content that can't be beat any day. the only terrestrial station i bother listening to these days is my friend's low power FM station in Scottsdale AZ when i go visit, and that's because i know i'll hear something i like.

[sk8rpro @ Nov 13th 2007 7:19PM]

We should have a captions contest for this photo. The guy on the left looks happy, the guy on the right looks not-so-happy. Let the captions begin!

[siristockholder @ Nov 13th 2007 7:23PM]

I can't wait for the merger. I will use my inflated stock price/earnings to pay for sat radio for the first time and enjoy stern, mlb, and commercial free radio at the same time.

[Reader @ Nov 13th 2007 7:35PM]

What about the shareholders that aren't serious?

Sorry, just popped up in my mind and I had to share it.

[kingonslaught @ Nov 13th 2007 10:38PM]

YEEEEEAHHH LET THIS MERGER HAPPEN I AM A HAPPY SIRIUS CUSTOMER !!!!!!!!

[aspiron @ Nov 14th 2007 7:51AM]

I think the people that want this merger to happen the most are sports fans like me. With NFL on one and MLB on the other, not to mention college conferences aligned with either XM or Sirius it currently costs me twice as much to have both services. Just please do it already.

[mexdodge @ Nov 17th 2007 8:43PM]

Howard Stern, MLB and music without commercials!! Well worth paying for.

[Kevin @ Dec 6th 2007 7:26PM]

Mel is a putz!