http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/ Engadget Comments for XM / Sirius merger approved! http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/@Lyle: FDR ('First' = dont read)]]>Mar 25th 2008 8:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
mmm... a-la-carte pricing.]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
--- You have DIABEETUS!!! ---]]>Mar 24th 2008 4:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
As a long time Sirius subscriber I hope i'm wrong... but I am not optimistic. ]]>Mar 24th 2008 4:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/what in the world does "FTW" mean?

god i'm getting old....]]>Mar 24th 2008 4:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 4:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
Ever heard of Google?]]>Mar 24th 2008 5:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 10:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
Crap.]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
is anyone forcing you to subscribe to satellite radio?
can't you just listen to regular radio?
how about your cd player?
do you have an ipod/zune/some other pmp?
hd radio?

hmmmm. just because there's only one sat. radio provider soon, it doens't mean there's a monopoly. there are still plenty of competition for mobile entertainment.

also think about this - if neither company is healthy enough to survive on its own (which is the reality) either 1) one company dies and gets gobbled up, or 2) both companies die and there is less choice for the consumer.

this was the right choice to make. ]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
It still wouldn't be a true monopoly as you mentioned you would have broadcast, Satellite and online streaming. Still, it wouldn't matter if Comcast did buy them out since any customer anywhere only has ONE cable choice for their residence. The only cable provider by me is Cablevision. I don't consider it a monopoly as I can easily choose Direct TV or Fios.]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 4:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
You said: "hmmmm. just because there's only one sat. radio provider soon, it doens't mean there's a monopoly. there are still plenty of competition for mobile entertainment."

Actually, that was XM/Sirius's main argument -- for purposes of determining who has monopoly power in a given "market," the market examined should be ALL the forms of music entertainment that are competing for users' ears.

The counter argument is that the "market" in question is direct broadcast satellite radio, which of course would make any merger of the only two players an instant monopoly.

It's not actually an easy decision. That's why it's taken so damn long.

Matt
Lawyer
but not your lawyer]]>Mar 24th 2008 5:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 25th 2008 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
Well, this happens to be a situation where a little guy doesn't exist: nobody is about to launch a garage-born satellite radio company. If the industry was lucrative enough to support multiple competitors, these companies wouldn't need to merge... but it isn't, due to the incredible amount of options todays consumer has regarding media consumption.

Hopefully, the giant formed will maintain their top selling points, and not destroy their selling points of highly limited commercial interruption and a-la-carte pricing structure. If executed properly, this merger will be great for both the companies and consumers.]]>Mar 26th 2008 2:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 4:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1470]]>Mar 24th 2008 5:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 6:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
If anyone would like some more of the info that’s already been revealed to the public, go ahead and visit www.siriusmerger.com

About that Sirius/XM is going to be a monopoly... Technically, yes, because it'll be a merged (meaning ONE) company offering a service no one else provides, but well, who knows? Tomorrow there might be another satellite radio company. Who's going to avoid the customers leaving somewhere else if they want to? Anyway, satellite radio already has plenty of competition the way it is.]]>Mar 27th 2008 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/M]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
Monopoly

Noun
1. (economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller; "a monopoly on silver"; "when you have a monopoly you can ask any price you like".

2. Exclusive control or possession of something; "They have no monopoly on intelligence".

3. (trademark) a board game in which players try to gain a monopoly on real estate as pieces advance around the board according to the throw of a die.

]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
That aside, the NAB wanted to block it not because they were worried they'd "lose out" to competition, it's because both parties were hemorrhaging money and couldn't stay alive. If they joined, they could severely cut overhead and actually provide a viable alternative to ClearChannel - who owns the vast majority of radio stations in the US.

NAB blocked it because it would protect them and their monopoly. Not because it would be GRANTING a monopoly.]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
"They broke up Standard Oil..."]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
Well played sir. Well played.]]>Mar 24th 2008 3:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 4:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 5:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/
While its unlikely that Sirus will follow, XM just sounds a whole lot better and easier to recongize as "sat radio" then Sirus IMHO.

AM. FM. XM.]]>Mar 24th 2008 9:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/24/xm-sirius-merger-approved/Mar 24th 2008 3:30PM