Sirius and XM merger approved by FCC, extreme partying commences
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted July 25th 2008 11:30PM
posted July 25th 2008 11:30PM
In a somewhat unsurprising move, the FCC has approved the merger of Sirius and XM after protracted -- and incredibly boring -- multi-year negotiations. The Federal Communication Commission decided tonight to allow a deal that will bring the two satellite radio providers together, creating a combined subscriber base of roughly 18 million users. The deal isn't without catches, however, with the Commission stating that the companies must cap prices for three years following the merger, allow subscriber choice on content, and lower fees for channel packages. FCC head Kevin Martin seemed pleased with the final outcome, stating, "Consumers will get to enjoy the best of the programming on both services." You know who wasn't so stoked? Clear Channel.
Does "suscriber choice on content" mean a la carte pricing? As a student, I can't justify the ~$13 bucks a month if I'm only going to listen to one to two music channels only on occasion when I want to try to discover new music for my iPod, but a sigficantly lower price via a la carte could definitely get me to bite.
I, for one, welcome our new satellite radio overlord.
so, whats the deal with dual-network radios? do we need to buy new ones or what?
Software updates will be issued through satellite feeds so you have to do nothing but wait.
The dog looks like it's farting a big XM cloud.
Duh!
Since the companies now have a combined listenership of 18 million and must dedicate more programming to minorities, does this mean Riley Martin will get paid more than $400 an episode?
Uhhhh, you see, of course. O-Qua Tangin Wann.
Q'wanza Lagi Wann
I'm sure KEVIN Martin will get his usual big bribes from both companies. Er, I mean campaign donations! Heh heh.
@ LC An intangible vibration from a Beovian civilization.
@Artie Lange The Targzissians are obviously reptilian.
I wonder what will happen to the Dish Network/Sirius & DirecTV/XM offerings- will they do away with them completely? Stay as is? Provide both music lineups? (hah- yea right)
I hope we (Dish peeps) get to acquire XM channels. The Sirius channels are nice to have, but my XM radio has some stuff I'd like on Dish too.
The Dish/DTV merger, now more than ever, should be re-evaluated too.
Hey RIAA! Yea you, you weasely SOBs. Thanks for standing on the sidelines watching us bleed hundreds of millions while this travesty took place. We only created another "clean" avenue for peddling your wares. We only helped you break the clear channel strangle hold. Before us all you had was Clear Channel, Job-O the Hut Syndicate, Warez Pirates and Torrent ghosts. Yea thanks. You owe us MOTHER F'ERS! So "pay us for the rhymes (dimes and time) you stole from us!
What's up with calling someone an idiot because you don't agree with another individual's perfectly respectable opinion?
I also happen to agree. Part of the FCCs job is to make sure that there is enough competition out there so that our best interests are being served. Sure, there are other competitors outside of satellite radio, but these are the only two in this particular field, and nothing really competes with that market right now.
Local stations are too few too little varied to compete (the FCC also made sure of this by deregulating mass station acquisitions of stations by mega corporations), and no Internet streaming or cell phone service can compete with the service in the mobile and automobile markets.
So yeah, I also think this was a bad idea, and not necessarily in our best interests. On the other hand, this will strengthen the combined company and eliminate any compatibility issues. But I think these issues could have been accomplished in more consumer-friendly ways. At least picking a satellite radio service will be an easy task now.
I'm hoping for the best, but I'm not entirely sure this is such a great thing.
This XM merger is Sirius business.
It's not very exclusive. I see 20 douchebags a day on here join.
It's about time! Finally, something to simplify my life. Instead of two competing services that I had no interest in paying for, there's now only one that I have no interest in paying for.
Government sucks!
How about they try that a la carte bullshit with cable companies, I'd like to see them try that stunt.
Taking the only two competitors and letting them merge into one just does not seem to be good for consumers. They claimed their biggest competitors was land wave radio, ipods, etc... but that is just fluff. If they would not have spent money on overinflated hosts they might have been able to turn a profit by earning it. Instead they burnt capital like crazy and they whined for a monopolistic merger. I would much rather see multiple competitors (in this case the only two) keeping each other honest than a single source.
Oh well, let's see how things go after the mandated protection times cool off. Let the inflating begin!
"They claimed their biggest competitors was land wave radio, ipods, etc... but that is just fluff."
Hardly. It was probably their strongest argument . I don't know about you, but I only listen to one form of entertainment at a time. If there is nothing on Sattelite that I care to listen to at a particular moment, I will choose to listen to music or podcasts I have recorded. At that moment the iPod competed with my Sirius and won. The same is true if I listen to a broadcast baseball game over my iPod or Sirius.
Now let's say, for example, the merger failed. The most likely scenario is that either XM or Sirius would go out of business. Now you would have what YOU define as a monopoly, only without the stipulations of this current deal. No rate freeze, no ala carte, less programming, less choice. Tell me how the consumer benefits from this?
Signing big name contracts is the only thing that increased subscribers. Sattelite had around 3 million subscribers around 3 years ago. Today it's 18 million. Now that the merger will go through, they can save costs in bidding wars for content, less in advertising against each other and channel consolidation.
The NAB whined that the merger was bad for consumers, but maintained their interest was altruistic, because they were not in competition. Thankfully the Dept. of justice and majority of the FCC saw through their transparent lies and approved it.
I'd have to agree there really is no monopoly with this merger. I was just thinking the other day that I that I already own two competing products in one in the form of an iPod Touch. Now that Internet radio is tangible on this device, why would I pay for satilite? Unless you really desire radio personalities such as Howard Stern, there really isn't much reason to go with satilite unless you travel a lot. However if I'm going to travel, I'm just going to listen to my iPod anyway. In my world satilite radio barely exists.
heres the low down on the merger. first off you need to realize that current XM and sirius units cannot physically recieve the others signal. next, now that the merger is complete you will not see any changes to anything for atleast a year. they are using the first year to get the companies reorganized efficiently. they as of now have no plans to ever come under one name they will still be XM and Sirius for a long time. you wont be able to get content from the other untill they start making units capable of recieving both signals, which again will be a year down the road at the earliest. that have already announced new pricing plans that will go into effect around a year down the road, such as 6.99 for 50 music channels of your choice etc. http://www.siriusmerger.com/uploads/FINAL_New_Package_Release_7-23-07.pdf see this pdf for all the details.
heres the low down on the merger. first off you need to realize that current XM and sirius units cannot physically recieve the others signal. next, now that the merger is complete you will not see any changes to anything for atleast a year. they are using the first year to get the companies reorganized efficiently. they as of now have no plans to ever come under one name they will still be XM and Sirius for a long time. you wont be able to get content from the other untill they start making units capable of recieving both signals, which again will be a year down the road at the earliest. that have already announced new pricing plans that will go into effect around a year down the road, such as 6.99 for 50 music channels of your choice etc. http://www.siriusmerger.com/uploads/FINAL_New_Package_Release_7-23-07.pdf see this pdf for all the details.
slight correction to what i said earlier. at some point in time you will be able to get a mix of programing of both on current single band radios but when that will be and what choices you will have is anybodys guess. they will have to squeeze content from one providers satellites to the others.
Here comes the Fail Dozer!
Ron & Fez - Noon to 3 - XM 202
Here comes the Fail Dozer!
Ron & Fez - Noon to 3 - XM 202
I am the King of All Media!!!
I like XM and listen to Ethel when I'm home visiting. Hopefully Sirius has something similar.
The only question I have is what this means for my little XM radio in my car. Is programming changing or whatever? I think I will take a trip over to the XM website right about now.
Pfft, whatever! These FCC requirements are going to be more like suggestions, judging from the "open" wireless spectrum that was recently auctioned off to Verizon.
why should the fcc protect us against the monopolistic merger of this type??? the fda cant protect us from sick jalapenos, and the best thing th white house can do to protect our kids from drugs is build a chain link fence between us and mexico....hey, "I" certainly didnt vote for Bush...I never asked for this level of incompetency, fraud, oh shit...the list goes on....
I knew this merger would be Bush's fault somehow. :-)
If Opie and Anthony are gone I won't be a subscriber. That's the ONLY reason I'd want XM for. If they take away the oldschool rap channels of Sirius I'd be upset as well. That's the only reason I want Sirius.
I Agree if O&A our of XM I will be so pissed along with Ron and Fez!!!
Frrrrrruuuunnnnkkkkeeeessss!!!!
Also what is the new name/logo
Yes.
Woo, finally, it took you guys a year.
Waaaaaay to long.