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Karmazin promises interoperable Sirius / XM radios in less than 9 months
While the newly formed Sirius XM Radio has already promised the FCC that it'll deliver interoperable radios within nine months, CEO Mel Karmazin has now told investors that they can "assume" that the radios will actually be available "a number of months sooner" than that. Karmazin added, however, that we shouldn't expect them quite as soon as this holiday season, which nicely lines up for a debut at CES in January and an actual release shortly thereafter in the first quarter of the year. Unfortunately, Karmazin didn't spill any details on said radios, with him only going so far as to describe them as "very cool."[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
Sirius acquires XM, forms Sirius XM Radio, pop the cork: it's done
So, it's done: Sirius has completed its acquisition of XM, forming Sirius XM Radio with more than 18.5 million subscribers, making it the second-largest radio business in the US. The new company, headquartered in New York, expects to save about $400 million in 2009 while earning $300 million. If you're a drooling investor, don't go charging up to the champagne room just yet -- analysts are pointing out that neither company has ever posted a profit, and losses are in the billions. Anyway, can we move on to all the new, shiny Sirius XM receivers now, please?
Sirius and XM merger approved by FCC, extreme partying commences
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.
FCC tentatively approves XM / Sirius merger
We basically knew the FCC was going to approve the XM / Sirius merger after the DoJ approved it earlier this year, and it looks like the communications agency is just about ready to sign off -- the Wall Street Journal is reporting that a majority of FCC commissioners are close to approving the deal. Word is that XM and Sirius will have to fork over an additional $20M to make it happen and agree to several enforcement terms, but it's all up in the air until this goes official. Let's hope that's soon -- after a historically long delay, it looks like there's finally some light at the end of the tunnel.[Warning: Read link requires subscription]
NAB attempts to delay XM / Sirius merger even further
Even though the Justice Department has approved the XM / Sirius merger and the FCC's approval is all but sure to follow, those pesky fools at NAB just won't go down without a fight -- the organization is demanding that FCC's approval be postponed until certain documents are turned over by the agency. NAB says the paperwork shows "apparent wrongdoing" by Sirius and XM officials in including FM transmitters in radios and terrestrial repeaters, and it met with FCC officials on Tuesday to make its claim. There's no word on how effective any of this is going to be, but we'll give it to NAB for being tenacious, at least -- now please, go away.
FCC chairman's support for XM-Sirius deal "leaked"
While the FCC hasn't announced any decision, the Associated Press says that its chairman will recommend approval of the $5 billion merger between XM and Sirius. Kevin Martin does so, however, on the condition that the two satellite broadcasters freeze consumer prices for three years and turn over 24 channels (that's 8% of their combined satellite capacity) to "noncommercial and minority programming." The merged giant must also offer an "open radio standard" meant to create competition amongst radio manufacturers and an "a la carte" service that would allow customers to only pay for the channels they want as long as they purchase new radios. Speaking of those non-existent radios, the two claim that Interoperable radios capable of receiving both XM and Sirius broadcasts would be available "within one year." With DoJ Antitrust approval out of the way, all that's left now is to circulate Martin's recommendation for final vote from the FCC's four other commissioners -- a vote on a merger which, as strange as it seems, was expressly prohibited by the FCC when it licensed the satellite radio industry back in 1997.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Video: Microsoft's next-gen SYNC finds cheap gas then blows our doors off
Microsoft's and Ford's next generation SYNC has official taken us from our origin at Smittenville to the rural outpost of Gobsmacked. The new SYNC adds 911 Assist, SIRIUS Travel Link navigation, and DVD playback on a large 8- or 6.5-inch touchscreen display depending upon the guzzler you choose. The full $1,995 navigation option (or $395 for just the voice-controlled SYNC) is available exclusively on Ford's 2009 Escape, Escape hybrid, Flex, Lincoln MKS and F150 before rolling out to the rest of Ford's fleet. A new 10GB hard drive "Jukebox" has also been added which allows you to insert a CD, lookup the Gracenote CDDB info (including cover art) from the pre-installed database, and then rip the audio back to the disk if you choose. Rounding out the features are Sirius Radio (of course); aux-in and USB-in device (yes, iPods) support; voice commands; streaming audio and SMS text to voice read-out from Bluetooth enabled-phones; and several real-time, Sirius Travel Link services such as traffic data, weather detail, sports info, movies listings, and even gas prices at nearby pumps. Timely. Video walkthrough after the break.[Via Autospies]
Sirius Starmate 5 stops by FCC, XM gets a mention
We'll cut straight to the chase: on the surface, there's nothing all that enthralling about the Sirius Starmate 5. In most every respect, it looks, smells and likely acts much like its predecessor. Granted, the color schemes have been updated a bit and you'll still find that delicious Sirius Replay support included, but the humdrum 5-line display, obligatory FM transmitter and bundled remote don't do much to get our saliva glands workin' overtime. As Orbitcast points out, however, there is one thing about the FCC filing that piques our interest more than anything else, and it's a simple phrase from a posted correspondence letter: "We used the satellite radio signal coming from either XM or Sirius." Whether or not this actually means anything is yet to be seen, but it makes for some decent fodder at the very least, yeah?[Via Orbitcast]
Sirius, XM reps chat up FCC, post-merger pricing detailed
With that little Department of Justice business out of their way, Sirius and XM have unsurprisingly been quick to start chatting up the all-important FCC, and a recent filing from the agency has now revealed that lawyers from the two companies have met with none other than FCC Chairman Kevin Martin himself, along with other higher-ups. Even more interesting, however, is that the same filing also includes a full rundown of the companies' proposed post-merger pricing plans, which don't appear to have changed much from those detailed way back in the early days of the merger. Starting with the basics, the Sirius and XM "Everything" plans will hang on to the same $12.95 per month price tag, and include approximately 130 and 170 channels, respectively. From there, each service has A La Carte options starting at $6.99 a month (with additional channels costing 25 cents apiece), along with the usual package options ranging in price from $9.99 for the Mostly Music and News, Sports and Talk bundles to $16.99 for the "Sirius Everything & Select XM" or "XM Everytyhing & Select Sirius" packages. Be sure to hit up the PDF available at the link below for the complete rundown.
Censorship for fun and profit: Boston talk show host gets bleeped for Sirius / XM mention
There's no telling where in the command chain this came from, but Boston talk show host Howie Carr got censored yesterday afternoon for uttering those nastiest of words: Sirius and XM. He was reading off yesterday's news about the DoJ's approval of the merger when his producer blanked out his mention of the two companies involved. Howie's station, WRKO, is owned by Entercom, a major competitor of Clear Channel -- who of course has its own opinions on censorship. [Via Orbitcast]
Clear Channel wants the FCC to force XM / Sirius to obey indecency laws
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.
NAB, Congress react to merger approval; XM and Sirius let haters hate, watch money pile up
Well, it's only been a couple hours since the DOJ officially approved the XM / Sirius merger, and while we're a little surprised at how low-profile the two satellite radio services are being about the decision, there's nothing at all shocking about NAB's reaction -- the organization says it's "astonished," and that the Justice Department's decision to "propose granting a monopoly" to the two companies is "breathtaking." Yeah, they're not happy. Same goes for various members of Congress: Rep. Ed Markey, head of the House telecom subcommittee, expressed his disappointment that "the Bush administration has apparently never seen a telecommunications merger it didn't like," and suggested FCC approval would have to come with strict conditions, while Sen. Herb Kohl flatly said the deal would "create a satellite radio monopoly" and encouraged the FCC to block it. That's a lot of haterade -- but XM and Sirius are apparently too busy looking deeply into each other's eyes as their respective stock prices soar, because the only post-decision statement either company has made is a rehash of a months-old list of organizations and people that support the merger. Ah, young love -- so innocent, so oblivious.Read - NAB statementRead - Bloomberg article with Congressional reactionRead - XM list of supporters
XM / Sirius merger approved!
Looks like that seemingly-desperate two month extension XM and Sirius gave each on the merger agreement paid off after all -- federal regulators have finally approved the $5B deal. The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division says that after "thorough and careful review" (we'll say -- it's been over a year), it's determined that allowing the two satellite radio companies to merge "is not likely to harm consumers." The deciding factor appeared to be the proprietary hardware needed to receive both XM and Sirius; since consumers who shell out aren't likely to switch, the DOJ doesn't think the marketplace is all that competitive to begin with, which makes the impact of a merger relatively small. In fact, the DOJ says the merger could actually benefit consumers, who might see lower prices as the result of more efficient operations, broader programming options, and faster rollouts of new technology. Of course, it's not quite all over yet -- the FCC's approval is yet to come following its own historic delay and NAB's rabble-rousing, but most analysts say the FCC will follow the Justice Department's lead and approve the merger as well. Now the big question: will consumers be able to use their existing radios to get all the stations or not? We'll let you know -- we're trying to find out all we can. Entire official DOJ statement after the break.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sirius' retail SCV1 Backseat TV System now on sale
While many of you have likely forgotten all about the retail SCV1 backseat TV tuner that Sirius announced way back in August of last year (and promised for Q4 2007), those hooked from the word go will be elated to know that they can finally get their hands on one. As of right now, Sirius partners are finally stocking (and shipping) the SCV1 Backseat TV System. The pain? $299.99 for the unit itself and $6.99 per month for TV service. In other words, an absolute bargain to maintain sanity on that upcoming 18 hour road trip.[Via Orbitcast]
Analyst says XM and Sirius merger looks "less likely"
According to Pacific Crest Washington analyst Erik Olbeter (yeah, you know, Erik Olbeter), the seemingly ill-fated, extremely drawn out XM and Sirius merger now seems, "Less likely." It shouldn't come as any surprise if you've been following this story, which is now entering its 13th month of heel-dragging and unfulfilled promises. With last week's announcement that the deadline would be extended an additional two months, Olbeter feels that, "Prospects for the merger have become increasingly cloudy." He goes on to suggest that, "The FCC and Department of Justice are having a hard time justifying the deal," though he believes that both are, "inclined to approve the merger." Still, not a terrific outlook by any means, and certainly a contributor to the increasing feeling that this thing might never really happen.[Via Orbitcast]
XM and Sirius extend merger deadline, blame FCC for not understanding their love
The XM / Sirius merger soap opera never ends, does it? Although the original deal allowed for either company to walk away risk free on March 1 if government regulators didn't approve, the two companies have looked each other deeply in the eye and re-affirmed their love for each other -- for another two months. That's right, they've only extended the deadline for a whopping eight more weeks -- it's like no one at either company has noticed that this no part of this process has actually been on schedule or gone smoothly. Seriously, if we thought we could put a merger on deathwatch, we might actually do that here. Ah well, here's to young love -- too bad most of those stories end up with everyone dead, eh?
NAB trying to get Sirius / XM to surrender spectrum?
As the recent action in the 700MHz auction has shown, wireless spectrum is a valuable commodity -- which is why it looks like the NAB and Clear Channel might drop their lawsuit against the Sirius / XM merger if the two companies agree to give up a chunk of the airwaves. Industry observers close to the deal have called this the "endgame," saying that the broadcasters have been after the spectrum all along, but we're not so sure -- we'd think that the NAB would be pretty happy if Sirius and XM decided not to get hitched after all. Still, it's an interesting tactical move, if true -- let's just hope it doesn't delay a decision on this merger even longer.
Sirius Stiletto users stuck a day behind everyone else
While most seem to have learned from past date-related issues, at least some folks at Sirius appear to have overlooked the fact that this year is a leap year, and the company's Stiletto 100 unit is now having trouble keeping up as a result. As numerous users have reported in the Sirius Backstage forums, the Stiletto has been dragging a day behind ever since the New Year kicked in, which, in addition to being an annoyance, has posed some serious problems for anyone doing scheduled recordings. Now, after a bit of silence on the matter, Sirius is reportedly telling customers that there is in fact a problem, and that it'll fix itself on March 1st. Unfortunately, Sirius's only "solution" in the meantime is to tell users to set up recordings for each day of the week.[Thanks, Bill]
2009 Ford F-150 to get Sirius Travel Link
We already heard that the 2009 Lincoln MKS would be the first vehicle from Ford Motor Company to feature Sirius' forthcoming Travel Link system, but now those of you scouting a new pickup can rejoice as well. Starting with the '09 year model, F-150 trucks will be available with SYNC and Travel Link, providing users with an in-dash USB port and auxiliary input, 911 Assist, Vehicle Health Report, voice-activated navigation / radio / climate control / etc. and a 10-speaker Sony sound system to boot. Just the tools you need to efficaciously tackle those mountains, right?[Via CNET, image courtesy of Autoblog]
Pioneer announces A/V receivers, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD support
Pioneer is expanding its CES lineup with four new audio-video receivers, one of which supports the new high-definition audio codecs found in Blu-ray and HD DVD. The VSX-518-K, VSX-818V-K, VSX-918V-K, and VSX-1018TXH-K A/V receivers all feature Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration with an included microphone for tweaking acoustics in the room, three 1080p-capable component inputs, and Auto Level Control for equalizing volume between sources. The VSX-518-K, 818V, and 918V all feature P.H.A.T (Pioneer Hybrid Amplifier Technology) power sources and support for WMA9 Pro over 5.1 channels, with the 518 dropping support for XM and Sirius satellite, iPod, and HDMI inputs. The big news is the VSX-1018TXH-K, with its support for 130 watts over 7.1 channels using a Direct Energy power supply, HDMI upscaling to 1080p, six digital inputs, and support for the lossy Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution, and lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio codecs. The VSX-518-K is priced at $199, the VSX-818V-K at $249, the VSX-918V-K at $349, all releasing in April, and the VSX-1018TXH-K will come to market in June for $599.
