Rep. Markey urges more conditions on Sirius-XM merger

[Kire]

Source: Reuters

Rep. Markey urges more conditions on Sirius-XM merger

Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) said the FCC should go beyond the requirements that Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed for the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Markey, who is chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, wrote in a letter to Martin on Tuesday urging the agency to require that all new satellite radios be built to receive HD Radio.

The Congressman also said the FCC should extend the price caps to six years and increase the number of channel set-asides.

Markey claims these conditions are necessary to protect consumers and to help ensure that terrestrial radio remains a viable business.

"Only through such a mandate will the commission adequately ensure that competition in digital radio services is as robust as possible and that free, over-the-air radio remains a vibrant marketplace alternative for consumers well into the future," Markey wrote.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNews/idUSN1534983420080715

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For more background about the merger go here:
http://siriusbuzz.com/category/merger-news

and here:
http://www.siriusbackstage.com/tags/merger/

Also, Orbitcast has a lot of information. Just about every other blog post is about the merger, they don't have tags, though.



For discussion about this particular topic, go here.

Personally, I think too many conditions will bankrupt these companies.

[high density]

1. I was against the merger at first but now I'd like to see it go through

The best thing about this merger is that it forces the merged company to offer lower prices. I'm getting fed up for paying $13/mo for this sat radio, given some of its limitations (sound quality and reception).

I see no reason for HD radio to be forced into these units, and I find Markey's demands to be highly suspect as being paid for by a terrestrial broadcasting agent. This requirement for HD radio would be like forcing a DirecTV receiver to be compatible with Dish Network or the local cable company. We don't need any more channels set aside, either. Both services are already strapped for bandwidth which makes sound quality on many channels to be less than desirable.

[Kire]

6. yeah, great

real low prices, and then it gets shut off because it can't pay it's bills

this is called stealing

[Renew Deal]

2. This is getting dumber by the minute

And it's the Democrats leading the stupidity. :banghead:

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

3. This will soon be a moot point

XM Radio is on the brink of bankruptcy, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Which was always the goal of the terrestrial radio lobby, to abuse the process to undermine the financial health of the satellite radio industry. The demands being made of the combined company are completely unreasonable and serve only to extend the process as to extend the bleeding.

The ONLY condition on this merger should be that the combined company be forced to sell one of their spectrum licenses.

I am just waiting for somebody to demand that Sirius be forced to carry Clear Channel stations of the top-20 radio markets.

[soothsayer]

4. bingo! you are right on.

[Kire]

5. oh, you hadn't heard?

As part of an investment deal with Clear Channel Communications, XM agreed to simulcast some of Clear Channel's FM radio stations until they were able to afford their own programming. KISS was one of those channels, and it simulcasted KIIS/KVVS in Los Angeles, California. The station was titled KIIS FM (pronounced Kiss), similar to Clear Channel's chain of KISS-FM stations around the country. Due to low subscription count at the time, the audience didn't concern themselves with the Los Angeles locality of the station

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS-XM