NationStates Jolt Archive

I really don't use satellite radio, so I don't really care. It's not real radio and never will be. You need that satisfying crackle and the antenna, which satellite does not have.

Link (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070219/ap_on_bi_ge/xm_radio_sirius)

NEW YORK - XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. have agreed to merge, the two companies said Monday.

The deal would consolidate the only two companies in the emerging business of subscription-only satellite radio, and is sure to face tough scrutiny from federal regulators. Investors and analysts have been speculating about a deal for months.

The two companies said in a statement that Mel Karmazin, the CEO of Sirius, would become chief executive of the new company while Gary Parsons, the chairman of XM, would remain in that role.

We have both XM and Sirius. I guess it'll be nice for both bills to be combined, and hopefully their combined assets will lead to more programming and lower cost. Personally, I like the clearer reception, specific channels, and effectively universal service that satellite radio offers; the only downside is that signals can be blocked or interrupted fairly easily by obstructions, but other than that it's great.

It sure as hell beats fiddling with the radio to try and find the right station, and it sure as hell beats the 3 minutes of commercials for every 4 minutes of music you get on regular radio.

I thought this was going to be about stars crashing together. :(

I would love this deal to go through, but it won't.

I subscribe to XM for a few reasons. Their technology is better and they have the MLB deal. Sirius has better music, but their technology is less advanced and I can't listen to Farmer and Singleton calling 162 White Sox games.

I doubt the Justice Department will approve this one though.

Your poll is a waste of pixels. WE GET IT -- YOU, that's YOU, don't like satellite radio. Well good for you, boy! Now go tell mommy what a brave little man you were on the internet today.

News flash -- not everyone likes and dislikes the same thing as you. I recommend this thread's poll be withdrawn. I don't own XM or Sirius, but I've been in a car that has it, and I found it to be a great service. Especially out here in North Dakota where ALL you'd hear is static on the vast majority of roads out here.

I came in looking to read a thread on the merger, not your personal adolescent harangue on what YOU think "sucks". Come back a post a thread and poll when you've grown up.

Your poll is a waste of pixels. WE GET IT -- YOU, that's YOU, don't like satellite radio. Well good for you, boy! Now go tell mommy what a brave little man you were on the internet today.

News flash -- not everyone likes and dislikes the same thing as you. I recommend this thread's poll be withdrawn. I don't own XM or Sirius, but I've been in a car that has it, and I found it to be a great service. Especially out here in North Dakota where ALL you'd hear is static on the vast majority of roads out here.

I came in looking to read a thread on the merger, not your personal adolescent harangue on what YOU think "sucks". Come back a post a thread and poll when you've grown up.

Welcome to NSG!

I thought this was going to be about stars crashing together. :(

Me too.

Only way to get Satellite programming off the ground by preventing both companies from going bankrupt through competition in an area people have questionable amount of cares about.

Only way to get Satellite programming off the ground by preventing both companies from going bankrupt through competition in an area people have questionable amount of cares about.

Somewhere in that is a statement. I'm sure of it. It's just missing a few words; conjunctions or something....

Me too.

Me three.
I'm unhappy now. I thought I'd get a chance to show off my knowledge of physics...

Ilaer

satellite radio is great. you dont have the incessant ads, its not a vehicle for making certain songs into hits regardless of their quality, you can hear only the kind of music you want no matter how narrow your focus is, you can even program in certain songs/artists that will play on your radio whenever they play anywhere on the satellite system.

oh but now i realize that you were making a joke.

i get it.

I thought this was going to be about stars crashing together. :(
Same here. :(

Welcome to NSG!

Note the join date.

Look, I've seen a few dozen less-than-statistically-minded polls here, but this one just seems completely beyond the pale.

I'm going to have to watch this carefully for I have an XM SR in my dorm room. This is going to be very interesting.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145455,00.html

I LOVE satellite radio and listen to it in my car. I wonder what this will mean for both companies.

What interests me is this is an FCC authorized duopoly (Did not know those existed), now will it be considered an monopoly and can those be authorized?

I am surprised more satellite radio companies have not launched, but these two seem to have the market cornered with deals with stereo providers, car manufacturers, etc.

I love XM and Sirius. What interests me as in my other thread discussing it, this is an FCC authorized duopoly...so now it will be a monopoly.

I love XM and Sirius. What interests me as in my other thread discussing it, this is an FCC authorized duopoly...so now it will be a monopoly.

You have a problem. The FCC has not given its approval for this nor has the Department of Justice.

This is different from the other thread in that I wish to discuss how will this be an authorized monopoly, and how it seems all such speciality industries end up having huge mergers lately.

It has been obvious for awhile, guess just another sign we are heading for the megacorporations of the future. Every service will be monopolized perhaps!

I thought this was going to be about stars crashing together. :(

Oh now I get what you guys mean...

Note the join date.

Look, I've seen a few dozen less-than-statistically-minded polls here, but this one just seems completely beyond the pale.

Welcome to a post by Sel Appa. :)

This is different from the other thread in that I wish to discuss how will this be an authorized monopoly, and how it seems all such speciality industries end up having huge mergers lately.

It has been obvious for awhile, guess just another sign we are heading for the megacorporations of the future. Every service will be monopolized perhaps!

I don't think it'll go through precisely because of monopoly concerns. Deals like that must be approved by a congressional committee...the name of which someone with a much faster connection will probably post here within minutes.

In any of the articles I have not even seen any mention of that though, or anti-monopoly. They are already an authorized FCC duopoly, it is possible they may merge without problem? Which would be interesting.

I don't think it'll go through precisely because of monopoly concerns. Deals like that must be approved by a congressional committee...the name of which someone with a much faster connection will probably post here within minutes.

Yeah, but they let DirecTV screw football fans over with their Sunday Ticket monopoly.

im not sure that its a big consideration.

there have only ever been the 2 companies and they are not doing all that well financially. forcing them to stay seperate might doom both and then it will be a NONopoly.

at this point their business isnt so strong that only one company in the market (which is really competing against true radio) would give that company extraordinary leverage over its customers.

hmmmmm according to a report i just heard on nbc nightly news, there is a specific rule against the satellite companies buying each other.

i guess if its to go through they are going to have to do some fancy talking.

In any of the articles I have not even seen any mention of that though, or anti-monopoly. They are already an authorized FCC duopoly, it is possible they may merge without problem? Which would be interesting.

Then read the Yahoo entry. It shows that the FCC has a rule that prevents them to merge and they have to do away with it for them to merge.

Then read the Yahoo entry. It shows that the FCC has a rule that prevents them to merge and they have to do away with it for them to merge.

Ahh, alright thanks. I imagine they will do away with this rule for this special case, if they are able.

Seeing as how no other companies have come forward wanting to invest in a satellite radio company, and probably do not want to purchase the satellites.

I thought satellite radio was just carried on other satellites, but it turns out Sirius has 3 of their own and a fourth one launching devoted just to their satellite radio.

I think it shows there is a limit to the technology people are willing to buy. In the past companies would only have to say "new technology" and people would buy it. People have so many ways to get music and news that there are just very few willing to pay for the service.

hmmmmm according to a report i just heard on nbc nightly news, there is a specific rule against the satellite companies buying each other.

i guess if its to go through they are going to have to do some fancy talking.
Believe me, their lawyers already have everything planned out.

SIRIUS >>>> all, because it has CBC Radio 3.
Merger? meh. competition is good I suppose.

Believe me, their lawyers already have everything planned out.

I would assume such an action would've been done before the press release.

SIRIUS >>>> all, because it has CBC Radio 3.
Merger? meh. competition is good I suppose.

They have to merge. Both companies are hemmoraging money. Merging might be the only way to lower cost and allow both to stay afloat.