FCC Approves XM-Sirius Merger

admin · #1 06-16-2008, 10:28 AM

Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is recommending approval of the $5 billion merger between the nation's only two satellite radio broadcasters. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc (~8.3 million subscribers) is now free and clear to buyout rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (~9 million subscribers) A final vote on the closely watched merger can occur at any time now and is expected to pass the merger through without further interruptions - this after over a year of FCC-based delays during the approval process.

Discuss "FCC Approves XM-Sirius Merger" here. Read the article.

wnmnkh · #2 06-16-2008, 12:06 PM

Uh, hold on. The title is a bit wrong. FCC has not approved the merger yet. It is just FCC's chairman 'recommending' the merger of XM and Sirius. The actual ruling, IRCC, will be June 30 (July?)

By the way, it was surprising that both companies still survive until now. Their existence is just so weak that I thought they had gone bankrupt a long time ago. ;p

GlocksRock · #3 06-16-2008, 12:12 PM

I hope it does go through, there is no good reason for it not to. It's not a monopoly as many people think it is, satellite radio is a music delivery system just like radio, tv, internet, ipod, etc... is, so I don't see what the holdup is and why it's taking so long to happen.

gliz · #4 06-16-2008, 12:23 PM

They both sound horrid (sirus sounds worse than XM) Iam not paying for radio

majorloser · #5 06-16-2008, 01:06 PM

I have XM Radio in the new car and Sirius is on Dish network. I don't really listen to either very much.

Clint DeBoer · #6 06-16-2008, 01:06 PM

Call the title predictive... I don't see it having any further difficulties. Both formats are relatively untouched by the masses. It is truly amazing they didn't fade into obscurity years ago. This is their second chance.