• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

XM Sirius Merger Approved

X

x13thfloorrand

More national impact than local impact, but nonetheless could drive future business decisions w/broadcast radio.
The "order" is interesting; XM purchased by Sirius


Courtesy of Reuters


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. antitrust authorities approved a proposed $4.38 billion purchase of XM Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:XMSR - News) by Sirius Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:SIRI - News), the Justice Department said on Monday.
The deal is also being examined by the Federal Communications Commission, which is expected to follow the Justice Department's lead. The deal would combine the only two providers of satellite radio in the United States.
 
x13thfloorrand said:
More national impact than local impact, but nonetheless could drive future business decisions w/broadcast radio.
The "order" is interesting; XM purchased by Sirius


Courtesy of Reuters


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. antitrust authorities approved a proposed $4.38 billion purchase of XM Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:XMSR - News) by Sirius Satellite Radio (NasdaqGS:SIRI - News), the Justice Department said on Monday.
The deal is also being examined by the Federal Communications Commission, which is expected to follow the Justice Department's lead. The deal would combine the only two providers of satellite radio in the United States.
Click to expand...

There is a word for this. Its called Anschluss
 
Amazing, kinda makes ya wonder why we even need a DOJ. They just let big business do whatever they want anyway.

Not a monopoly? Where do they find these people?
 
Mike Sheridan said:
Amazing, kinda makes ya wonder why we even need a DOJ. They just let big business do whatever they want anyway.

Not a monopoly? Where do they find these people?
Click to expand...

You're kidding, right?

I'm so tired of terrestrial radio people playing dumb on this one.

Yes, technically a merger would be a "monopoly" of a completely superfluous audio choice.

However, the spirit of the antitrust regulations address the marketplace. To say that satellite radio operates with any degree of isolation in this ever-widening world of audio choices is intellectually dishonest.

Terrestrial radio people certainly have a vested interest in pretending an XM/Sirius merger eliminates competition and creates a monopoly. Problem is, the only reason in the world terrestrial radio people even pay attention to this issue and have ANY opinion on it, is because, ironically, it is painfully obvious that satellite radio is just one more choice in a growing sea of audio sources.

A bit of a contradiction, wouldn't you say?
 
No crying in baseball!

Anschluss??? Pulling out the WWII/Nazi reference.

I would say Sat Radio could be more like "Cable", and perhaps they will adopt a franchise-like model. Sat Radio may have companies like Comcast, Time Warener, Cox, etc, delivering a batch of national content, with some regional/local channels, and package it that way.

I like clear channels Logic; A little bit of "do as I say, not as I Do"

Courtesy of MediaPost;
"Clear Channel’s reps are saying the deal is anti-competitive and would form a monopoly that would threaten the existence of terrestrial radio"
But owning 8 stations in a medium/large market isnt the same thing? Nice.

I've give CC some points on other suggestions out there, like removing auto manufactures exclusive deals w/sat receiver and XM and Sirius.
But CC also wants the receiver to pick up HD radio? too little too late.

No one's crying for poor Mr Lowry Mays.
 
Strictly as a listener...

I've had satellite radio in rental cars from time to time. The longest stretch I had it was for ten days while in the Bay Area of California.

My experience has been that while there are plenty of channels to choose from, many (not all) are as tightly programmed as the worst of the formulaic "terrestrial radio" stations out there. Yes, there were multiple channels of pop/rock, decade specific channels, several different types of jazz, bluegrass, a few country, etc. and the perhaps obligatory all-Elvis channel (and even that was done as a moderate "stunt" back in 1988 by a little AM in Covington, Kentucky-- and somewhere I have an aircheck of it!).

But within those channels there was a disappointing amount of repetitiveness.

I kept trying to like what I heard on satellite, but I found myself back to KKSF and KCBS before too long. I also found the cut-outs under bridges and such to be a bit annoying.

I can't even remember which service it was... and that says something all by itself.

I wish them luck, but I doubt that they will dislodge my iPod.
 
Steven21 said:
Mike Sheridan said:
Amazing, kinda makes ya wonder why we even need a DOJ. They just let big business do whatever they want anyway.

Not a monopoly? Where do they find these people?
Click to expand...

You're kidding, right?

I'm so tired of terrestrial radio people playing dumb on this one.

Yes, technically a merger would be a "monopoly" of a completely superfluous audio choice.

However, the spirit of the antitrust regulations address the marketplace. To say that satellite radio operates with any degree of isolation in this ever-widening world of audio choices is intellectually dishonest.

Terrestrial radio people certainly have a vested interest in pretending an XM/Sirius merger eliminates competition and creates a monopoly. Problem is, the only reason in the world terrestrial radio people even pay attention to this issue and have ANY opinion on it, is because, ironically, it is painfully obvious that satellite radio is just one more choice in a growing sea of audio sources.

A bit of a contradiction, wouldn't you say?
Click to expand...

I'm not a terrestrial radio person anymore.

There were posts here about tight playlists and problems with the signal going out under bridges. To me that points to Sirius not XM. I like what I'm hearing on XM and it rarely fades out on me for even a second.

Okay so in the car my radio choices are the junk served up by the local stations or one satellite company. Yes there is my ipod but that's not a broadcast. Don't start with audio on cell phone radio. That doesn't exist and I don't know if it ever will. Don't start about internet audio either, can't take it outside with you.

The satellite monopoly is a bad idea. If it's not do right satellite will shoot itself in the foot just like terrestrial radio has done. Actually if I was a terrestrial radio person I would welcome the monopoly. You know the combined company will screw it up.
 
I dont have much of a listener frame of reference w/respect to Satellite. Several friends have it, several moved to Sirius for the self proclaimed king of all media.
The times i've had access to it, I've really liked it. Yes it has satellite TV tendancies, like poor reception in certain places.

But some other times, its like going to the big book store for the 1st time, You see the variety, find what you like, then leave.

Biggest surprise is plenty of doctors and offices switched to it, at least several that i've gone too.

I have the IPOD and another MP3. Sometimes im just lazy and want others to pick the music.

How long before we have 1 Sirius-XM?
 
Apologies beforehand.

Satellite will find a way to screw it up even though Mel Karazin is a genius. We know Mel's a genius because he takes every opportunity to remind Wall Street that he's a genius. Actually, he's abrilliant and gifted snake oil salesman. I'm sick of looking at his mug in R&R every week or two. Arrogant prique. The satellite picture isn't as rosy as Mel paints it. There are a lot of phantom subscribers out there. Technology will evolve to the point where even satellite is obsolete. Maybe not next month, but it's not too far off. And terrestrial radio? It'll lumber along until some programming genius realizes that every daypart has intrinsic value and that good, live, personality jocks are assets in all dayparts. And maybe rampant voicetracking wil go the way of the turntable. As if any of this will happen any time soon. I'm on a roll. There's a least two more threads and four more boards on which to pour the oil of my discontent.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom