BREAKING NEWS: FCC Clears XM/Sirius Merger
(SkyReport) As expected, by a 3-2 vote, commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission late Friday approved the merger between satellite radio companies XM and Sirius, with conditions.
In a statement, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said, "The merger is in the public interest and will provide consumers with greater flexibility and choices. Consumers will enjoy a variety of programming at reduced prices and more diversified programming choices. It will also spur innovation and advance the development and use of interoperable radios, bringing more flexible programming options to all subscribers."
Conditions tied to the FCC merger approval include requiring a combined satellite radio entity to provide a la carte programming choices to consumers. There's also a three-year cap on prices. In addition, a combined satellite radio entity must eventually offer interoperable receivers capable of obtaining both satellite radio services.
Also, the FCC is requiring a set-aside of 8 percent of channel capacity for minority and public access channels. That would amount to 24 channels, with 12 dedicated to minority programming and the remaining 12 to public access streams.
On another matter, the FCC will conduct a notice of inquiry into whether future satellite radio receivers should include HD Radio chipsets that would allow for reception of the competing digital audio technology from AM and FM stations. That move would allow interested parties to comment on the proposal.
EDIT: Commission members consist of 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats... Guess how they voted...
This is ridiculous as XM kept spending on programming that they couldn't afford.
(SkyReport) As expected, by a 3-2 vote, commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission late Friday approved the merger between satellite radio companies XM and Sirius, with conditions.
In a statement, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said, "The merger is in the public interest and will provide consumers with greater flexibility and choices. Consumers will enjoy a variety of programming at reduced prices and more diversified programming choices. It will also spur innovation and advance the development and use of interoperable radios, bringing more flexible programming options to all subscribers."
Conditions tied to the FCC merger approval include requiring a combined satellite radio entity to provide a la carte programming choices to consumers. There's also a three-year cap on prices. In addition, a combined satellite radio entity must eventually offer interoperable receivers capable of obtaining both satellite radio services.
Also, the FCC is requiring a set-aside of 8 percent of channel capacity for minority and public access channels. That would amount to 24 channels, with 12 dedicated to minority programming and the remaining 12 to public access streams.
On another matter, the FCC will conduct a notice of inquiry into whether future satellite radio receivers should include HD Radio chipsets that would allow for reception of the competing digital audio technology from AM and FM stations. That move would allow interested parties to comment on the proposal.
EDIT: Commission members consist of 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats... Guess how they voted...
This is ridiculous as XM kept spending on programming that they couldn't afford.
