Maybe I'm just seeing things, but the latest HD Radio "plug-and-play" offering - the JVC KT-HDP1 - looks strikingly similar to the Sirius Starmate line of satellite radios.

Here's the JVC KT-HDP1:

Now here's the Starmate 4:

But that's not really close enough to the JVC HD Radio... so let's look at the old-school Starmate Replay:

Ah yes, there's the resemblance. But HD Radio isn't competing with Satellite Radio, isn't that right? There's no reason why they would create a similar looking product. Not at all to create confusion at retail... would they? Nah, that's just paranoia.

Still, imitation is indeed the purest form of flattery, because this HD Radio plug-and-play looks far better than HD Radio's previous plug-and-play offering.

Just in case you're at the edge of your seat with credit card in hand, the JVC KT-HDP1 will MSRP for a mere $149.95, and that includes a built-in FM transmitter. That's right, you can go from "CD quality" digital HD Radio, right back to good ol' analog FM without skipping a beat. Ah, the beauty of innovation... err, imitation.

[via Engadget]
Thanks Todd!

Top management from both Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.and XM Satellite Radio Holding Inc. met with the Federal Communications Commission this week according to separate ex parte filings made with the agency.

From XM, four representatives attended the meeting: Gary Parsons, Eric Logan, Mark Vendetti, and Jeff Blattner. Latham & Watkins LLP (counsel for XM) also attended the meeting. XM met with the FCC on Wednesday, September 26th.

On Sirius' side, five representatives attended the meeting: Mel Karmazin, Scott Greenstein, David Frear, Patrick Donnelly, and Terry Smith. Representatives from Wiley Rein LLP (Sirius' counsel) also attended the meeting. Sirius met with the FCC on Thursday, September 27th.

During the meeting, both XM and Sirius discussed various aspects of the satellite radio business, including the topics of subscribers and service, content and advertising, technical issues, and business relationships with automobile manufacturers and retail outlets (so pretty much... everything).

[View FCC Filings: 1, 2 (PDF) via Orbitcast Forums]

The Heritage Foundation's Edwin Meese III (Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow in Public Policy and Chairman of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies), and James L. Gattuso (former FCC official) have written an article summarizing the NAB's fight against the Sirius-XM merger.

It's an endorsement for the merger, systematically debating all of terrestrial radio's points against the merger, not to mention using the NAB's own words against them (which isn't hard).

Entitled "Beyond the Fairness Doctrine: Radio’s Fight over the XM–Sirius Merger" it's a well written piece and a highly recommended read, regardless of where you stand on the merger debate.

There's a radio war going on in Washington, and this one has nothing to do with the Fairness Doctrine. Talk of re-imposing the requirement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that broadcasters air opposing views on controversial topics sparked an intense and highly publicized debate this summer. Almost lost in the "fairness" furor, however, has been a second, but no less intense, radio industry battle over the merger of satellite radio providers XM and Sirius. After months of review, a ruling from the Justice Department is expected within weeks, to be followed by a decision by the FCC, which also must approve the transaction. The merger debate is different from the "fairness" debate in that it involves the structure, rather than content, of the radio industry. Like the "fairness" debate, however, the outcome could determine how Americans will listen to the radio for years to come.

Jim Gattuso, who co-authored the article, has quite the interesting background, especially with the FCC. From 1990 to 1993, he was the Deputy Chief at the FCC's Office of Plans and Policy. From May 1991 to June 1992, the FCC detailed him to the office Vice President Dan Quayle, where Gattuso served as Associate Director of the President's Council on Competitiveness.

[The Heritage Foundation]

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps expressed skepticism today about whether he would endorse the proposed merger of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Copps, one of two Democrats on the FCC, said it would be a "steep climb" for him to cast a favorable vote because he has serious concerns about media consolidation. Copps had previously referred to the proposed Sirius-XM merger as a "steep climb" as well back in mid-April.

"Somebody's going to have to make a pretty powerful and potent demonstration that it serves the public interest," Copps said of the XM-Sirius deal.

"The parts of the (public) record that I've looked at so far have not shown me that (the deal) serves the public interest," Copps told reporters at a briefing.

Copps declined to comment on how he will vote, but said he had "very serious worries" about media consolidation in general. "I think localism, competition, diversity (in the media) have been seriously threatened." The Commissioner has historically had problems with the overall state of consolidation in U.S. media, and has expressed this vocally in the past.

[Reuters]

E Street Radio, Sirius' channel dedicated to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, will be returning tonight with a rare concert from the "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" tour, featuring Springsteen and the band performing at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey in 1978.

The channel launches today at 6pm ET, replacing The Bridge (ch 10) - at least temporarily - as E Street Radio will run on through late March 2008.

The launch of E Street Radio coincides with the start of the band's 2007 concert tour, as well as the October 2nd release of their new album Magic. The channel will air daily features on the new album's music and track-by- track discussions with Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band members, as well as archival concert recordings dating from early 1973 and some behind-the-scenes insight from band insiders.

Contrary to more positive reports on Kevin Martin's appearance at the NAB Radio Show this morning, RadioInk is reporting that Martin has said that the FCC is considering fines against satellite radio.

Martin said the FCC's Enforcement Bureau is investigating claims that some of Sirius and XM's receivers were built to operate at levels that exceed permitted limits. Last year, both XM and Sirius halted shipments of receivers after it was learned that they were over the approved FM modulator limits.

Martin also said the FCC investigating claims that terrestrial repeaters owned by XM were operating beyond the allowed limits. XM said earlier this year that they are working with the FCC on the repeater issue (which they voluntarily lowered last year).

As a result, Martin said that the Commission is considering forfeitures against Sirius/XM for the series of violations.

(I'd personally like to hear the context in which Martin said this, because it could very well just be spin-central coming from the terrestrial radio camp. But hey, it worked, the RadioInk article made it onto the Drudge Report.)

[RadioInk]

Speaking at the NAB Radio Show this morning, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin spoke only generally about the Sirius-XM merger but said that the companies had "interesting proposals" to justify the merger and protect consumers.

During the annual FCC Breakfast, the FCC Chairman fielded several questions: from public interest questions, to changes to the EAS system, and of course, the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Martin spoke only generally about the merger, stating that the current rules prohibit both companies from merging, but said that Sirius and XM have provided "interesting proposals" stating their case.

NAB Radio Board Chairman Russ Withers asked about the NAB's concern that the satellite companies are planning to go after local revenue, but Kevin Marin noted that the companies are not prohibited from going after local ads. They just cannot insert local-only ads and material through the local terrestrial repeater network.

"I would be concerned if they were trying to become a local broadcaster," said the FCC Chairman. Martin didn't agree that local material broadcast nationally violates the local prohibition placed on the satellite companies.

[AllAccess]

Sirius Satellite Radio's Cousin Brucie, who just recently resigned with the satellite radio broadcaster, blasted his former home of WCBS-FM for not truly returning to the "oldies" format.

Bruce Morrow said he talked with WCBS-FM about returning to the station, but decided to renew with Sirius because WCBS-FM wasn't planning to play enough '50s and '60s music.

"I'm very concerned that radio isn't doing enough to keep this early music alive," he said. "There are so many people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who still love it, and I don't think they should be written off."

Cousin Brucie feels that WCBS is making the same mistake they did when they dropped the oldies format in lieu of the "Jack" format back in 2005.

Morrow added that "they have every right to program what they want - and I have nothing against '80s music. But there's a real need for earlier music, too."

Sirius, he said, understands that.

"When I first talked to people here, like Mel [Karmazin], they gave me a commitment and they've kept it. In almost two and a half years here, I've never felt like I had more freedom on the radio."

Brucie held "informal" talks with WCBS, but decided to stay at Sirius instead.

"They wanted me to come back, help sign them on, and that made sense," he said. "But I told them they're still writing too many people off.

"Now the station has the jingles back and the advertising back. But it doesn't have me and it doesn't have the music."

[NY Daily News]

Bruce Morrow, aka "Cousin Brucie," has renewed with Sirius in an exclusive multi-year deal.

Brucie will continue to host "Cousin Brucie's Saturday Night Party" on Saturdays from 8pm to 12-midnight ET on Sirius' 60s Vibrations (ch 6). He will also host "Rockin' with the Cuz," Wednesdays from 5pm to 9pm ET on the same channel.

In addition, Sirius will air special live broadcasts from events in New York City and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame throughout the year.

Brucie will also host "Cousin Brucie's Music and Memories" which features Brucie discussing the music and events of the early days of rock and roll. These mini-audio documentaries will air throughout the day on 60s Vibrations and Sirius Gold (ch 5).

Sirius' New York traffic channel will also feature Brucie as the host of the "New York Minute" where he'll highlight local New York events and fun facts.

Cousin Brucie joined Sirius back in the summer of 2005.

It's funny what different news services choose to focus on when reporting the same situation. Thomas Barnett, assistant attorney general at the Justice Department, was asked about the Sirius-XM merger review at a congressional hearing yesterday, yet two media outlets each have an entirely different take on what was said.

The Denver Post is reporting that DOJ officials need more information to determine whether the proposed merger of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. would hurt consumers.

"I can't give you an exact time frame," Barnett told Rep. Ric Keller, at a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee's antitrust task force.

Meanwhile Reuters is reporting that the Justice Department is moving "as quickly as possible" in its antitrust review.

"We want to do that as quickly as possible, but we also want to get to the right answer," Barnett told lawmakers.

Bank of America analyst Jonathan Jacoby chose to focus on the former statement in a note issued this morning.

"The big question is what does 'more information' require for the merger process at the DOJ? Will it require more documentation from the companies or just more time by the DOJ to review the submitted documents?" wrote Jacoby. He also noted that Bank of America has not had the chance to speak with their regulatory contacts this morning.

Jacoby pointed out that while the delay could be minimal, "it could also be longer than the market would anticipate." Adding that it would likely take longer than the 15-45 days that the street is hoping on.

Bank of America's contacts put the chances of the satellite radio marriage receiving regulatory approvals before the end of 1Q08 at ~30%.

[Reuters, The Denver Post]