Here's an interesting video from CNBC featuring Rebecca Arbogast of Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America, and Vince Farrell of Scotsman Capital Management.

Well worth the watch if you have an unhealthy obsession with following the merger.

Sadly, CNBC doesn't allow embedding of videos (because that would just lead to more people watching their ad-supported content, and we wouldn't want that) so go ahead and click the link below to watch the video.

[CNBC]

This morning's Inside Radio newsletter featured an article that stated "Analyst: XM+Sirius+HD is likely" - an article that now appears to have disappeared from their website.

Who knows the reasons as to why the article looks to be missing... but thanks to the beauty of the interweb, it can now be preserved for all posterity to enjoy:

Analyst: XM+Sirius+HD is likely.
Stifel Nicolaus analyst Blair Levin thinks it's likely the FCC will require such a mandate as part of its approval of the deal, as well as a requirement that any new receivers include terrestrial HD capabilities. Meanwhile, U.S. Electronics is pushing the FCC to hold a summit among a number of parties citing a "newly emerged consensus" that a combined XM-Sirius be required to make their receiver technology "open" allowing more choices for consumers. Among those backing the requirement are iBiquity and the HD Digital Radio Alliance.

The report citing Stifel's assertions probably came from last week's note, where HD Radio was listed among a list of several other possible concessions. Others possibilities that Levin included in his report were public interest programming, price freezes, and lower priced packages.

But then again, a headline reading "Analyst: XM+Sirius = Lower Prices" probably wouldn't make Inside Radio's readership too happy.

Thanks Gary!

Aside from having some of the most entertaining photos in mainstream media, the New York Post also has a source "familiar with the situation" that has provided the publication with a status update at the DOJ.

According to this source, junior staffers were given a final chance to make their case against merger approval - known as "last rights" - to Antitrust Division Chief Thomas Barnett, before he signs off on the deal.

The results of these "last rights" are unknown - but this is fairly consistent with what the analyst community sources have been hearing for some time now.

In early November, Cowen & Company issued a report stating that the Antitrust Chief would approve the merger, "despite a staff recommendation against the deal."

A few weeks later, Bear Stearns wrote that junior staffers at the DOJ are recommending blocking the merger, but that higher officer deputy officials likely disagree and that Barnett will rule along with the higher officials in approval of the deal.

That was several months ago, and if the Post's sources are correct, then the DOJ's tune hasn't changed. Only time will tell for sure though.

[New York Post via Orbitcast Forums]
Thanks Squeaky!

Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin confirmed recently that the agency was coordinating efforts with the Department of Justice, but had yet to reach a final decision on the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Speaking informally at the NBA Tech Summit, Martin also said that while the Commission has received all the necessary information from the two satellite radio companies, they have yet to set a timeline in reaching a final decision.

According to paidContent:

"Traditionally the commission doesn't act on those after the Department of Justice --99 out of 100 times the Department of Justice goes first and the Department of Justice hasn't acted yet on that merger. We have some more information we requested at the beginning of the year from the companies so that we're trying to finalize our conclusions but we're coordinating with Department of Justice. I don't have a timeline."

Today marks the exact one-year anniversary since Sirius-XM merger was announced.

[paidContent]

An opinion piece in today's Philadelphia Daily News sums up the pathetic Sirius-XM merger process very nicely, albeit with an obvious pro-merger viewpoint (that is why they call it an opinion piece afterall).

I won't bore you with the details, because if you've been reading Orbitcast for any length of time you likely have heard all these points before. But the final paragraph wraps it all together very nicely:

"The Sirius/XM merger signals a total failure of the antitrust review system. Instead of protecting consumers by enhancing competition, the endless deliberation creates fewer choices and less competition. True monopolies arise when incumbents manipulate government to suppress new competitors. For the survival of innovative new technologies such as satellite radio, regulators should tune in and butt out."

I do like how the author uses colorful words like "hostage" and "hijacked" to conjure up visions of terrorist-like activity. It drives home the point. Sirius and XM - and more notably those who are employed within their walls - are suffering at the hands of indecision.

People are sick and tired of hearing that the decision is "imminent" or "likely" - we just want a decision, whatever it may be, so we can move on with our lives.

[Philly.com]
Thanks Gary!