The Federal Communications Commission has granted Sirius XM Radio Inc. an extension on the deadline to lease a portion of its channel capacity to third-parties.
Sirius and XM had voluntarily agreed
to lease 8 percent of their combined full-time channel capacity (4%
from XM, 4% from Sirius) to "qualified" third parties within
four-months of the merger being approved.
The merger was officially consummated on July 28th, bringing the four-month deadline to last Friday, November 28th.
But the FCC's Media Bureau, on its own motion, has extended the implementation deadline until February 27th, 2009. The Media Bureau cited concerns about the "mechanics of the channel lease administration and allocation."
"As a result of the complexities involved in the Third-Party Access Commitment, it is necessary to extend the implementation deadline for this condition to afford additional time for the Commission to determine how the condition is to be implemented."
[Read the Full Order (PDF)]
The merger was officially consummated on July 28th, bringing the four-month deadline to last Friday, November 28th.
But the FCC's Media Bureau, on its own motion, has extended the implementation deadline until February 27th, 2009. The Media Bureau cited concerns about the "mechanics of the channel lease administration and allocation."
"As a result of the complexities involved in the Third-Party Access Commitment, it is necessary to extend the implementation deadline for this condition to afford additional time for the Commission to determine how the condition is to be implemented."
[Read the Full Order (PDF)]
Isn't 4% and 4% still just 4% of the entire spectrum?
The key word here is LEASE.When you lease out something you pay for it.The complexities here also mean bucks,who has any to spend on a lease. And how the programming is delivered.The logistics in doing so.ISDN lines first come to mind. This will be interesting in two ways,1.who has the bux to dish out for lease time[in this economy] no surprise thay extended it so who ever can look in their wallets and add up all the nickels they have been saving and 2 what kind of programming will be offered.Good or bad this will pique my interest.It may in the end enhance my satellite radio listening experience or bore me to death,but it worth watching as Im only one opinion and one mans poison quenches another mans thirst.Hey Ryan we should have an Orbitcast talk channel with live call ins on sat radio nationwide devoted exclusively to sat radio discussions.From reception to equipment to harping on programming content.Now thats entertainment,worth thinking about!!! I'll contribute.
They can delay it until February or 10 years from now. No one will listen either way. Another bullshit requirement by our corrupt "government".
:(
Unless they are music channels, which I see no reason for them to be, they will provide local content and the only people to listen to them will be those of that part of the country. I don't see how these channels are going to be popular.
I just want to know which of the channels they're going to ax, now that everybody has their presets set.
Here's 4 useless channels they can ax:
Doctor Radio (2 medical channels on XM makes about as much sense as this channel...)
ATN
Sirus XM Stars TOO
World Radio Network
Anybody know if they will have to get rid of some of the existing channels, or is the spectrum set aside already.
Spectrum is already carved out. Did no one notice the quality drop when they combined channels?
@Mat: Nope, didn't notice that. The traffic channels have really dropped in sound quality though... ;)
How about this...
Slacker buys a channel, and features one of their channels every week, same music, but with ads for Slacker.
It's not gonna happen. What are they gonna do, split the companies back up and put XM back together? Sirius got what it wanted and it's not going to honor the promises it made to the FCC.
Randy, you are an idiot.
The FCC has the power to fine the company and revoke its license for the spectrum. No spectrum, no company.
Sirius had nothing to do with this decision idiot. The FCC made the ruling during the merger proceedings that they would control who gets the spectrum... then, here comes the deadline that THEY set, and OOPS. THEY had not decided on how the spectrum would be given out! OOPS. THEY decided to extend the deadline because THEY are idiots and THEY never decided how they would give out the spectrum that THEY said they would decide when THEY made SiriusXM give up the spectrum.
How and why did you drag Sirius XM into this thing as the bad guy?
Patrick: 4% and 4% is not 4%. They were EACH required to give up 4% for "minority programming" and an additional 4% for public interest. That is a total of 8% for EACH company, so 8% and 8% =8% of the total company.
@Mat: Nope, didn't notice that. The traffic channels have really dropped in sound quality though... ;)
How about this...
Slacker buys a channel, and features one of their channels every week, same music, but with ads for Slacker.
Newman: It's good to know you're here to correct everyone who has an opinion that differs from yours. This is fine, but at the same time you went out of your way to insult me for no good reason. I don't really know why a person would show such a lack of class to a person simply sharing an opinion...except that they're obviously a dick.
So fuck you, ass.
I do like the idea of Slacker buying a channel, but the 4% in question in this post is set aside for "Qualified Entities" to purchase, which, most likely, means minority-owned/controlled or possibly women-owned/controlled. So Slacker probably wouldn't qualify.
I will be very interested to see who the new non-commercial programmers are to fill the 4% set-aside; we should find out sometime in January. As these programmers will be selected by Sirius XM, albeit on a "non discriminatory" basis, the non-com 4% is not subject to the above posted FCC process, with its associated delays.
I blogged about it here:
http://www.clickauction.net/jgblog/2008/07/possible-new-channels-for-sirius-xm.html
411,000 net for q4... Whooo Hooo... pathetic
Just my guess of course.... based on last years numbers in retail and OEM then extrapolating disconects and oem sales.
And one more thing....
Go to Hell Mel!
Of course, this was nothing but blackmail by minority pirates. They can't support their own channels with listener support so they have to hold a gun to the head of Sirius-Xm to do it. Sort of like Air America complaining that there are no liberal talk radio shows and then going belly up because no one wanted to listen to them.
Randy writes: It's not gonna happen. What are they gonna do, split the companies back up and put XM back together? Sirius got what it wanted and it's not going to honor the promises it made to the FCC.
So it is your OPINION that Sirius XM is going to back out of their agreement and the FCC cannot do anything about it?
As I said, you are a fucking idiot. It is my opinion that the police will not throw me in jail for drinking and driving, but that does not make it so. The FCC has the power to enforce this provision without "split the companies back up an put XM back together". The can suspend the license and kill the comapny. Sirius XM are not that stupid, unlike you.
Have a nice day, dick.
Newman, you prove my point with your every post. Restating for the SECOND time what I said doesn't change the truth: Sirius got what it wanted by lying...and the FCC, though empowered to fine them, will ultimately do nothing.
Your buddies Mel and Howard have managed to destroy an entire industry. Deny it all you like, call me what you want...but it's the truth.
And hopefully the tree you slam into will kill you and end your reckless drunk driving spree, you irresponsible fuck. The end.