The Federal Communications Commission has released the tentative agenda for its August 1st Open Meeting... and guess what's not on it? If you guessed the Sirus-XM merger, give yourself a cookie.Martin said last week that he didn't expect the vote on the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. to come at the Open Meeting, but some folks still were hopeful. I'm actually not even sure where anyone got the notion that an Open Meeting vote was even in order for the merger. This vote will be behind closed doors. Let's just hope it happens before August.
Anyway, if you're interested in what will be discussed:
- Comcast: A Memorandum Opinion & Order that addresses Comcast's network management practices.
- Regulatory Fees: A Report & Order concerning regulatory fees for Fiscal Year 2008 and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on regulatory fee issues.
- Verizon Wireless/RCC: A Memorandum Opinion & Order and Declaratory Ruling considering the transfer of control of licenses and authorizations from Rural Cellular Corporation to Verizon Wireless.
I wouldn't want this to be in the open meeting agenda, the last thing we want is more people saying the same thing over and over and over and over again.
will they be discussing howards one month vacation in august
ron and fez noon to three
I am enjoying my oatmeal cookie.
I agree. I wouldn't expect it on the docket either. It is being circulated at the moment and hopefully there is a decision by the end of next week.
We are looking at a vote in mid Sept .The FCC just wants to drag this out as much as possible.
Surprise!
And out of all those buildings hit by planes in NYC and Washington .....
The NAB, FCC and Georgetown Partners can give themselves cookies. Please approve the merger now!!
Keep up the pressure folks. Keep calling the FCC to find out why this is taking so long.
It's ONE BIG FUCKING CONSPIRACY. Martin comes out with his usual..."I don't see why the merger won't be approved by such and such a date".....and the date comes and goes without an announcement. Stock drops. Then some analyst says "MERGER IMMINENT!" Then date comes and goes. Then Martin says "I don't see why merger won't be approved by such and such a date"....etc etc
On and on.
And the FCC keeps FUCKING AGREEING TO MEET WITH THE SAME FUCKING GROUPS....OVER AND FUCKING OVER AGAIN.
Like....DUH! THEY FUCKING OPPOSE THE MERGER! HELLO. You could have figured that out 18 FUCKING MONTHS AGO!!!
Lol. This is BLOODY RIDICULOUS.
Tates on FUCKING SAFARI in AFRICA. She'll probably get eaten by a FUCKING LION before she votes on this FUCKING MERGER.
THe whole thing is INSANE.
I've NEVER in my life seen a stock dragged thru the mud like this because of governmental red tape.
It's as if it CAN'T stop. This will go on and on and on until both sirius and xm are dead and buried.
Meanwhile it's been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that terrestrial radio DOES IN FACT COMPETE WITH SAT RADIO...and while the NAB tries to block this merger....all these other internet radio companies and radio on iphones and cell phones are coming out. There is ALL this competition and THEY ARE STILL DRAGGING OUT THIS MERGER??????
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!
E-FUCKING-NOUGH already! Vote you fucking morons. VOTE!!!!
the Verizon/ Rcc and the xm/ Sirius deal are the only two on the FCC website yet to be resolved. In "Corporations We Trust" should replace "In God We trust" on our monetary system. I don't believe in either but the veil of hypocrisy is incredible.
There is still time to get it done before the August meeting. All that is needed is, Comm. Tate to be back in the U.S., and for her to give the 'STAMP of APPROVAL.' Then everything will fall into place.
That all could be wishfull thinking or a bad dream.
If this deal hasn't been decided upon by August 1st there are huge problems in Washington. A law school freshman could have rendered a sound decision by now.
Merger approved by August 1st.
Law schools don't have freshmen.
thj
I had thought yesterday that with XM stock up 7.5% and Sirius up only 2.5% that XM was alligning itself with the proposed 4.6 to 1 stock merger offer in light of the fact that XM was undervalued at its previous price. It always seems like some rat on Wall St. gets inside information that something is imminent. We'll just have to see if the trend continues today. A secretary with inside information could make an easy pile of money leaking stuff like that out to her crooked brother in law trader. It happens!
Wait What -
Freshman, or first year, is a term, in an educational setting, which is often used to describe a student's status during their first year at an educational institution. The term First year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves (e.g. They are first years). It may also come from the phrase "fresh meat" as the higher classmen may be prone to bullying freshmen or making their first year at high school or college miserable.
GOOD! Another day here at orbitcast and surprisingly nothing but more blind, ignorant fanboy's posts driving rumors and proving their ignorance. The FCC should drag Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's mess out as much as possible. Good idea liam I hope the FCC does drag Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's mess out" until both sirius and xm are dead and buried." either that or until Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin or Nate smarten up, that enough is enough and do they do their jobs and start acting like CEO's with the companies coming first and leave their greed, arrogance, and desperate need to line their pockets at the door.
" the companies face a serious obstacle: Federal Communications Commission regulations that appear to specifically forbid a merger."
"The FCC's "prohibition" on two satellite-radio companies "ever merging" and its mandate that XM and Sirius produce interoperable radios."
"Martin said that while the FCC would look at any merger plan filed with the commission, there is a prohibition on one entity owning both of those licenses. He reminded reporters that a “pro-consolidation oriented panel of commissioners” already rejected that proposal in 2004."
"The proposed XM-Sirius merger is not in the interest of American consumers," said Dr. Mark Cooper, director of research for the Consumer Federation of America"
"Leaving one company to monopolize the satellite radio industry would result in higher prices and fewer choices -- with no foreseeable public benefit."
"A merger deal will reduce the number of channels and formats available, resulting in fewer cost-saving incentives and a dramatic drop in spending on talent and retail."
"Satellite radio subscriber growth is flat, the likely victim of a slowing U.S. economy and waning interest in the once-novel medium. Meanwhile cash is running dry. Last month, citing heavy debt costs, a tightening credit market and sluggish car sales, Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Wienkes slashed his stock price targets for the two companies, raising the prospects that there may be a financial black hole ahead for the combined company."
"It was suicide from the beginning and now, with both services merging their massive debts together to form - a bigger company with massive debt and cash flow problems."
Thanks Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin, thanks Nate Davis, seems everyone is doing their JOBS but you two. Keep pushing the mess, keep pushing the complete demise of satellite radio.
Dumb Capitalism: Sirius-XM
http://badamerican.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/dumb-capitalism-sirius-xm/
Dummy
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel, or is it a train ?
No license transfer application has ever been voted on in an FCC Open Meeting. Don't expect a vote at a meeting.
These are negotiated and planned out ahead of time -- the public has had its say. It wont be done in a public meeting.
No one said that it would be approved during the meeting. It will most likely be approved by the 1st of August;prior to the next FCC meeting. The merger isn't even listed on the agenda. The length of this process has become a complete embarassment.