The day is finally here. The Federal Communications Commission reached an agreement to conditionally approve the merger between Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., according to various reports.
The three Republicans on the five-member Commission have agreed in principle to vote in favor of letting the deal proceed as long as the companies agree to conditions to protect consumers and settle the FCC enforcement matters, Reuters reports.
"I think it's fair to say an agreement in principle has been reached," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told the Wall Street Journal earlier today.
Martin explained to WSJ that XM received a higher fine because it kept its terrestrial repeaters in operation after being informed by the FCC that they were in violation. Sirius received a smaller fine because it had shut down its towers while waiting for FCC approval.
"That's a significant violation under our rules," said Martin. "Hopefully this is the last issue for us to move forward."
"I'm optimistic and hopeful that we will be able to move forward very quickly," Martin told Reuters.
Tate is expected to vote on the deal as soon as today. The FCC isn't expected to formally release its decision for a few days, as staff attorneys draft the final paperwork for review by the five commissioners.
and they will be the only company ever to have price fixed for 6 years...5 years more then any other company.
also breaking the record on the amount of the company it needs to give away. no other company had to give away parts of the company for free....at least things like cable companies and telephone companies got to sell things they had to divest.
lol
What will become of the boys
BUT WAIT...
FROM BEHIND!!!!
HERE COMES REHR!!!!
change Tate's button to green from red!
I HEARD THIS ALL BEFORE ,JUST A COUPLE OF MORE DAYS ,SURE ,YEAH O.K. IF YOU SAY SO MR MARTIN...
Ryan, you're killing me with Tate's light showing as red. I almost had a heart attack.
the webmaster of this blog should fix Tate's red dot to a green one so you don't confuse people, even though the alt text says "Yes"
I do believe that the Secretary should be fired. Tater-Tot gets a GREEN dot for Chrrisakes... I'm old, don't scare me!
Could you please Change the light next to Tate from Red to GREEN? you're scarin' me!
GODDAMMIT.. DO I LOOK PRETTY OR NOT? ..You fuckers better speak up... I haven't voted yet!!!
TATE MUST LIKE RED BUTTONS
its not OFFICIAL until TATE votes YES!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE refrain from celebratory threads until its OFFICIAL.
When does Rehr get his fucking pink slip?
I miss Red Buttons he was funny. Back on topic: It's about time!
I miss Red Buttons he was funny. Back on topic: It's about time!
STOP THAT DAM CLOCK...PLEASE
3 year price freeze, not 6 (that was Adelstein's suggestion that got shot down and laughed at)
Obama says booyah at the merger of XM/Siri
I'm with Liam actually.
DONE DEAL? SAYS WHO?????
Well satellite radio just went to hell in a hand basket! this line bothers me '',artin explained to WSJ that XM received a higher fine because it kept its terrestrial repeaters in operation after being informed by the FCC that they were in violation. Sirius received a smaller fine because it had shut down its towers while waiting for FCC approval'.
This means XM will shit down all of its repeaters, meaning signal reception will suck as SIRIUS reception is easily knocked out by trees. Way to go, a great service is going to cost more and suck even more! Thank God for my i pod Touch!
All those Terrestrial companies that paid out big bucks for Davy "Takes It Up The" Rehr to bring Satrad down are going to be sounding like Ricky Ricardo in a few days. Davy, you got some splanin to do. He has spent quite a bit of their money on Dem FCC commisioners,Politicians, and I am sure he skimmed plenty off the top for himself too.
I guess he will have to do his job now and try to save AM, FM, and HD Radio or get a job at McDonalds. So much work to do and at the hottest time of the year in DC.
@all Holy shit, sorry about the red button! Total goof, but it's fixed now.
Liam is correct, it's not "official" which is pointed out in the article. But with a definitive statement like that from Martin, it's a done deal.
THANK GOD, THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WWWWHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Damn this day hasn't come fast enough!!!!
It's official enough for me!!!!!
They'll probably pay the fines then turn the repeaters back on once it's all done.
It's soooooooooo cold down here in hell.................
OH YEAH!!!!! Sirius rules!!!!!!!!!!!! Take that Rehr and the rest of you NAB loosers!!!!
Satellite radio forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by by Rehr...........dont let the door hit you.......
Tate... you rock!
hey...i am excited too. dont get me wrong. i can practically taste it.
BUT....just considering how much us ong suffering longs have been thru with head fake after head fake....
i am just waiting to REALLY celebrate until TATE votes and Mel speaks. :-)
So why the 0.25 drop today?!?! WTF?
So why the 0.25 drop today?!?!?! Thoughts anyone?
um....maybe because the WHOLE market pulled back today, duh.
that....and the fact that Tate, regardless of reports....has not voted yet.
wait till tomorrow before you ask that question.
Why the decrease - the reality is setting in that XM (a downs syndrome victim) successfully mated with Sirius (a muscular dystrophy victim) and has had a child with both genetic mutations. Not going to be a pretty baby.
No way it'll be self sufficient.
1. It's not official. The buying yesterday was mostly based on the thought it may have been made official yesterday AH which it wasn't
2. The market was down huge today and a lot of people who tried to make a quick buck on the possible approval yesterday pulled their money out. These same people will pile back in most likely when more news comes out, like Tate's official vote.
The stock will rebound and go back up just wait..
The stock will rebound and go back up just wait..
WHAT GOING ON ,WHEN WILL TATE PUT THE FINAL YES VOTE DOWN.TO NIGHT FRI ,MON, TUE, WHAT..WHEN..WHAT'S THE HOLD UP?
I meant shut down repeaters, but this deal is a pile of shit though!
Can't wait for my new HD/ XM/Siri reciever. HD radio rules!!!!
Now Mel can dump all these XM managers that really suck, I mean really suck!
I'm so sick of all of this---I'm happy we are headed towards the end---but yet again, another day passes and it's not complete until the skinny lady sings. We need a vote to end this madness for once and all.
Ryan, I appreciate all that you've done for this community as you've been an amazing advocate! I can't thank you enough. However, the truth is---it's not over----The vote hasn't happend. Premature postings don't help. When it does happen, the stock is going to tank again because there is going to be lawsuits and talk and hearsay and it will continue on and on. Obama is against the merger and the NAB will do there best to drag this on and on in hopes of a "hail marry"--they have nothing to lose at this point!
Furthermore, Sirius will be reporting earnings next week--the stock will tank yet again. GD! Fuck the market------I'm at the end of my sanity with trying to predict this. I just want the yes vote, watch the stock go up 10 cents and I'll sell at a fucking loss-
XM did 780 million refinancing today which was expected and this also hurt the stocks. Stocks will hopefully settle in and take a steady move higher in the next week on actual vote and closing being announced by Karmazin/Parsons.
Need to wait for the photoshoot and handshakes by Monday maybe.
i guess i'm sort of ambivilent which is bad because if you lack feelings you are dead and who wants to be dead and all that like heath ledger who was pretty good in batman but wait they called it the dark knight but which one was the knight and wasnt the joker darker but when he said he was going to make that pencil disappear i was like ohoh and then he slammed the large black gentlemens face on the table and sure enough the pencil disappeared in the eye socket [spoiler alert] plus Maggie Gyllenhall isn't hot enough to be fighting over and heath didn't get to boink her like he did her brother so whats that all about.
in other words, bottle that shit
OMG Howard is going to fire OnA. Whatever will I do?
As a Howard fan I can tell you O and A are safe. They've made nice over these past few months. There's been no O and A bashing since Anthony and Howard met back around January. I don't listen to Opie and Anthony but I assume the same is true for their show.
Howard doesn't care about them. He has said in the past that he will never prevent someone from working. Now, he might prevent someone from talking about him but that's different. All they have to worry about is Mel. And that might be a big worry.
Wait... Why is the Orbitcast FCC clock still running?
Anyways, it's about time.
And the Lord said, "Go Sox."
The deal is not done until it is officialy announced by the FCC, and the ink dries on the papers printed by the FCC.
When will we see the new station format and breakdown of charges per station?
When will we see the new channel listings now that the merger is official, will I be able to pick up XM baseball on my Sirius receiver?
Sorry, Ryan, this one added nothing to previous entries. Lots of folks are clicking here for definitive news and have been misled. If anything, this should read: Martin Says It's All But Done. But the FCC itself hasn't acted, and Ms. Tate can still be reached by the broadcaster cartel.
Thanks for all you do!
Sorry, Ryan, this one added nothing to previous entries. Lots of folks are clicking here for definitive news and have been misled. If anything, this should read: Martin Says It's All But Done. But the FCC itself hasn't acted, and Ms. Tate can still be reached by the broadcaster cartel.
So true it isnt over yet until the FCC and Sirius or XM issue press releases saying it is over.
Depressing that I now must hope for the NAB to succeed to get my way.
All that fucking matters is that fucking HD Radio doesn't get mandated into fucking Satrad receviers!
We need a new clock, one that counts the days before SIRIUSXM goes out of buisness and shuts down.
Well, the American consumer has been just raped by the FCC. Now, consumers no longer have a choice of Satrad providers. I will give the merged company a year to see what happens programming wise, before I consider canceling my last two receivers....BUT we all know what type of track record Mel K. has, running his broadcasting empires. I don't expect this to be any different. Mel and Gary will smiling all the way to bank.
read some place tates people said she will vote in the next 24hrs.
I still dont see any comments from tate or staff,just because martin said something about having some form of agreement "does not a fact make" he could be wrong again.
I didn't give them a year - after an hour on the phone with CS, my account is closed. I'll be happy when my money for the unused part of the subs are back in my bank account. At least I won't have to fight with the bankruptcy court to get my money back if I bail now.
Even though I am a Sirius guy I can understand what the Xmer's are going through right now for example I apperantly read somewhere on a different message board that XM is going down the crapper big time right now , and I can see how Mel is putting his FM centric playlist on Sirius and will do it more on XM. Personally I am on the fence about this if programming is good and I can get MLB NHL and College Sports from XM Ill be fine , and if the music stays commerical free I will stay but if programming goes down the crapper or if the merger conditions which havent been detailed in a press release yet but will eventually are too asinine then I am done and off to Slacker Ipod Iphone and Internet radio for good. To hell with terresterial and HD Radio.
PLOWBOY, remember last night I told you there would be A BIG DROP this morning . and it would come back as it did . Had THE SHAREHOLDERS held on til tomorrow they would be making out like theives come next week . Hopefully this event will keep them out for the long run thru September til CALL options expire. SIRIUS executives are due GIFT DISTRIBUTIONS in AUGUST so feel comfortabe enjoying the EXPRESS ride thru this next month. EXPECT to SEE 60% plus gain in value WITH a $ 4.50 TARGET PRICE set BY WALLSTREETS BIG BOYS........
What's the new name??
Any Idea's??
How about, SiriX
ON YOUR MARK.
GET SET.
GET SET.
GET SET.
GET SET.
GET SET.
GET SET..... etc...
"All that fucking matters is that fucking HD Radio doesn't get mandated into fucking Satrad receviers!"
Why are you scared of HD Radio?
Are you a blind, ignorant satradio fanboy afraid of choice?
Do you think the HD chip (cost of a few dollars) would have made radio's too expensive?
Certainly HD Radio built into satradio's would be pro-consumer as it would work in all the areas satradio drops out.
satradio must be the cause of so much blind, ignorance. Yet another reason to cancel and not support a "merge" MONOPOLY scheme.
HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!
HD Digital Radio. It's here. It's local. It's free. DISCOVER IT!
www.hdradio.com/
All that fucking matters is that fucking HD Radio doesn't get mandated into fucking Satrad receviers!"
Why are you scared of HD Radio?
Are you a blind, ignorant satradio fanboy afraid of choice?
Do you think the HD chip (cost of a few dollars) would have made radio's too expensive?
Certainly HD Radio built into satradio's would be pro-consumer as it would work in all the areas satradio drops out.
satradio must be the cause of so much blind, ignorance. Yet another reason to cancel and not support a "merge" MONOPOLY scheme.
HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!
HD Digital Radio. It's here. It's local. It's free. DISCOVER IT!
www.hdradio.com/
Hello AC HD Radio sucks ass and it isnt like TV , and if Sat radio drops out then just plug in a slacker portable or your phone and listen to radio through that or plug in your Ipod to listen through there.
Man you really want that crappy HD radio chip in the radios, how bout the other way around AC? How bought we put sat radio inside of your HD radio......
NOT A DONE DEAL UNTIL IT IS STATED ON THE FCC.GOV WEBSITE!!!!
Hey Coward...
Putting HD Radio on every satellite product would be like stapling a bag of shit to every favorite product you bought. It ruins the product, We dont want that crap. If we did we would go out and buy it. Wanted to put that crap on the reciever just proves they are indeed a godam competitor. To bad it took the DOJ and 18 months to realize this. What a joke its been.
"Are you a blind, ignorant satradio fanboy afraid of choice?"
Are you a blind, ignorant HD Radio fanboy afraid of choice? Why should satellite radio subscribers not get to choose whether or not they want HD Radio? Oh wait, it looks like they do, because your HD RADIO INTEGRATION "merge into satellite radio receiver" MONOPOLY scheme DIDN'T WORK!!!
Tool.
"Certainly HD Radio built into satradio's would be pro-consumer as it would work in all the areas satradio drops out."
Only if people care about terrestrial to begin with. I've had my HD Radio tuner drop out between Kansas City and Chicago far more often than my XM or Sirius tuners. Care to argue that? Oh... That's right, HD Radio doesn't cover 99.999999999999999% of the contiguous forty-eight states.
Get the heck out of here if you don't have anything constructive to say. It's a done deal as done is going to get. The NAB has their platform, and XM/Sirius has theirs. Deal with it.
IT'S A DONE DEAL, YOU ARE RIGHT, BUT THE STOCK WILL GO DOWN, AND XMSR WILL GO UP, AND THAT'S A FACT.
"NAB Concedes Merger Asks For HD"
"Yesterday, an army of hybrid digital radio proponents including Jane E. Mago, Sr. Vice President and General Counsel Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Marsha MacBride of the National Association of Broadcasters, Jessica Marventano of Clear Channel Communications, Diane Warren of the HD Alliance, Anne Lucey and John Orlando of CBS, Whit Adamson of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, and Larry Sidman of Paul, Hastings spoke with Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate and Amy Blankenship."
"Considering this happened yesterday and no reports of any HD mandate were made public, it is probably a non issue. Contrary to reports however, we still do not have an official vote from Commissioner Tate and as such, I feel it important to report accurate news as it comes, rather than speculate on rumor. The fact that this meeting took place at all is cause for concern. I have made my views known in my article: The Hypocrisy Of HD Radio Proponents"
“In light of published reports that the Commission was considering approval with conditions, the parties explained the need for a condition to prevent the combined XM radio to harm further development of digital terrestrial radio. Specifically, the parties urged the Commissioner to condition any approval of the merger so that all consumers would have access to radio equipment that would allow them to switch between digital satellite offerings and terrestrial digital offerings.”
http://siriusbuzz.com/nab-concedes-merger-asks-for-hd.php
These fuckers won't give up! I've had it with terrestrial radio! Fuck you!
AC:" Why are you scared of HD Radio?
Are you a blind, ignorant satradio fanboy afraid of choice?
Do you think the HD chip (cost of a few dollars) would have made radio's too expensive?"
Get the fuck out of here, loser. HD is D.O.A. And to answer your question, at $150 a pop for even a basic HD radio, yeah, it's too fucking expensive.
Little twirp! LOL!!
I ask you all, at the end of this.... has anything transpired that couldn't have been done seven months ago? ... Has anything so revolutionary surfaced in Tate's proposal that couldn't have been aired and agreed upon 60 days ago.
Fuck the FCC if I saw 20 yes votes... they do their job for their own interests. A collection of asswipes.
Why was the title of this article SIRIUS/XM MERGER APPROVED when it is not yet official and 3rd vote is still not in.
Shouldn't jump the gun.
Makes you wonder, once again, how many days Tate can stretch this out final deal seeking attention. She needs psychological help if she's this needy. Thank God there is a 10 day limit, or she's be "unsure" for another six months.
"HD" radio.... Tickle my bag and smell my balloon knot!
"HD" radio needs yellow discipline and to take it all down the hatch!
O&A out at xm
Where are you coward????????? grammar..........................HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
"Man you really want that crappy HD radio chip in the radios, how bout the other way around AC? How bought we put sat radio inside of your HD radio......
Posted by: KenC | July 24, 2008 6:36 PM"
As a educated consumer who likes having choice I say great! put satradio chips in HD Radio's.
Since ClearCHANNEL sold themselves out to private equity today FINALLY, it would appear to me that terrestrial radio is in dire need for life support.... obviously they want out of the game..... cause.......... SIRIUS RADIO IS HERE TO STAY........ and within the next 5 years the majoriity of all autos sold in this country will be equipted with SATRAD RADIO. This is A GROWING INDUSTRY and for those opposed to growth of a customer mandated WANT ,they should sell their stock tomorrow so that others may enjoy the PROFITS OF THIS MERGER.IF YOU THINK WALL STREET DOESN't WANT YOUR shares go ahead and SELL EM. Plowboy, DON'T SELL.!!!!!!!!!!
Since ClearCHANNEL sold themselves out to private equity today FINALLY, it would appear to me that terrestrial radio is in dire need for life support.... obviously they want out of the game..... cause.......... SIRIUS RADIO IS HERE TO STAY........ and within the next 5 years the majoriity of all autos sold in this country will be equipted with SATRAD RADIO. This is A GROWING INDUSTRY and for those opposed to growth of a customer mandated WANT ,they should sell their stock tomorrow so that others may enjoy the PROFITS OF THIS MERGER.IF YOU THINK WALL STREET DOESN't WANT YOUR shares go ahead and SELL EM. Plowboy, DON'T SELL.!!!!!!!!!!
SuperH,
By constructive you mean sticking around to educate your ignorant self?
"As with traditional AM, FM and TV broadcasting, HD Radio programming is subscription-free and supported either by commercial advertising or by membership as in public broadcasting. Although HD Radio is promoted as a "cost-free" alternative to satellite radio, listeners of both HD and satellite radio must purchase new receivers enabled with the technology in order to receive the broadcast signals.
iBiquity claims that HD Radio broadcasts are available today to more than 83% of Americans. It has also been reported that as of June 2008, over 1,700 AM and FM stations are broadcasting with HD Radio technology"
What a typical and expect answer from Blind, ignorant satradio fanboy Max.....
You are scared of HD Radio
You are a blind, ignorant satradio fanboy afraid of choice
Putting the HD chip in satradio's would cost very little, and there are plenty of HD Radio's out there sub $100.
Way to go Max, your continued need to prove your desperate ignorance is not really needed we all get it.
Here today... gone tomorrow... I hopes its done...
Irrelevant.
As much as I love my Sirius satellite radio, this is like putting a band-aid on a shotgun wound.
XM and Sirius are already in trouble. Putting them in the same boat means that now they can die together.
Want to survive? Change your subscription model, accept ads....and pray.
ON YOUR MARK
GET SET....
GET SET....
GET SET....
COME ON TATE!!! VOTE ALREADY!!!
STOP THE CLOCK----Or Else Pull this Post------------------
STOP THE CLOCK----Or Else Pull this Post------------------
STILL LAUGHING,
Do you think if you repeat desperate delusions of grandeur based on blind, ignorant satradio fanboy BS it somehow becomes true? Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme has killed any chance the satradio industry had. More and more automakers are turning to HD Radio. BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, MINI, Scion, Volvo to name a few. Now thats a GROWTH INDUSTRY.
HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!
HD Digital Radio. It's here. It's local. It's free. DISCOVER IT!
www.hdradio.com/
For those who wanted the merger, congratulations. For those opposed to it, I understand but it looks like it's a done deal.
To Sausage, I agree with you 100%. This merger will give Sirius additional life, like a gunshot victim getting a unit of blood. When the bleeding is too intense, adding blood only delays the inevitable.
This is the scenario here - XM went out and paid rates that are higher than my credit card rates (yes, I have a sub 11% rate with no balance. Hell, I forgot I had a credit bard with BoA and they sent me a 4.99 balance transfer for the life of the balance transfer (I have nothing to transfer, though)).
My point is, when you have to borrow money as a company at subprime rates that yield 16%, that isn't a good sign. In fact it is a very very bad sign. I doubt that the drop off of sat radio was caused by the merger, although it may have played a role. I believe that the drop off was that most people heard it, and just thought it wasn't compelling enough to pay for. That won't change.
Pro-merger fans,celebrate the "victory" and congratulations, but ask yourself whether it's a real one or a Phyrric victory.
REMEMBER FM STEREO
HD naysayers are still predicting that if HD receiver sales don't take off quickly, the service could easily falter and meet a relatively quick demise.
FM stereo, on the other hand, did make a real difference, although not an earth-shaking one at the time for the average listener. Like HD, it was an important technological innovation the entire industry embraced and supported. Stations installed stereo encoders, radio manufacturers integrated stereo reception into receivers at all levels and consumers bought them whether or not they wanted the new feature or were even aware of it.
From the time FM stereo standards were adopted in 1961, it took at least 10 years for the new mode to take hold in the marketplace and another 10 years before FM stereo became the dominant choice for consumers of radio entertainment.
The same pattern is likely to be charted by HD Radio. It's just going to take time to make it to critical mass. Along the way, the technology will no doubt continue to improve and refine its present offerings. New ones not yet even dreamed about will certainly be added. HD is much more than just your daddy's FM stereo.
But the conversion should not take as long this time around with the advantages of digital being so much more flexible and scalable. It can easily accommodate new payloads and features in the coded bit stream that were utterly unthinkable in the analog era. Both the transmission and reception ends of the process can be updated relatively quickly and efficiently.
There is no other transport option that makes better sense for the industry going forward. There is simply no turning back now.
HD Digital Radio • IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE!
HD Digital Radio. It's here. It's local. It's free. DISCOVER IT!
www.hdradio.com/
SIXM will be in the black Q4 of 2009 based on present adoption rates. The market is 56 million and BE will be made before 23 million. This even assumes that the channels are not split for an ad/no ad version (which I pray for) when that happens, look for SIXM to be come a Clear Channel that is endless... dual business model. Take it to the bank.
"More and more automakers are turning to HD Radio. BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, MINI, Scion, Volvo to name a few. Now thats a GROWTH INDUSTRY."
The only one adding HD Radio standard is Ford-owned Volvo - the rest are OPTIONAL, which no on wants. Ford is also an investor in iBiquity, but has lost 9 billion. Most automakers install Satrad, but now, Chrysler and BMW, with others to follow, will be offering Internet access, then it's good-bye to all!
Actually, I had an HD unit and took it back to the store... sounded terrible.
"FM stereo, on the other hand, did make a real difference, although not an earth-shaking one at the time for the average listener."
It's absurd to compare the media landscape of 30+ years ago to today's mountains of other choices - Satrad, iPods, iPhones (which allow the streaming of Pandora, Last.fm in automobiles), cell phones, etc. Germany found out the hard way that digital radio provides no incentives for consumers:
"Germany flicks off-switch on DAB"
"Part of the problem is that analogue FM never went away and most people didn't seem to care for the clear digital-quality sound, and were left nonplussed by such benefits as easy tuning and message displays with song names and titles. DAB is struggling almost everywhere in Europe."
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/28/germany_switches_dab_off/
Digital radio is floundering, wordwide.
What can we realistically expect the stock to be at:
Tomorrow?
One week?
6months?
One Year?
5 years?
XM and Sirius pitched the merger promising the price of the combined services would drop. But that price drop is for the cost of both services combined which is about $25 bucks a month. I don’t think most people who subscribe to one or the other really care to have both. So, effectively this is a price increase.
Shares of both ha