Sweet. Only poor white people and minorities want this. Sure sign that there will not be a merger.

gosh Dang it, Naw wat one of dem deer sevices am I gaunna get in my harvester? Wish they would combine... LOL ...Get It Combine! then I dunt hava chooos.

I apoligize to all farmers out there. I just can not see how a combined service that would Eliminate redundant stations could possibly be of any advantage especially when the pricing would be the same as if you got both services anyway.

How can anyone be supporting the "merger" with the resoning stated.

> Only poor white people and minorities want this.

But do these groups REALLY want this or are they just shills for XM/Sirius, just like the NAB has theirs? Isn't it an odd coincidence how the announcements all seem so well timed? I know Ryan isn't going to go out of his way to point it out, as he's on the "suddenly I support the merger" bandwagon.

> "Satellite radio has offered listeners in rural areas a robust alternative with hundreds of specialized channels that meet the programing needs of rural America"

So we have about 300 channels before the merger (i.e. "hundereds") and combined post merger (after full "integration") we'll eventually have maybe 150-175? Who knows?

Amazing how all these "groups" must be psychic and know that costs will be reduced, the best of both will be kept and Xirius will be dropping free hardware from the skies.

Or, the merger gets approved and we have the ONE "choice" of either an FCC regulated service or at minimun a self-censored service.

Please - you pro-merger kool-aid drinkers: Tell how you know FOR ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that having one choice in satellite instead of two is going to make things better for subscribers? Before I'd even THINK about supporting it I'd want an EXACT plan as to what system will be maintained and what channels are going where and what the pricing will be. Vague promises from overpaid underperforming suits are not going to cut it.

> It seems that the League of Rural Voters is seeing that the merger would be more of a "standardization" of the satellite radio medium - opening up the exclusive content from both providers under a single subscription.

Yea, it's not exactly "standard" if one company runs the whole show. And without adequate equivalent options for consumers - WHERE WILL WE GO WHEN THEY START FUCKING IT UP? We're witnessing the bad decisions at XM, what happens when it's ONE company making those bad decisions?

No one knows what the benefits will be because it's all been deliberately kept vague. Why would ANYONE (besides someone directly profiting from a merger) support it when they have 0 specific details concerning what the end result will be?

A sign that anti-merger fans are losing their cool-

"I apoligize to all farmers out there. I just can not see how a combined service that would Eliminate redundant stations could possibly be of any advantage especially when the pricing would be the same as if you got both services anyway."

They lie. The pricing will not be the same as if you got both services separately. Sirius and XM said the combined services would be cheaper than buying both separately today. "Closer to $10 cheaper per month than $1 cheaper." That doesn't even take into account the savings on hardware. Why must people lie to further their point of view?

How many horseshit groups get to weigh in on this? Has anyone ever heard of The League of Rural Voters before? Sounds like one person w/some letterhead. Until I hear The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen come out in support of the merger I'm against it.

or are they just shills for XM/Sirius, just like the NAB has theirs?
================================================
I bet they are and they are not trying to hide it. I have mantained that I do not want the merger and I maintain that the whole Merger was mearly a ruse to flush out the NAB BS.

Remember terms of the merger included no new stock being issued.... Sirius has issued some.

We all know that drinking kool-aid while wearing a tinfoil hat is frowned upon.

If you can't understand that the market will not allow a price increase, no amount of explaining will help.

I'm curious as to what you consider the odd "timing" and why you think Ryan suddenly has no integrity.

Satellite radio is not an essential service. If the price increases, you don't have to take a big bite of the shit sandwich and swallow it. You cancel it. We aren't talking about electricity or heating fuel here. Nobody is FORCING increased premiums on consumers.

Of course the market will allow a price increase. That's fucking retarded. Are you saying that if XM/Sirus increased fees $1/month you & everyone else would cancel? Of course not. You wouldn't be happy about it but you'd pay. Should they try to increase fees $10/month then you have a point but I totally agree that until there is a plan in place with concrete details regarding pricing, tiered plans, pricing of added content, future plans for channels in both number & format and all the other details of the merger that we, as consumers, shouldn't even by considering supporting it. You have no idea what you are supporting. Mel has said many things but has mostly danced around questions and has provided zero solid info. It seems like XM/Sirius hasn't even figured out what they are doing, why would we support them?

Hey RJR.. go read Mels statments on the hill, he is quoted as saying less than $26.95 (the combined cost per month of both services)

The 10 bucks a month might be for a stripped down service. Not the full deal.

Mel was also talking about removing redundancy. Do both services have an 80's stream?

This is why a merger will never happen. The only ones who really seem to want it are the Sirius shareholders. That in itself should be pretty telling.

"You wouldn't be happy about it but you'd pay."

Don't tell ME what I would or wouldn't do. THATS fucking retarded.

"...until there is a plan in place with concrete details regarding pricing, tiered plans, pricing of added content, future plans for channels in both number & format and all the other details of the merger that we, as consumers, shouldn't even by considering supporting it."

You won't see any of those details until after the merger is approved.

"You have no idea what you are supporting."

You have no idea what you are railing against. Any talk of fewer channels and increased premium is just as speculative as ala carte programming choices and rate reductions. All we can do is wait and see.

If the merger goes through, and I like the plans and content, I will happily pay an increase if I see value in it.

If the merger goes through, and it's shit, I just walk away and take my money elsewhere.

Blowhard blog comments will not influence anything these to companies do. Our wallets do. Go ahead and tilt at windmills. I'm sure Melvin is reading every single one of the nuggets you leave lying around.

Just because your opinion is on the internet, doesn't make it any less stupid.

Dickstain.

UrineFreak

Only a fucktard like you would bump the price on the existing customers and shun the potential future ones.

Hoo Hoo and the white-haired shyster should be forced to agree that they won't reduce the diversity of programming by sabotaging and/or canceling the Opie and Anthony program if the merger goes through. Remember the days when they all worked together for CBS/Viacom. Hoo Hoo had the shyster put a gag order on O & A to prevent them from mentioning him by name. O & A started calling him Hoo Hoo to get around the gag order, but the shyster expanded the order to include nicknames. Hoo Hoo and/or his lackies also told many rock bands that they couldn't appear on his show if they appeared on the Opie and Anthony show.

That's some pretty spineless, sissy-boy stuff for a guy who claims to be the King of all Media.

Mr. Free Speech/First Amendment Hoo Hoo can dish it out, but he can't take it.

Neither can Cuntcow.

MeatlessFarley,

You are absolutely right about Mel. If he and his pathetic pack of yes-men read any of the postings on these web sites, they would have been able to predict that less than 10% of Hoo Hoo's dirt-bag fans would be willing to pay $13.00/month to keep listening to him.

Hoo Hoo, Robin, I'm still the King of All Media.

meathead,

your opinion is any more valid? It's a blog. That's what you do, Post comments. And why should we wait until there's no choice to want to hear what the companies have in store for us?

And shimshady, you do know that both services have already had price increases right? And more than a dollar. Didn't seem to stop them then.

The largest markets for (at least) the plug-and-play units are - guess - rural areas. Why? Because people can't get anything worth listening to.

your opinion is any more valid?

Didn't say it was. But it is a lot less stupid than your Chicken Little antics. THE CHANNELS ARE FALLING! THE PRICES ARE RAISING! WE'RE ALL GONNA GET SCREWED!

And why should we wait until there's no choice to want to hear what the companies have in store for us?

You DO have a choice! You can choose to drop your sub. I don't know what plan you signed up for, but nobody is gonna cut off my thumbs if I quit XM. Your drooling harelip children will not starve if you cancel. In fact, you can use the extra 10 dollars you just freed up to finally get those leg braces they have been needing.

Where does the "League of Rich Crackers" stand on all of this? What about the "League of Hook Nosed Jews"? Interest groups stink.

Meathead,

You obviously trhink your opinion is the word of god, you write a fucking book evertime you post. Fact is, channels are going to go away, that much has already been confirmed. And by your forrest gump level reasoning it's better to allow the merger, have one company and then call quiting it a "choice". To me a choice is two or more different companies competing with clearly defined differences - just what we have now. If they want to merge and expect me to support it then give me some details. Until I see them I applaud every move the NAB makes.

And I'd spend the savings from quitting by shooting HIV into your wife & kids. I hear for $10 I get 3 hours of yum yum with the whore.

You obviously trhink your opinion is the word of god, you write a fucking book evertime you post.

I'm sorry, I will try to use pictures or sock puppets from now on.

Fact is, channels are going to go away, that much has already been confirmed.

PFreak demands NO LESS THAN 7 80's stations!

To me a choice is two or more different companies competing with clearly defined differences - just what we have now.

I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. My iTunes was repeatedly playing 'My Chemical Romance' over and over and over and I couldn't tell the difference between it and my XM.

If they want to merge and expect me to support it then give me some details.

If Hugh and Melvin needed your "support", then they would give you details. But alas, insignificant intarweb blog comment crusaders have no political pull with anyone and are therefore in no position to demand details.

Until I see them I applaud every move the NAB makes.

That'll teach them to fuck with YOU! I'm sure the XM and Sirius board rooms are in a panic over their lack of retards clapping at them. OH NOES! Without PFreak's applause, the merger will NEVER go through! We're DOOMED!