just sent him an email thanking him for his opposition to the monopoly...err I mean the please save us government merger

ron and fez noon to three.

OMFG!

Dorgan you CLUELESS OLD FART!

Just GO AWAY or SHUT UP!

You don't speak for me or any of the other consumers you "pretend" to be looking out for.

Argh. Someone end this insanity....PLEASE! :-)

What is worse ?

The fact that this guy is a Senator and he this stupid ?

OR

That fact he's NOT stupid but he's a crook and is taking bribes to act stupid ?

free radio doesnt affect sat radio pricing??????? Are you kidding me senator?? If free radio wasnt free but its amazing how a person can make a statement with a straight face, after taking funds from these groups and try to hoodwink the public
Sat radio cant raise their pricing as much as they want because too many subs would opt out because there are so many other choices now--that dont cost much if anything
Lets check how much this guy has accepted from the NAB and related parties--Now saying the DOJ is wrong and he cant understand their decision also tells me this guy doesnt understand his own public which elected him--Typical Washington hack who has sold out--Congress rating LOWER then Bush--Wonder why??

Senator Dorgan, for "some reason" doesn't seem very responsive to the good people of North Dakota does he? Maybe a few of you voters should speak up and let your feeling's known. Your senator doesn't seem to care, or give a wit about wether or not you have a choice in your radio listening, out there in ND. He thinks it would be "peachy keen" if you would just shut up and be happy listening to terrestrial radio's Clear Channel monopoly. Maybe you should tell him he is about as PHONY in his representation of you, as the dentures in his mouth.

That zoom-in picture is terrifying

Thank you for posting his contact information. I had already emailed him over the weekend. It is great that he wants to save us a few pennies on a service that no one needs. My question is, what is this clown doing about the high taxes, inflation, oil prices, excessive government regulation, war in Iraq, ect? Nothing. He is a pawn of local radio and a worthless hack. Fuck him and his mother.

He is a Senator, and seems out of touch with the working class or he is being bought. Is that all the people opposition can get is public officials. This is entertainment and is not a necessity. For the industry to keep subscriptions they have to be entertaining and a reasonable price. From the last poll I've seen the middle class is what make up the majourity of subscribers. If they raise prices or content becomes garbage I know Sirius will have one less middle class subscriber. I understand the governments role in protecting the public but this is not one of those times. Do he understtand we are in a recession and he should be focusing his time and energy on things that matter like gas prices and the war and how about morgages. This is not a necessity and does not warrant the scruitiny it has been receiving.

You would think that someone who lives in the middle of nowhere like North Dakota would WANT to promote satellite radio because there are no terrestrial radio stations because the range of FM radio is about 100 miles.

How can anyone in any rural area POSSIBLY not want satellite radio or be 'representing' the people that elected them by opposing the merger ?

IS there ANY logic to this ?

You know, the thing that he doesn't seem to get is...... If they raise prices, people will Leave. Plain and simple.

You are not forced to by satellite radio, your not forced to keep your subscription. You HAVE a choice. It's entertainment, not OIL for christ sake!

Go figure out a way to make it so I'm paying a buck fifty for gas again. THAT is a worth while cause.... 150 bucks a week is just ridiculous.

He just made the case for Term Limits.

He just made the case for Term Limits.

I agree with Sen. Dorgan's position. How does a merged company provide greater choice? The only logical conclusion is that supporters want XM and Sirius on the same radio, no separate subscription. Under that logic, McDonalds and Burger King should merge so that you could buy a Whopper AND a Bic Mac at the same restaurant.

Is there anything I'm not comprehending here?

Yes, what your not comprehending is that IT DOESN'T matter.... It's entertainment. We dont' NEED satellite radio. We WANT it.

Hey, Exxon and Mobil merged.... Does ANYTHING matter after that?! We are dependent on oil, we are not dependent on our music.

You can choose to listen to AM/FM/HD which are all free (somewhat), or you can pay to have satellite, or listen on your ipod. There is NO reason that a Senator, or congressman should have anything to do or say about this merger.

THIS Merger has been utterly ridiculous, and a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. Let them merge, like they are going to do anyways, and move on. STOP WASTING MY tax money!!!

Has this country lost it's mind? This country is going down the toilet and our government acts like this is the most pressing issue in the last 100 years! The subscribers will regulate the price of this service. Satellite radio commands 4% of the radio market and is on the verge of going out of bussiness; that is one hell of a monopoly! Somebody please stop this juggernaut!!

Has this country lost it's mind? This country is going down the toilet and our government acts like this is the most pressing issue in the last 100 years! The subscribers will regulate the price of this service. Satellite radio commands 4% of the radio market and is on the verge of going out of bussiness; that is one hell of a monopoly! Somebody please stop this juggernaut!!

The DOJ took its time on deciding this and has made a very good decision. The FCC will almost certainly demand prices to freeze for a while.

This is a luxury that people can easily replace for free. With mergers in transportation (DELTA + NTW) which are much more important for the consumer than satellite radio, it is strange that there is so much attention on this merger.

The government in China does this a lot and this kind of mentality is convenient for authority that wants to serve special interests. But this is not right for this country and time.

The FCC and the DOJ have the data to decide. You sir are using your position to influence a decision in order to serve satellite radio competitors. Because a simple look at the after the merger pricing plans, proves your reasoning wrong.

Let's hope the FCC does not serve any other interests other than the public.

Is the criteria based on whether the entities provide necessary items vs. discretionary items? Last I checked, on my way into work this morning, I passed 1 Exxon station, 2 Citgo stations, 1 Lowest Price station, and 1 Sunoco station. In responding to your post, that's 4 different companies - none having anything to do with the other. So, if I want Exxon, I go to Exxon, etc. I need gasoline to get to work, drive to the grocery store, cut my grass, etc., so there should be a choice as to where I get it.

Under your theory, since I don't "Need" audio entertainment, I shouldn't have a choice of content provide when it comes to satrad. Is that correct?

The post of the day goes to Paul!!!

"
What is worse ?

The fact that this guy is a Senator and he this stupid ?

OR

That fact he's NOT stupid but he's a crook and is taking bribes to act stupid ?
"

LOL!!!

Limpid pools of blue, enticing me to stay...but my loins say otherwise. Oh the humanity.

"To Steve", you're comparing apples to oranges. You NEED gas, you DON'T need audio entertainment. And as Steve pointed out (if you had READ it thoroughly), the CHOICES are AM/FM/HD/iPOD or PAY Satrad. Why is that so hard for you terrestrial radio hucksters to understand? I don't get the Satrad subbers who fail to see the benefits of a combined company, especially when they stand to lose their beloved XM if a merger is NOT endorsed by the FCC. Merger protesters are ASSuming, and screeching like chicken little, about "higher prices, less content, no choice"...blah,blah,blah. Have they been under a rock or what?!
1. al la carte pricing
2. streamlined content to combine the best of both and eliminate repetition
3. YOU HAVE A FREAKIN CHOICE! YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO SUBSCRIBE and take your ears to terrestrial or HD.
What part of this do you not understand?

If you take these words and paste the in 5 differnt places on the www your wishes will come true. Kevin Martin quit making a mockery of our great nation; you should make a decision and quit shaming our country.

If you take these words and paste them in 5 differnt places on the www your wishes will come true! Kevin Martin quit making a mockery of our great nation; you should make a decision and quit shaming our country.

So your arguement is based solely on need vs. want?

Is sat tv a need or want? Does Direct TV not compete with Dish based on content? Does NBC not compete against ABC and CBS on content? Under your scenario, we should have just one broadcast network carying all the channels and just one sat tv provider as that would make it "easier" for consumers to have access. What about competition? Doesn't FOX, by carrying Idol have the advantage over the other broadcasters and allow it to charge higher fees to advertisers?

So, as I understand it, you just don't like having to make a choice. You're the rube in front of me at the coffee shop trying to decide what girlie dring you want when all I want is coffee.

Sucks to be you.

My point, honestly, is that, there are WAY MORE important things going on in the USA right now that this Senator, should be worrying about that instead, of whether a combined Sirius/XM will raise prices.

Of COURSE prices are going to raise, because someone charges xm/sirius for there music, where am/fm get the music for free.

Mr. Senator, get off your butt, and go worry about something that MATTERS.

And I kind of DO believe that Dish/Directv should have been allowed to combine, so they can compete with the likes of the juggernaught called COMCAST. BUT, that is where I'm concerned about them overcharging someone in the middle of no where that has no choice.

AM/FM can be picked up anywhere. TV can't always. Different beasts.

"To Steve"
So is your argument based solely on content vs. need/want? One sat tv provider? Do you read the news? ICO just launched a high powered satellite for purposes of sat VIDEO which will be utilized in cars, etc. You asked "what about competition? Doesn't FOX, by carrying Idol have the advantage over the other broadcasters and allow it to charge higher fees to advertisers?" Of course. And since Sirius-XM has the superior CONTENT, they will blow their competition (AM/FM/HD) away by signing on subscribers who would rather have SatRad than terrestrial radio.
Get it??

By the way, i'll CHOOSE to have a grande, non-fat, triple shot mocha while you WAIT IMPATIENTLY behind me. Should have gotten there first, aye? Sucks to be you.

"To Steve"
So is your argument based solely on content vs. need/want? One sat tv provider? Do you read the news? ICO just launched a high powered satellite for purposes of sat VIDEO which will be utilized in cars, etc. You asked "what about competition? Doesn't FOX, by carrying Idol have the advantage over the other broadcasters and allow it to charge higher fees to advertisers?" Of course. And since Sirius-XM has the superior CONTENT, they will blow their competition (AM/FM/HD) away by signing on subscribers who would rather have SatRad than terrestrial radio.
Get it??

Custard pie... that's it.. the first thing that came to my mind was that... shame isn't it??

I did a people search on this Senator just for fun ..

What's interesting is he does have like seven marriage records ... but you can't view any of them ... I wonder what that's all about ?

Anyway here's his address and phone number ...

Full name Phone Address City Zip Code
DORGAN BYRON L 701-222-1947 1001 E CENTRAL AVE BISMARCK, ND 58501

The Smiling Tiger has the sharpest teeth.

What none of you brain surgeons can accept is that this is a merger-to-monopoly. I don't like any kind of monopoly that isn't natural in nature. For the record, my feelings are shared by others as well.

Please tell me what prevents a merged company from cancelling Howard Stern or Martha Stewart or O&A or Oprah? What stops a merged company from raising rates (ok, bad example as XM raised its rates from 9.99/mo to 12.95 when it went to commercial free programming and then went back to commercials on 4 of its music channels)? What stops a merged company from doing whatever they want? Nothing.

What stops or mitigates (look it up) these events in the current state of the market? COMPETITION.

Whether its a "need" item or a "want" item is irrelevant.

The real reason, I suspect, that merger supporters want the merger has nothing to do with content, but the survival of the entities and "visions of sugarplums dancing in your heads by way of a renewed and reenergized stock.

What needs to happen here is the natural evolution of these companies into reorganization in bankruptcy and then the takeover by real companies with real, skilled management.

Having said that, the reorganization will take place, albeit a little later, but if two people who can't pay their bills on their own get married, then you have one entity (husband and wife) to file bankruptcy. I guess this saves one set of filing fees.

My desire is that the FCC impose such crippling obstacles and conditions to the merger. Don't get me wrong, the companies will agree to whatever is proscribed, but it will show how bad the realities of sateliite are.

"Ryan Saghir, Managing Editor at Orbitcast, is an evangelist of the satellite radio medium, technology and business model."

I agree that the medium and technology are amazing and a testament to the innovators of satellite radio. But the bio of the Managing Editor says it all when it comes to objectivity. I realy get concerned when people rave about the business model of satrad.

If I ran this kind of business model, I would be the laughing stock of my profession. So would you. Anyone disagree?

Comments, please.

I am a Darwinian in all things, biological or otherwise. If you can't survive, you are replaced by those tat can and the species get stronger. It's as simple as that.

What is North Dakota good for anyway , other than the fact that it separates South Dakota from Canada ?

Byron Dorgan... Another bought and paid for politician. How?

Start here. -> http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/memberprofile.asp?CID=N00004615&Cycle...

You'll notice, strangely, that DirecTV and EchoStar are on there.
Nothing radio... until you see under the liars.... I mean
lawyers... Arnold & Porter.

Arnold & Porter are considered a high power lawfirm for the FCC... -

> http://www.democraticmedia.org/jcblog/?p=222

And here you'll see that Arnold & Porter work for the NAB often:
http://www.arnoldporter.com/attorneys.cfm?u=GarrettRobertAlan&action=...

Dirty, dirty, dirty... It never stops.

Well, the fucking NAB is at it again! Yea, it's not like the FCC handed over a monopoly on terrestrial digital radio to that snake Stuble and iBiquity/HD Alliance.

I wouldn't mind him sticking his weasily looking face in there at the eleven and three quarters hour, my problem is.. weren't the comments supposed to be submitted by like the end of July last year?? is everyone able to keep commenting on this earth shattering, life changing merger indefinitely... life changing?? that's right.. if you haven't heard yet this merger will in effect change the way the earth rotates around the sun.. I think I heard it will reverse the rotation or something like that.. IT'S THAT IMPORTANT!! whatever...

Anonymous Coward
you're right. if the FCC allows this merge monopoly, Siri-XM will then say "ha! ha! now, let's raise the subscription price on those sorry bastards and fire Howard, he's too freakin' costly. Who cares if it pisses off some people (a whole lot of people) and they cancel, we'll just sign more to replace them! And who gives a shit about the bad publicity, we're now a MONOPOLY by god, and we can do what we want, even screw up our business before we get the new company off the ground! Hell, XM, you're already deep in hock! What does it matter if we risk our chances of becoming profitable? And by the way, not to add salt to the wound of pissed off former customers, but we need to can about 1/2 our content and downsize! They'll never notice. We won't lose paying subscribers! You worry too much! So let's get to it, i think it's a winning business plan, don't you? After a few quarters, we'll see how our bottom line is looking! ha! But no matter what, even if it means death on a stick, they can never say we didn't get our "merge" MONOPOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"you're right. if the FCC allows this merge monopoly, Siri-XM will then say "ha! ha! now, let's raise the subscription price on those sorry bastards and fire Howard, he's too freakin' costly. Who cares if it pisses off some people (a whole lot of people) and they cancel, we'll just sign more to replace them! And who gives a shit about the bad publicity, we're now a MONOPOLY by god, and we can do what we want, even screw up our business before we get the new company off the ground! Hell, XM, you're already deep in hock! What does it matter if we risk our chances of becoming profitable? And by the way, not to add salt to the wound of pissed off former customers, but we need to can about 1/2 our content and downsize! They'll never notice. We won't lose paying subscribers! You worry too much! So let's get to it, i think it's a winning business plan, don't you? After a few quarters, we'll see how our bottom line is looking! ha! But no matter what, even if it means death on a stick, they can never say we didn't get our "merge" MONOPOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I don't really care which way this thing goes anymore.. I just want to know, really want to know.. can these half wits make up their minds... my bet is no..

He looks like he was tapping his toes in a bathroom stall. Satisfaction is written all over his face.

I see your lips moving , but I cant understand what your saying, ( roger waters)

Here's my letter...

As a subscriber and satisfied customer of Sirius Satellite Radio, the merger makes 100% complete sense to me. From what I've read on your comments, you are trying to appeal to people who are not customers of satellite radio. As a PAYING CUSTOMER to the service, I am absolutely OVERJOYED at the fact that the two companies are merging. I will be receiving both baseball and football for less than it would cost to subscribe to separate services. I am convinced that you are not completely aware of what satellite radio offers to be making such comments. Most customers WANT the two companies to merge. If your concern were truly for the consumer, you'd pay attention to what the CUSTOMERS are demanding. I'm not really concerned for people who aren't paying for the service because their interests are the same as mine. If I become dissatisfied, I'll stop paying and get an iPod. As I've been a customer for 5 years, I don't see that happening soon.

"I agree with Sen. Dorgan's position. How does a merged company provide greater choice? "

What more choice do I need beyond 100 fucking channels!?!?!?

Gotta love us North Dakotans (myself included). :)