Yesterday, senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus criticized a plan for the proposed merger of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., saying the deal doesn't provide enough opportunities for minority-owned programming.Rather than the 8% of non-commercial set-aside, the members of the Black Caucus argue for the merged company to lease five times that amount of spectrum to companies owned by minorities, like Georgetown Partners.
Anything short of that, and they would oppose the merger.
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), pictured on the left, and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus's working group on satellite radio, told The Washington Post that Martin's proposed compromise "completely unacceptable."
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), former chairman of the Black Caucus, said that he was "extremely upset" about the proposed deal.
"It's shocking to the conscience in this day and age, where the minority populations comprise a significant part of the satellite radio audience, that Mr. Martin would settle for what I deem to be crumbs that have fallen off the table," Cummings said. "We can do much better. I am hoping that this can be revisited."
Cummings said yesterday that he would speak to his colleagues about taking action to stop the merger - perhaps even legislative action.
[Washington Post]
Thanks Eatsleepdrivesc!
Where is the moral outrage from these groups every time Clear Channel buys another radio station? Shouldn't they be demanding similar concessions from those deals too?
This entire process disgusts me.
WHAT is WRONG with THESE people????
And YES!...I said "These people".
WTF do they WANT? To KILL both satellite companies???
Then they'll have NO channels!!!
The concessions GIVE them 24 FRIGGIN channels!!! Why don't the fucking black caucus send up their own "spadenik" um I mean "spudnik"???
This is TOTAL bullshit. They are NAB lobbyists POSING as a minority group. They don't want MORE channels, what they REALLY want is no less than the total destruction of Sirius and XM.
This is the NAB's desperate last ditch effort to stall the proceedings...by hiding behind the "black caucus" to make it a racial issue.
Are "These People," looking for a hand out, or are they looking for " proper/equal," ownership, because if that the case money doesn't care what color you are, and wall street exepts money.
Another reason why I will never vote for Obama.
They should be looking at the listening audience population percentage. We would love to have more black listeners. The channels are already there...they just don't subscribe. The fact is, without a la carte, most of the poor, which falls mostly on the minority population, cannot afford it.
Thje proposal calls for the merged company to give the bandwidth at ZERO COST to, specifically, BLACK owned entities...
They should be looking at the listening audience population percentage. We would love to have more black listeners. The channels are already there...they just don't subscribe. The fact is, without a la carte, most of the poor, which falls mostly on the minority population, cannot afford it.
Thje proposal calls for the merged company to give the bandwidth at ZERO COST to, specifically, BLACK owned entities...
told you this would happen as they NEVER would be happy--Always want more---and that goes for ANY political group...Meanwhile there is more diversity on sat radio NOW that all of free radio
The CHINESE CAUCUS ARE PRO MERGER, NOW WHAT??
The CHINESE CAUCUS ARE PRO MERGER, NOW WHAT??
The CHINESE CAUCUS ARE PRO MERGER, NOW WHAT??
I would like to suggest that we have another 17 months of meetings at the FCC to fully explore these concerns. Heck maybe CP3O and the NAB could file another 50 Exparte's?
Dear FCC: If you continue to leave the door open, this will continue.
The CHINESE CAUCUS ARE PRO MERGER, NOW WHAT??
Whites are suppose to be a minority in the next 2 decades. Does this mean we get the channels back then?
Whites are suppose to be a minority in the next 2 decades. Does this mean we get the channels back then?
Everyone's got their friggin' hands out... it's disgusting.
Oh one thing, XjoeX, what does this have to do with Obama? If you vote based on color of skin; do us all a favor and stay home on Election Day.
Look I am latino and these people do not represent me or anyone I know. It is stupid to think that special channels should be set aside for minority. Aren't some of the host of some of the shows on Sirius, XM and traditional radio already minority? Also even if the host is not a minority host don't they sometimes talk about minority issues?
In a way I think these guys who hide themselves as minority leaders are the biggest racist of them all. Have they asked the NAB to also give them special channels for them to transmit shows too?
These guys like Sharpton and Jackson live off minority and the racial issue. Think about, how does a reverend (a man of the church) ever able to afford nice suits? etc. Please this is all bolognie and I also have friends who are black and they think the same way too. Except it is the people who follow these guys who speak louder because like the people who are yelling the loudest we have jobs and a family to support.
why does anyone think they should get anything for nothing?? this is a pay service that by it's very nature is not free. the fact that what i pay for should be turned into corporate welfare for a group of whining people who think that it is owed to them is just crazy. step up to the plate with some meaningful programming that would make your constituants buy subscriptions and you too will get airtime. in the mean time i would suggest that you take a careful listen to what is available on the services now and determine for yourselves if you think your audience is underserved or misrepresented. i think not!!!!
5 times what is offered is 40%. When did XM and Sirius become welfare?
Let me understand this? I'm mentally handicapped! Does that initale me to get free stuff too?
MORE .... Minority Show ideas:
"Jesse Jackson's baby Mama"
" Al Roker ...cooking low fat ribs"
" Mike Tyson... yo ear sho is better than chicken"
How to win at ... " Naked Jello Twister" ... by Bill Cosby
JJ Walker: Para sailing with only ears and a parachute.
Hair Products to repair split ends by: Don King
The Monkey and me by: Al Sharpton
Forgive me Jesus.
So, since where I live, we white folk are a minority, do we get a channel too?
http://www.last.fm/music/Rush/_/Something+for+Nothing
Plowboy, isn't JJ Walker a DJ for sirius?
If he is Sweeeeeeeeet we have ourselves 1 channel already, M&M has his own channel, and there is a korean channel too. Oh wait jesse and his crew aren't working for the koreans they are only working for minorities, wait I'm confused who is jesse working for again.
Whoa....... how many Rap stations are there between XM ans Sirius? How many Spanish Stations?
Bottom line.. this is a pay service... and to keep people signed up you must provide compelling content. How the hell can these groups provide compelling content without it costing them one thin dme to put up the network?
This is not differnt than requiring Greyhound to lease the last two rows of seats to Minorrity groups, Or telling the US govenment to designate one lane on every highway for Minority groups.
What the hell? Stop crying minority anyway... if you cant make it on your own and you need to cry minority... You aint a man anyway! Stand up and d it your Selves.
I would have absolutely loved for XM/Sirius to agree to the Georgetown Partners idea and then once the merger was approved, give the bandwidth to Hispanic and Asian broadcasters instead of Georgetown Partners.
When will NAB set aside 8% of their frequency.
Are NAB members paying royalties to black (or any) artists?
Gentlemen of the Caucus... please consider these facts.
These people are idiots! Why should a fixed number of channels be reserved for any type of programming? Do they not realize that Sirius and/or XM are going to fill their channels with what sells the service? If there is strong demand for a certain music genre, talk show, or channel, you can bet that you'll see it added to the service. It doesn't matter if it's "minority programming" or not.
Plus, what is "minority programming" anyway? If I'm a certain color, does that mean I should only be listening to shows programmed by people of my color?
It's nice to see that the people who quickly cry "racist" are the ones keeping racism alive in 2008.
jeff said "This is not differnt than requiring Greyhound to lease the last two rows of seats to Minorrity groups, Or telling the US govenment to designate one lane on every highway for Minority groups.
What the hell? Stop crying minority anyway... if you cant make it on your own and you need to cry minority... You aint a man anyway! Stand up and d it your Selves."
WOW on the first statement.
On the second note. There once was a very famous outspoken black leader who grew up a child of slaves he said something very similar in that you must expect hand outs to get ahead. I can not remember his name but apparently some freshmen in college told me I was racist because the black man who grew up rich in the northern states preached for government handouts.
Don't these minorities realize if they push this through that there's going to be no one available to listen to their channels? What I mean is, how are you going to get people to subscribe to something where 40% of the channels are junk? Why would these minorities want something that would eventually kill the merged company? Because that's exactly what would happen.....no potential subscribers would subscribe, and as a current subscriber, I'd have to jump ship, too. Because I'm not going to pay for radio that has 40% of the channels of no interest to me.
This minority objection does sound a little 'NAB-BISH'. Like Sirius/XM doesn't already have a lot of shows that represent diversity. They would be stupid to write off a good part of their audience. 24 channels sounds like a lot. Let's get on with it. These groups should worry more about SATRAD survival, which eventually depends on making money. Martin should be commended for getting it right, even though it was late in coming.
The big question is what is wrong with the "black" channels that already exist? There are plenty of channels that you may enjoy no matter what your skin color. Do blacks not enjoy comedy, rap, R&B, news, political talk, sports? Or are these channels only for militant blacks? What exactly is a minority? I happen to be british and came to this country as a child. I may not be black but I'm a minority. Do I get a channel to listen to the Queen?
And for JJJ, almost no one voting for Obama can tell you why other than race. The blacks are all lining up to vote for him strictly on his skin color. What makes him different to Hillary other than his complete lack of experience and qualifications. If the people that are going to vote based on the color of his skin were to stay home, McCain would romp. Why does this matter? Look at the color of people making this merger a race issue. Look at the fact that there is even a black caucus, that is racist in of itself. It's not whitey that wants something for nothing.
Its easy to take to same ground as these people perverting race as commerce. They have successfully made their platform into demanding acceptance or forcing action based solely on skin. This in essence is the definition of Racism. Each black congressman, Jesse, Al, and the rest of the folks using race as capital are guilty of doing nothing more than making their race into thieves and shakedown artists.
Any intelligent person, black or not, realizes these people are all nothing more than con-artists and criminals. Unfortunately their black constituancy has been educated to believe in us against them, and as such use their race as an excuse to do nothing and essentially demand things they have no entitlement to, making them morally bereft.
Its funny that something as meaningless as satellite radio is used to unveil this hypocracy, but even without it its still there.
As for Obama, its unfortunate he's black as his platform is widely overlooked. In general, Blacks will vote for him because "hes one of them", Latinos will vote against him because "he is part of a race they dont endorse"; both of these being horrible truths. Its funny, after thousands of years of evolution and progress, we are essentially no different than the Sneetches.
Fight racism, by denouncing Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as bigot thieves for using race as capital.
The minority challenged only wanted .... .... ... what? what did they want?? they were given one thing then they wanted more, or they wanted ... it was like a little kid... ok minorities if you want it there it is four channels that all ten people will listen to.. you happy now?? no?? tough shit, you will like what you have and be grateful.. now go drink your juice and watch Mr. Rogers...
The last time I drove into N.Y.C., I had a hard time finding an AM or FM radio station that wasn't Spanish/Latino. I thought I was in South America. This fallacy that minorities aren't represented is complete nonsense. What in the hell is our government doing, bowing down to these charity cases every time they start to whine? Sharpton and Jackson are nothing more than sleazy con men who run around trying to intimidate "whitey" every time there is any issue. All of these other groups looking for handouts aren't any better. What other companies involved in a merger were forced to make conncessions like this? This Bush administration absolutely has it in for satellite radio.
Latinos will vote against him because "he is part of a race they dont endorse....
You are mistaken. I don't think the Latino vote will go to him that easy. It depends on McCain's stance on immigration.
I am sad about these freaking black leaders coming out so strongly about the merger when there are so many other issues at hand right now. But it shows how policitcs can be influenced by MONEY. They was legislative action to stop merger? Are they freaking crazy enough to spend time and tax payer money on such issues?
Where were they when Exxon bought Mobil? Why didn't they cry wolf?
I am tired of black leaders always talking bout minority this and minority that. You don't like it, LEAVE! Go visit a poor neighborhood and then go to work on those issues, not on issues pertaining to a PAY SERVICE!!!!!
Exactly! Do the people who are paying for this service have any say in the matter? Of course not; because they aren't asking for anything FREE. When these pathetic welfare case minority panhandlers actually buy a radio and subscribe to the service, or invest in the companies, then and only then will I give a damn about their opinion! I think I'll drive to Harlem and cry that I'm not represented well enough. How much free stuff do you think the home boys will ante up for a cracker like me? You guessed it - not a damn thing!
Why do politicians point with their index finger knuckle. Man that just looks so condescending.
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
COMMUNISM IS HERE!!!
No one has there hand out more than Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin. Funny thing is Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin hand isn't out in the open. What everyone forgets, and what gives special interest groups a say on the "merge" scheme is satradio uses public radio spectrum to make money. The public DOES have every right to voice their opinion and say NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme.
The Black Caucas wants to take the Socialistic approach to satellite radio, not surprising from Democrats who also want Socialized medicine. Be careful who you vote for in November. The truth is al a cart offering is a gift to all of us especially minorities that want low cost access to satellite radio.
don't those people have bigger things to worry about in their "community"
Screw the minorities!!! If they didn't EARN it they don't DESERVE IT. I am sick and tired of these *ing minority advocates trying to get their groups freebies. To HELL with them.
No one in this country DESERVES anything. I can't even believe they are talking about it.
this is rediculous! over black channels???? they have enough already! what about italians? what about japanese? what about german? this is a multi cultural nation we live in and some self centered black person who cares about no one else but "his people" want more????? i hope they laugh at this person! and dont tell me there isnt enough aftrican american programming on TV, radio, mainstream.
Blacks comprise 13% of the US population yet the Black Caucus demands 40% of SATRADS spectrum!?!?! I’m sure they claim to represent all minorities but I seriously doubt they’ll care if their local Korean grocer gets their new talk show “You No Trouble, You Go NOW!” Hispanics comprise 13.3 % of the US population I wonder why they don’t moan and whine for spectrum. Oh, that’s right they like to work for what they get seeking hand outs is a foreign concept in their communities they don’t carry the sense of entitlement some minorities do.
JA he's my man ... if he won't vote yes, no one can! ....... Go get them John-O.... Rural America is letting its voice be heard in favor of the planned Sirius/XM merger. In a joint letter to Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein five independent groups cited increased benefits for rural consumers including greater programing options and enhancements to rural information services. The organizations are the Federation of Southern Cooperatives , the League of Rural Voters , the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association , the Intertribal Agriculture Council and the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project . Said the letter, "This merger is clearly in the best interest of rural consumers because it would allow a combined company to expand upon its existing services with increased efficiencies, and at the same time provide rural listeners with more diverse programming and lower pricing." more>> (25 October 2007)
anyone notice that a quater of the mid-west is under water and noone is screaming for help.people are out filling sandbags and helping each other out.even the ones who are upset with not being able to return to their homes are not robbing,raping and looting while the disaster plays out.it's the same concept that allows "these people"to try to take from the gov't every chance they get,when you never say no (out of guilt)these people expect to get anything they want,whenever they want.
their great-great-great great grandparents are owed something so they want it now.
until "these people" stop thinking this way it will never change\
as one of "these people" i wish "you people"(white) would stop playcating "those people" and just say no.
I'm black so I can say authoritatively that THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS DOES NOT CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE!!! This is the same Congressional Black Caucus that instituted harsher punishment crack dealers than the equivalent amount of cocaine and then have the nerve to turn around and call the surge in black imprisonments due to it "racist". Don't buy into any of their crap. There's a Jamie Foxx channel and a ton of hip-hop/r&b/soul stations which are what blacks are MOST LIKELY GOING TO LISTEN TO. All of these feel-good do-gooder black stations are stations that not even black people have any interest in. It's just a bunch of posturing to make themselves feel good. They can all go shit in a hat!!!
"Another reason why I will never vote for Obama."
If you can't tell the difference between the Harvard educated Barack Obama and that asshole, you are simply an ignoramus. Should I assume you represent Daniel Carver if I adopt your backward thinking?
GET A JOB
GET A JOB
and next thing you know
little people will want thier own channels too on xm-sirius
When is the government in this country going to stop pandering to special interest and 'minority" groups, and actually start representing the majority! This merger has been turned into a complete circus - thanks to our spineless political representatives - and has attacted a level of scrutiny that it never deserved. I don't understand why it is satellite radios obligation to cater to every whim of so called minorities ( there are plenty of downtrodden white citizens in the U.S. who feel our government has abandoned them and don't feel properly "represented" ). The Bush administration has NO backbone, and is merely enabling these minority individuals and groups to continue their despicable behavior.
I'm with you guys on all this, but this is tooooooooo funny, plowboy way too funny.
howards fake caller- I have noticed the flood. I wonder if Mayor Nagin has anything to say about it. I wonder if the governor of Louisiana has said anything. Hell I wish someone from Iowa would say something but alas Katrina was too long ago for people to comment on and show how it is the same thing.
The JJ Walker on Totally '70s is white:
http://www.sirius.com/totally70s
ecummings0@cs.com
This wasn't easy ... here's Cummings e-mail.
How bout a shout out for my Brother!
I have some questions.
Howard said that "the deal" would require that the new company give away the leases for free, but this article refers to it as a "leasing arrangement".
also, he said that spanish language stations do not qualify as "minority owned"
does anybody know what he was reading?
two other things, does anybody know if OutQ would count as "Minority programming"? Would it be a hate crime for sirius/xm to close down their stations, even if they weren't making money?
Also, do the Christian stations count as educational/informational?
Drink Snapple, well dynamite. Who cares sirius and xm can use him for name recognition like the movie distinguished gentlemen. Just do not have him make any public appearances.
KE+))- I have not seen anything like howard was talking about except the orbitcast article. As for minorities, I think it is only people who have the name jesse jackson, al sharpton and that other guy.
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