Ok, they maybe technically right. If allowed to merge,there would be a monopoly based on the definition of the word, atleast in the satellite radio sector, but I believe there are so many more options out there to the consumer. That the worry over prices going up and selection go down are unwarrented. True, a combined Xm / Sirius will cut roughly half of the music channels, but if you think they would drastically cut what they offer, is obsurd. If they did drop O & A or Howard or Bubba, they would run the risk of lossing a good chunck of their subscribers.

Satellite Radio monopoly? For now...

Anticompetitive? No way!!

I'm just glad to hear someone besides me characterize this thing as what it is -- a merger to monopoly that is anticompetitive and bad for consumers.

To all those opposing the Merger from your good friend, the all-knowing, Plowboy who has been right on this merger since 8 months before it's announcement.

Please don't bring your useless hineys here 90 days from now whining that your rates are going up, if the merger is denied.

To all those XM customers.. you won't have to worry about a price increase, just buying new Siri units when XM files Chapt. 11.

Anyone opposed to this is either NAB employed or has zero business sense.

I feel the same as when I watched the Giants/Pats game - it aint over until the clock says zero. Here's hoping the result is the same!

I'm a huge fan of both services and would love to pick my favs and even get them all from 1 receiver. The vigil continues.

Stack pointer,
What about the de facto "monopoly" which will occur when the merger doesn't go through and XM folds?

Stack pointer,
What about the de facto "monopoly" which will occur when the merger doesn't go through and XM folds?

>> What about the de facto "monopoly" which will occur when the merger doesn't go through and XM folds?

Were there evidence that either company would "fold" (as in go out of business) without the merger, it would totally change the picture. I believe a merger to monopoly is permissible under antitrust law if a monopoly would otherwise be created by one of the two businesses failing.

However, it is important to recognize that NEITHER of these companies is about to "fold" (Sirius is far closer to failing than XM is, but that is beside the point). If anything along these lines happens, Sirius will find its way to bankruptcy and come back a far stronger company than it is today -- which would probably result in XM going to bankruptcy as well. But neither company is going to just go out of business.

Sirius faces a much greater threat because it is going to have to raise a billion dollars or more over the coming several years, or it could face a problem in replacing satellites that will be at end-of-life in about 5-6 years.

Still, both companies deny this is a problem, and it appears to me both can survive provided Sirius can raise the necessary cash to continue operations and fund its satellite replacement.

That CNBC spot was so friggin biased AGAINST the merger. The only person on the panel who thought the merger would go through was the woman, and she was so BLAH, you'd think she was against it. The other two panelists were so obviously biased against the merger.

I couldn't believe that guy who said he represented the CONSUMERS. Gimme a friggin break! If he wasn't being paid by the NAB, I'd be shocked.

As if waiting for this merger this long wasn't bad enough, all you hear now as we get closer to it becoming official is that the combined company will be worthless anyway! We can't win! Even when things look good we get bashed.

I really can't wait until the merger goes through, and all these "professional" pundits get crushed as Sirius skyrockets.

Well...we shall see. :-)

You are so dead on regan

Where did they find these 3- In the NAB backpocket?
The woman was the only one that was the most level headed of the 3
The old fart said that the turnover is so great- the churn is very low- where does he get his info from- Yea I really trust him. the other nimrod knows nothing as well- He said there will be a fight with the FCC- Martin has already praised for the ala-carte. This was a waste of time

I would say i don't care one way or the other (though a la cart would be a nice precedent... i'm looking at you Comcast), I just want both companies (or the merged one) to start to worry about it's costumers and not the merger. How bout an F-ing channel update so new subscribers aren't confused as hell sirius.

Gotta say though my true fear is this merger gets shot down, and clear channel buys one of the companies (which would then pass based on the ruling against the XM-SIR merger)

That old guy is a complete useless moron. He says he would buy Comcast stock because they seem to be doing everything right. They are a MONOPOLY. They raise rates every time the sun goes up.

I guess we have no merger. I used to be long SIRI, but then I realized that I was wrong. Orbitcast was a great influence of me purchasing SIRI. I'm an average guy and I came across this site back in 2006. Since then I lost my wife, car, I'm thankful I still have my job.

I believe in Karma, Orbitcast listen up, what goes around comes around, I wish you guys bad fortune since you have basically screwed my life up.

Joe

who cares already? any monthly charge is worth paying over listening to terrestial radio. I hope both sirius and xm get huge and put terrestial radio out of business. you have to understand, sirius, and xm are not competing with earch other....they are competing with boring terrestial radio. merger or not...terrestial radio will lose down the road. so subscribe to one or the other....or both! once you hear satelite radio, you will never listen to terrestial radio again no matter what the monthly price is.

Plowboy writes: "To all those opposing the Merger from your good friend, the all-knowing, Plowboy who has been right on this merger since 8 months before it's announcement.

Please don't bring your useless hineys here 90 days from now whining that your rates are going up, if the merger is denied.

To all those XM customers.. you won't have to worry about a price increase, just buying new Siri units when XM files Chapt. 11.

Anyone opposed to this is either NAB employed or has zero business sense."

The all-knowing plowboy? Are you the same plowboy that called merger approval by last march? Wrong there. Are you the same plowboy that claimed SIRI churn would fall as XM's goes up? Wrong there. Are you the same plowboy that said SIRI has had better financials and lower losses than XM the last 3 years? Wrong again.

Wow plowboy, you're batting 1.000!

You might want to stick to something other than "business sense".

Oh and: Please don't bring your useless hineys here 365 days from now whining that your rates are going up, if the merger is *approved*. FIXED. (see comcast).