Video: FCC Commissioner Adelstein speaks

I was hoping on a Thankyou email.
Unless you were already on top of this.

I would be very surprised now if we do not see the arbitrage close on Monday very quickly, more of a spike on hgher on Sirius shares and maybe 25% rise in XM shares to close the 4.6 buyout price.

This is right out of the horses mouth.

Finally something to really bite into.

I watched the video,and I think he full of shit.He is only repeating what other have asked for and he poorly defended his positions.I like to wipe that shit ass grin right off his face.

I really hope that his vote becomes meaningless and Tate does not lean to far his direction. He looked like he was reveling in the attention with this interview.

What a social reject.

Almost 500 days and this guy pulls out a Directv/Echostar reference?

That plus the 6 year thing that his buddy Sen Markey just sent over this week!

We've all been sitting around waiting and all he did was take the NAB script and read it.

Sad.

We just have to hope that Tate didn't get too comfy with the CEO of Clear Channel who stopped by the FCC this last week as well. If it wasn't for that I would be relaxed.

Sad situation.

What was that crap about not having a proposal as being the excuse for why they have been sitting on this for 500 friggin days ?

If they have to give up anything over 10%, they should be compensated for the spectrum or at least be paid on a lease agreemet.

All I can say is I hope we have the option to block all these piece of shit channels that will not be programmed by Siri/XM. Can we get a credit from the government.

He did nothing but sound like a fucking Nab parrot !

If I can't block the minority channels I will cancell my sub. That's not a threat.

diversity is in the public interest? what does that even mean? someone subscribes to satellite radio because they like the product. that is how any product works. why does this goof ball think it is his place to redefine 25% of the company? also putting radio and tv on the same level is ludacris. a merger of such great porportions cannot be equivocated to one 2 years before just because the word "satellite" is in both company descriptions. 487 days and this guy is summing it all up as "the same as the directv echostar merger." wow.

This is all so much like buying a car. Now we counter offer with 12% and he goes and talks to the Manager to get his approval but really just talks about the upcoming game or the new girl who works the front desks rack. 6 years is a win/win situation for us the consumer so there is no problem with that. If we can get that part of the spectrum back when the FCC figures out nobody listens to it we should let John Boy have his way. Even if we don't have 25% for a couple of years there is still plenty to listen to. Public interest can have Oprah's channel or they can just keep it since this could be their blueprint for unlistened to stations.

THE ANALOGY IS WRONG. XM AND SIRIUS NEED THE SPECTRUM IN ORDER TO KEEP THEIR EXISTING RADIOS WORKING!!!!!!!

THIS IS NOT RESTARTING SAT. RADIO! THIS IS SAVING IT.

6 YEARS WITH THIS INFLATION IS A LOT.

6 years is insane. sure it is great but at the same time sirius and xm should require cnn, espn, etc to not raise their prices. price increases are a fact of life. it is fucking silly to think otherwise. they might not be around in 6 years if they have to absorb cost increases.

maybe this guy can ask comcast to stop raising their prices every 3months. he doesn't give a shit because he is for the cable companies when it comes to a la carte pricing.

He fails to consider that with Dish Tv and Echostar the DOJ pointed out that in certain areas of the United State, the only form of TV available is satellite TV and if the allowed the merger the government would have been allowing a true "None Competitive" Monopoly where the people in those areas have no choice but to go to that company for TV. While, in radio its completely different because of AM/FM being available everywhere

But not in the same numbers, I have lived in towns that have exactly 1 FM station within listening range and the only reasonable alternatives were AM News/Talk stations out of the blowtorch some 500 or more miles away. In that case, Sirius and XM are a choice depending on whether you like deeper playlists or FM without commercials. Hairpiece Stern or Dopie and Ugly. Football Or Baseball.

That's not true. They can access thousands of channels via internet radio, including hundreds of FM channels. That is exactly why the DOJ approved this merger with no conditions.

Adelstein basically gave the satellite TV companies the green light to submit another merger application. If the satellite TV situation is so analogous to satellite radio, I can't see how Adelstein can deny satellite TV companies from merging.

Adelstein-
" I don't really understand any of these issues. The companies should not be able to be profitable or compete in the open marketplace for six years. Also they should give up one fourth of their assets for free. Deal or no deal?"

www.confused.com

Adelstein is a phony, and a political hack. This is all about his unending effort to get himself renominated for another term, so he is ingratiating himself to Sen Dorgan and Rep. Markey. He has no principles, only ambition. His next original thought will be his first.

Adelstein seems to not realize the bandwidth is needed for existing radios -- it will be more than 10 years before interoperable radios substantiallly replace the 2 bandwidth radios. If they were to give up even 20% they could not allow Sirius subs to listen to any XM content and vice versa.

On the positive side, he seems like he would like to allow the merger to happen and may be flexible.

Did you ever see noise come out of an asshole ?

Well you have now.

The FCC us fiddling while Rome burns- I listened to a CNET podcast last night and they were talking about the IPhone-Last.fm-Pandora-Flytunes whatever deal, and how that can play out.

It could be that in 10 to 15 years, there will be no more terrestrial radio stations- there will be no need to broadcast out of that pipe, and the FCC will do to AM and FM what they did to analog TV- auction the spectrum for another use. The same could happen to satellite. And it also makes HD radio even a bigger joke than ever. It's like investing money in dial-up internet. Stupid.

This will take time- 4G has to be adopted in earnest, lots more bandwidth is needed, and broad implementation of WiMax and LTE is a ways off- but any observer of media has to notice what is going on and how things are getting built out. You have to be blind not to notice the billions of dollars being committed to these new technologies by Intel, Motorola,several phone and cable companies, etc.

I think the idea that satellite, as a single competitive entity against other delivery methods is a more compelling argument than ever. Technology made it so in just 15 months. The ones who realized it were visionaries. The ones who don't are getting left behind.

I honestly believe it is not the place of the FCC to negotiate for and on behalf of Georgetown and Nab. They should be impeached if they do. They should be representing the consumers and "general" public.

So what do you expect JA to say .... " Something is better than nothing and I've chose to lead to at least recognize the need for a counter to negotiations. In addition, it looks like Tate could sit on the fence with her finger in her ass in perpetuity" .... Because that would be truthful.

Did you really think 8% was going to fly?
Be very glad he proposed anything.

You can thank Martin for stalling for 16 months waiting for the "okay" from Congress. Thank Tate for being a useless token acknowledging that if she had 16 years to find her ass in a dark room, she would need directions.

4 years and 15-18% at the end of the day.

Better happpen this week.

I wonder if these guys in Washington would sign a contract where their paycheck could not go up for six years. No way! With a cost of living going up as little as 4% the new satrad company would be 24% behind the curve at the end of six years. What about satellite replacements, talent contracts, staff wages, etc.? Those things are not standing still for six years. And then taxes. You can count on tax increases too during six years, but sub rates are locked for six years.

One thing about negotiating is that you always start asking for more than you'll really settle for. Both sides have listed their demands. This is when the boys in grey suits step in and hammer out a middle of the road deal. Rates might be fixed for four years and the 25% spectrum giveaway will come down to maybe 12%-14%+/-. As for the built in HD requirement, that deal will not fly. The HD boys would be free to charge whatever they wanted for those chips and by law they would have to be included with total disregard to the price. There aren't enough HD stations relative to the overall number of AM-FM stations to really warrant it. The FCC and the NAB are trying to create a need for more HD stations by forcing HD receivers upon the already strapped car manufacturers, buyers and satrad broadcasters. IMO that portion of the FCC's offer is dead before it leaves the ground.

Enough is enough. The FCC should take the recommendation of Chairman Martin and approve this merger already. Adelstein’s suggestions are too much - especially when you consider how quickly technology can turn an industry upside down. (Take a look at what’s happened to music, TV and newspapers in recent years.) Why on earth would a satellite radio company make it easier to tune in to a competitor? And a six-year cap on pricing? Six years is a long time and a lot can - and will - happen between now and 2014. (Ask yourself this: Back in 2002, was anyone watching YouTube over a Web-enabled cell phone or playing video games over the Web with people in other parts of the world? Hmmm. I rest my case.)

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=9380

to mitchman79k - did you know that almost 3 million people live in parts of the country where they can no more than 5 radio stations? yes, if they want to listen thru the computer they can get more, but radio is largely an in-car service, where online radio is not yet a competitive alternative to satellite radio, so these people will be losing the chance to choose between the only way they can receive digital, uinterrupted, mobile packages of radio channels. xm and sirius is a monopoly to these people.

"Now" who exactly are you making your case to? You're preaching to choir if you think you're telling us something we don't already know. I hope you have or plan to contact your elected representatives and the FCC with your concerns. The only reason these assholes get away with this shit is because satellite radio subscribers haven't been vocal enough. When Pandora.com appealed to their listeners to complain about disproportionately high royalties, they had the phones and fax machines of congressional leaders ringing OFF THE HOOK. I call up Tate's office and they claim they hardly receive any calls form satrad subcribers.

to Jose - first of all 3 million out of more than 300 million. Second, you can listen to internet radio through your cell phone, not to mention growing internet accessibility in cars. Finally, what about the fact that by carving out spectrum, the FCC is making satellite radio a weaker competitor against terrestrial radio. Which, if you think about it, is anti-competitive. If terrestrial radio had more competition they would be forced to better serve their consumers by reducing the amount of advertising they bombard listeners with.

Not trying to enlighten, just venting. This merger is not a complex case. I am not contacting anyone about anything. If they can't figure it out on their own or are so corrupt that they are puppets, then so be it. If this merger is not approved in the near term things are going to change on the business landscape. These companies can only tie their futures to this decision for a finite period of time; at some point the dam has to break and real tough business decisions will have to be made. 5 people couldn't figure this out over 500 days. Are you kidding me?

"Now", I couldn't agree more. But I have to say this merger is symbolic of everything that's wrong with this country. The main reason special interest groups continue getting rewarded at the expense of the public is because at the end of the day average folk don't have the time, energy, willingness, even resources to do more than "just vent".

bla bla bla bla blind, ignorant, satradio fanboy. bla bla bla bla bla Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin bitch. bla bla bla Everyone else is wrong but those who are stupid enough to agree with the blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys bla bla bla.

yet again the blind, ignorant, satradio fanboy's are desperate to prove themselves and soil orbitcast with blind, ignorant support of Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin "merge" MONOPOLY scheme. Bad for consumers, Bad for the satradio industry but Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's bitches would never be smart enough to bring TRUTH and REALITY into this.

An uneducated consumer is Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin best customer.

Spoken like a true NAB cum-dumpster!

AC - Agreed

Wait, I think I see 1 hair on Charlie Brown's head.

I believe with the concessions, the 4.6 to 1 deal should be changed. I believe a share for share transactions more fairly recognizes the valuation of XM. Otherwise, SIRIUS should walk. XM is virtually bankrupt... right? Why pay 4.6.... dumb.... dumb....dumb.

Apparently, this guy is bad at math. One company's spectrum being added to another company's spectrum is not a 50% for one of the companies, it's 100%. So, based on his argument and in correcting his math, 50% of the channels should be dedicated to minority programming.

I still want to know what minority programming is. If there is any type of programming out there that is popular, won't the merged company do what they can to attract it to their service, regardless of whether it's "minority", "in the public interest", or neither?

He's A two faced liar.

An education is "highly recommended" too, but that has been proven time and time again absent from the minority who post at Orbitcast.

Max said "And it also makes HD radio even a bigger joke than ever. It's like investing money in dial-up internet. Stupid."

You made an excellent point that made me think of a funny analogy! Terrestrial radio is like the dial-up providers. HD Radio is those same dial-up providers now claiming that their dial-up services has "Speed Boost". :-)

Funny Terrestrial radio and their upgrade to the FCC approved digital standard for radio, HD Radio are the ones which will have the last laugh. Terrestrial radio are not the ones desperately asking the government for a bailout with a "merge" MONOPOLY scheme.

Ignorance makes jokes now, but reality and truth will show the ignorant and then the educated will all have a good laugh.

"expect some of the following proposed conditions to come into play: extending the agency's decency rules to the new satellite entity, chopping off a big chunk of spectrum from the union for a third satellite entity, and strong language forbidding the merged company from soliciting local advertising."

"The Commission must ensure that consumers have equal access—genuine access to HD technology in the future by requiring that all future satellite radio devices be required to receive subscription-free HD radio signals,"

"make one-quarter of their satellite capacity available for public interest and minority programming," and honor a six-year price cap.

Adelstein's wording ("satellite capacity"), it appears that he agrees with warnings that Sirius/XM's current commitment to offer a percentage of their full-time channels for public interest/minority programming won't do.

"It's critical that if we're going to allow a monopoly, that we put in adequate consumer protections and make sure they're enforced."

Hey Anonymous Loser, I used to think you were on the NAB or Ibiquity payroll, but now I think you're just some twisted, lonely bastard with nothing better to do.

If you really believe that a 4.6 shouldn't be done, that Sirius doesn't need XM equally, that this would be acceptable to shareholders @ XM, that massive lawsuits wouldn't appear, that doing so wouldn't break this deal after 18 months of fucking off, that it's even a remote possibility, please, by all means go shoot yourself and minimize your "carbon footprint".

Most of all, why pass the stupid gene to future generations?

I tried making it look like I was on the NAB payroll, but you guys have exposed me for the twisted, lonely bastard that I am...with nothing better to do.

I think XM and Sirius shareholders and consumers should look into filing a class action lawsuit against C3SR for falsely claiming to represent satellite radio consumers while lobbying against us.

I'm taking my pound of flesh

I'm taking my pound of flesh

When Pandora.com appealed to their listeners to complain about disproportionately high royalties, they had the phones and fax machines of congressional leaders ringing OFF THE HOOK. I call up Tate's office and they claim they hardly receive any calls form satrad subcribers.

That's because in reality, there are only a handful of shareholders/subscribers that even understand the basic details of the merger. These "handful" have written tens, if not hundreds of comments each to the FCC representing hundreds of different aliases. Attempting to protray that thousands of Public Interest comments represent the actual Satellite Radio Subscriber. While in reality, they only represent themselves and the other small number of members of the Satellite Radio Shareholders Special Interest Group that are willing to sell their "personal integrity" in exchage for a promised pay day from Mel.

Someday you will realize that you were just being used as one of Mel's BITCHES.

And so it goes,
PCSTEL

PCSTEL, could you please provide some proof to your theory that only a small group of people actually want Sirius and XM to merge and these people "have written tens, if not hundreds of comments each to the FCC representing hundreds of different aliases. Attempting to protray (sic) that thousands of Public Interest comments represent the actual Satellite Radio Subscriber. While in reality, they only represent themselves and the other small number of members of the Satellite Radio Shareholders Special Interest Group that are willing to sell their "personal integrity" in exchage (sic) for a promised pay day from Mel."

I don't remember Sirius or XM running some internet scam in an attempt to make it appear as if people supported the merger. They would not have to resort to those tactics because they have so much support. I am trying to remember, who was it that do this? Oh yeah, the NAB.

The Washington Post discovered that out of the 60 people they contacted - many of the phones were actually disconnected, or went unanswered. Out of the 10 people they were actually able to talk to (which - in itself - is a ridiculous rate of failure), only 1 person - ONE PERSON - even remembered filling out something remotely related to satellite radio (and not even being merger related).

So how did those comments get submitted to the FCC?

According to the Washington Post article, the NAB bought pop-up ads on websites like CarMax.com, Staples.com and PriceGrabber.com in August and September. The ad ran the headline, "The XM Radio/Sirius Merger will create higher prices. Stop the Monopoly!" - and users could click either, "Yes, I'd like to help stop the monopoly" or "No, thank you."

Those who clicked "yes" were asked to type in their contact information and later received a confirmation e-mail "detailing their action and providing a copy of the letter to be sent to the FCC," according an NAB spokesperson. Respondents were given the "opportunity to opt out of the process" and cancel submission of their letter.

If I'm reading that correctly... it means that any inaction to the email was considered confirmation. So if these emails were sent to the Spam folder, or were inadvertently deleted, the submission was still considered confirmed.

The only "special interest" I have is to be able to listen to good radio. Without limited playlists. Without all the obnoxious commercials. Without all of the mindless happy talk and futile attemps at humor. Millions of other radio fans agree; terrestrial radio has become so bland and mediocre that for many people it is just not entertaining anymore. I can not listen to the same 20 songs played over and over; it is this sad state of affairs that has driven people to seek out alternative's to listen to. If something is free, it has to REALLY SUCK for people to reject it. 150 million I-pods, 18 million satellite radio subscribers (even more actual listeners), internet radio, etc. The NAB would rather spend over 10 million dollars and destroy any competition than focus on improving their SHIT product. This total disregard for their listeners, who's numbers diminish week after week, has the NAB and terrestrial terrified! They are getting just what they deserve; you can only insult the audience for so long before they say enough is enough. My sister, who has never really cared about radio per say, just got Sirius in her new car and is thrilled with it. All I said to her was "I told you so!" It is such a revelation when you first turn satellite on; so much selection, every genre of music, talk, sports and many niche channels you will NEVER have on obsolete terrestrial radio. Best of all, NO COMMERCIALS on any of the music channels!! My God, how can anyone put up with that bullshit? How different is satellite vs terrestrial? It's like comparing a BMW to a Kia. Like Angelina Joli to Oprah Winfrey, sans makeup (Brutal!), like Jonathan Adelstein to Brad Pitt. Terrestril radio makes you PAY by torturing the listener with horrible music and mind numbing commercials, sometimes in blocks of 5 to 10 minutes at a time. You have to be a glutton for punishment to tolerate terrestrial radio. YES to the merger. NO to NAB fan boys. NO to OBSOLETE terrestrial radio, Yes to SPECIAL INTEREST sat rad fan boys, YES to Mel's NO MONOPOLY merger, NO to FCC bought and paid for commissioners. The grave diggers are ready, shovels in hand, and they are going to make an enormous hole to bury terrestrials pitiful ass in! It's over, NAB, you pathetic shitheads.

see how the cheating, politics and special interest groups have ruined this country? Now we know why approval ratings for Congress are in the single digits..
Comparing this merger to Direct TV and Dish really makes no sense as its very different

15 minutes of fame in the Merger spotlight.... what a d-bag!! I hope Tate votes yes...and Adelsteins proposal ends up in the shitter!

Dragline wrote: You made an excellent point that made me think of a funny analogy! Terrestrial radio is like the dial-up providers. HD Radio is those same dial-up providers now claiming that their dial-up services has "Speed Boost". :-)

It is also like having people pay for "AOL for Broadband." Just silly. But AOL's product was so much worse than those other dial-up providers.

Im reading that not only does adelstein want a 6 year freeeze and 25% of their company given away for free, but he wants indencency rules for sat radio put into place and hd chip inclusion into every receiver--Geeze--why does a company have to give up to a group that they have the highest participation with already and also a total free-be to the NAB in hd chip---its a total sell out to the nab
walk away mel, have xm file chapter 11 and get the pieces with no concessions then at all

Anonymous Warrior,

Same thing happened to me. I have had Sirius since Stern gave away radios during thanksgiving. My wife thought it was silly to pay for radio but now that she has XM in her new car she loves it.

yawn. blah blah blah. merge coming this week.

done deal. stop your bitch'n.

Come on guys, this is like buying a car. Mel starts low at 8% with Adelstein at 25% and they meet somewhere in the middle. Mel knows he has to give more. But listen to what Adelstein said. He WANTS the deal to go through. That's 3 of 5.

BAMM, we're done.

This baby's going through next week.

Lawsuits Against Bloggers Seen Rising
Since 2004, 159 Court Actions Have Targeted Citizen Journalists for Libel and Other Charges

By HUMA YUSUF
July 20, 2008 —

When Christopher Grotke answered a late-night knock on the door, he did not expect to find the deputy sheriff on his doorstep serving notice that he was being sued. Nor was he prepared for the charge: libel.

Someone had posted a comment on his citizen-journalism Web site, iBrattleboro.com, stating that a woman in Brattleboro, Vt., was having an extramarital affair. The accused woman then sued Grotke and his Web site co-founder for failing to edit or delete the comment.

The blogging community increasingly is subject to lawsuits and threats of legal action running the gamut from subpoenas to cease-and-desist notices.

Since blogging became popular in about 2004, there have been 159 civil and criminal court actions involving bloggers, according to the nonprofit Media Law Resource Center (MLRC) in New York. Seven cases have resulted in verdicts against bloggers, with cumulative penalties totaling $18.5 million. Many more legal actions never result in trial.

The result? A stifling of free speech in a medium providing more comprehensive and diverse opportunities for commentary than ever before, digital-rights activists, media lawyers, and bloggers say.

"There is a chilling effect of a cease-and-desist letter or a legal threat that claims an aspect of a blogger's work could lead to liability, even when those claims are not well grounded," says Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit in San Francisco that defends digital rights.

Bloggers faced with legal threats often deem it easier to remove potentially offensive content rather than undertake the difficulty and expense of defending themselves, he adds.

Abroad, More Than 60 Bloggers Arrested

Bloggers face much bigger threats overseas, particularly if they criticize governments or point to human rights abuses.

Since 2003, 64 bloggers have been arrested around the world -- with Egypt, China, and Iran initiating more than half of those arrests, according to the World Information Access Report, published last month by the University of Washington. By contrast, the United States has arrested two in that period.

Still, online commentators face risks in the United States.

"In the developed world, bloggers can be punished through lawsuits," writes Philip Howard, a communications professor at the University of Washington, in an e-mail.

The number of lawsuits is growing, says Robert Cox, president of the Media Bloggers Association (MBA), a U.S.-based group devoted to protecting citizen journalists.

"As blogging expands and more people are aware of it," he says, "the lawyers are not far behind."

No one is suggesting that bloggers should have free rein to publish whatever they want.

"If you're slandering, you can be sued whether you have a blog or not," says Cox, a blogger himself. "You're not immune to defamation charges ... just because you're a citizen speaking your mind."

Who Should Educate the Bloggers?

There is no consensus, however, on how best to make bloggers aware of their legal responsibilities.

Many lawyers expect bloggers to figure it out themselves.

"If you're going to be responsible enough to manage a site where people post such things, you should be able to detect when things are defamatory and take them down," says Margot Stone, the lawyer for the woman who sued Grotke. "The problem is that technology is outpacing the ethical responsibilities. People haven't thought through the ethics of all this."

Online communities as well as media activists and lawyers are pushing to ensure that bloggers are aware of their legal rights and responsibilities.

The EFF and the Citizen Media Law Project (CMLP) -- an affiliate of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School -- offer detailed legal guides for bloggers. Both organizations also help bloggers find legal counsel.

In addition, the CMLP maintains a database of all legal action directed against bloggers.

"That way bloggers know they're not alone," explains David Ardia, director of the CMLP.

Other citizen-media groups say more proactive support is needed.

Since 2006, the MBA has been working with Media Pro Insurance to create the MBA Media Liability Insurance program.

"We're coming up with a product that covers defamation, copyright, privacy violations -- the same protections as newspapers -- for bloggers," says the group's Cox.

MBA members will receive a hefty discount on the insurance package, due to be launched at the end of this month. The cheapest coverage for a solo blogger will be $540 a year.

But some bloggers resist the idea.

"I don't have the money for that kind of thing," says Kathleen Seidel, a New Hampshire-based blogger who was subpoenaed this spring in connection with another lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers that she had written about on her blog.

Having written several posts about litigation and completed two legal courses at the local community college, Seidel was able to deflect legal threats against her blog and successfully composed a motion to quash the subpoena.

Grotke, too, was able to convince a Vermont court to dismiss libel charges.

Many bloggers, however, aren't so fortunate, which is why the online community is searching for ways to protect them.

"The effect of intimidation is a real one," Seidel says.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

NO! to blind, ignorance
NO! to "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

Done deal. Now go buy your dock and play radio (best deal ever- you can listen in the car AND the house. Docks into your stereo, amp, whatever in seconds!) Turn off that shit that is on television (a vast wasteland of garbage) and find out just how kick ass satellite radio is. You will never turn back, and you will realize that compared to most everything else that you purchase, satellite radio is a great investment. I can honestly say that it returns the most satisfaction for money spent of anything that I have ever purchased (not including something that happened one night while on vacation in Aruba). PS - Adelstein, you are a complete phony, a fake, a fraud, a chicken shit, and a coward. You had a chance to MAN UP, but you blew it. You need to grow a set of balls, because that face with that pussy that your packing just ain't real attractive.

ADELSTEIN HAS NO RIGHT TO ASK FOR SUCH HEAVY CONCESSIONS FROM BOTH SATRAD SUBSCRIBERS AND THEIR AILING STOCKHOLDERS. HOLDING THESE TWO SMALL "MADE IN THE USA" COMPANIES AT BAY FOR ALMOST 500 AGONIZING DAYS WHILE SCORES OF COMPETITION (MUCH OF IT FOREIGN) HAVE BROUGHT NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET IS A TRAVESTY IN ITSELF ! IT DEFINITELY FORTIFIES THE CLARITY OF THE DOJ’S DECISION. THE FCC MUST CONCUR!

PRICE FREEZING FOR SIX YRS IN THIS (OR ANY) ECONOMY IS SUICIDE THAT IS RECOGNIZIBLE BY EVEN THE DUMBEST OF US. MY GOVERNMENT CAN'T EVEN MAINTAIN THE PRICE OF A SIMPLE POSTAGE STAMP YET YOU ASK ME TO ALLOW YOU TO FURTHER RISK AND IMPEDE THE SUCCESS OF MY INVESTMENTS AND CONSEQEUNTLY MY PERSONAL LISTENING PLEASURE AS WELL. THIS IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS SIRS !!!

FURTHERMORE, EXTRACTING ANY REFERENCE FROM THE LONG DEFUNCT ECOSTAR MERGER, BESIDES INSULTING, HAS CLEARLY NO CORRELATION TO THE ISSUES OR BENCHMARKS AT HAND. IT STRONGLY ADS, HOWEVER, LUCIDITY TO THE FEEBLE SMOKESCREEN WHICH ACTUALLY REVEALS ADELSTEIN'S CONCRETE ALLEGIANCE WITH MARKEY, NAB, GEORGETOWN AND THE LAW SCHOOL KIDS. IT IS MORE OBVIOUS THAN EVER THAT THAT GROUP, AS A WHOLE , ARE SCRAMBLING IN DESPERATION, FEAR AND COLLUSION TO DEBILITATE THEIR WORTHY SATRAD OPPONENT AT ALL COSTS. ADELSTIEN’S OWN WORDS OVBIATES THIS POINT BY HIS REDICULOUS DEMANDS WHICH PARALLELS THE OPPOSITION DAMN NEAR LINE FOR LINE !!! THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF CRIMINAL. POLITICALLY CRIMINAL !!!

WHAT IS EVEN MORE CRIMINAL, SIRS, IS THE TRUE STRANGLEHOLD THAT THE NAB AND, OBVIOUSLY, ANY NEW UNESTABLISHED FLY- BY-NIGHT SPECIAL INTEREST MILLIONAIRES CLUBS HAS ON YOUR FOCUS. YOUR FOCUS MUST RETURN TO ME AND MY FAMILY, THE AMERICAN CONSUMER!! WE ARE PEOPLE YOU ARE SWORN TO SERVE!! IT IS ALSO CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE STATUS QUO FOR SOME TIME. THIS OPPORTUNISTIC TRAVESTY MUST END IMMEDIATELY !!!

COMMISSIONERS, YOU MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY TO RID YOURSELVES OF THE NAB GORILLA AND ITS FLYS THAT HAVE PLAGUED AND CONTROLLED YOU FOR YEARS. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAS ALREADY SPOKEN!! YOU MUST LISTEN TO US !!! 20,000,000 SUBSCRIBERS PLUS COUNTLESS OTHERS CAN’T BE IGNORED !!! NEW SUSCRIBERS AT THE CONSISTENT RATE OF 4-5000 PER DAY 24/7 ARE EVIDENCE ENOUGH TO HELP YOU MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY!

DEAR COMMISSIONERS- STOP HELPING ME!!! LET ME DECIDE WETHER OR NOT THIS LUXURY ITEM IS A VALUABLE SERVICE. QUIT, IMMEDIATELY, THIS CIRCUS PARADE OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WHOSE VIEWS AND NEEDS DO NOT REPRESENT ME !!! STOP, STOP, STOP BANKRUPTING MY INVESTMENTS AND MY DREAMS!! THEY ARE NOT , I REPEAT NOT, YOUR PROPERTY !!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ANY OF IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, WHICH YOU DO NOT HAVE!!!!! QUIT GIVING AWAY WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!

COMMISSIONER TATE, YOU MUST COUNTER TODAY WITH THE VOICE OF PRUDENCE, COMPROMISE AND REASON. I INSIST THAT YOUR FOCUS RETUN TO ME, THE AMERICAN CONSUMER AND INVESTOR !!! YOU MUST NOT SHRINK FROM YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ME!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!! APPROVE HIS MERGER WITH REASONABLE TERMS SO WE ALL CAN WIN !!!!!!!!

The only "special interest" I have is to be able to listen to good radio. Without limited playlists. Without all the obnoxious commercials. Without all of the mindless happy talk and futile attemps at humor.

Hey!! No problems with what you believe is "good radio". So you have your "Good Radio" right now?? Don't you?

You haven't needed a merger to receive "Good Radio"?? Have you??

You have your "Good Radio", so everyone is happy..

Now, why is it that you claim that you don't have a "special interest"?

Are you a Shareholder with investments underwater?

That's what I thought.

I can not listen to the same 20 songs played over and over; it is this sad state of affairs that has driven people to seek out alternative's to listen to.

Hey, I have a little clue for you.. If you don't like the same 20 songs played over and over. They have a little gadget integrated on you radio.. It's called a "tuner". You might find that other so called radio stations offer other formats. You see. This provides a format of "choice to the consumer". If they don't like one station, they can always tune to another.

Just like Satellite Radio at this juncture. You probably chose one service over the other for programming a given set of programming choices. And if the provider decided to stop providing that choice, then you still had a choice with the other provider. But, this choice of what you consider "good radio" disappears post-merger.

Best of all, NO COMMERCIALS on any of the music channels!! My God, how can anyone put up with that bullshit?

Depends on whether you subscribe to XM or Sirius. And don't forget. Having commercial free music channels has been an end result of the two competing services.

When the direct competition is gone. So goes the impetius to provide commercial-free channels. And what are you going to do IF they begin to expand the number of channels that the provide commercial advertisement on?? Are you going to deactivate your subscription??? Maybe!!! Maybe not!

But, let's say that you carry out your threat and deactivate your subscriptions. Then what?? What are your options? Terrestrial Radio, MP3 players? Tin Cans with a string tied between them?? I mean, You won't have a comparable SDARS service with "good radio" to switch too. Now will you? Oh! You may have the option of some sort of "substitute aural service". But, it really won't be a absolute equivalent to your "Good Radio"?? Now will it?

You see. You believe that by supporting this merger, you are supporting a format for increased choice. But, what you will find out. Is that you are in fact supporting a format of reduced choice.

You somehow have convinced yourself that even though "consolidation" created the "State of Terrestrial Radio" as it is today. That somehow, "Consolidation" in the SDARS market segment will increase listener satisfaction. History is not on your side.

Your hatred of the evolution of Terrestrial Radio (maybe evolution is the wrong word here" sounds like someone with a "personal vendetta' rather than a average J Good Radio consumer.

So my guess is either someone whose career was impacted by the changes in terrestrial radio via consolidation. Or someone who has a "financial interest" in the outcome of this merger?

So either way. You are a "special interest group" which does not "represent" the "average Satellite Radio Subscriber".

I mean, it doesn't matter to me.. But, to represent yourself as a "ordinary average Joe Satellite Radio subscriber" is a bit disingenuous. In my Opinion.

And so it goes,
PCSTEL

ADELSTEIN HAS NO RIGHT TO ASK FOR SUCH HEAVY CONCESSIONS FROM BOTH SATRAD SUBSCRIBERS AND THEIR AILING STOCKHOLDERS.

A Special Interest Group asking a Govt. Agency to stop listening to another Special Interest Group.

ROTFLMAO!!

And so it goes,
PCSTEL

It's time to dust of the GUILLOTINE and march on Washington.....

It's time to dust of the GUILLOTINE and march on Washington.....

Thanks to PCSTEL Anonymous Warrior and his desperate, disingenuous, FRAUD is called out once again. Anonymous Warrior desperate for Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme in the belief a risky, ignorant, investment will somehow come around, when REALITY has proven that money is GONE along with the stupid thought which thought money could be made on a industry which has never made a dime and is further in the crapper than it's ever been, largely due to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme. Just wait, if Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme is approved the CHURN away from satellite radio is going to be mind blowing as educated consumers will not accept or support Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme.

Uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys, you would all be wise to read and try to understand what everyone else is saying including PCSTEL because in this case everyone else ncluding PCSTEL using TRUTH and REALITY against Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme is 100% correct. Said it before and will say it again the majority of satradio subscribers are happy with what we have now, it seems only the minority uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys, are the ones so desperate for change in satradio. The uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys will find what they are so desperate for is not what we've all come to expect in satradio.

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

Excuse me NAB spokesperson PCSTEL - I DO have a special interest. I admitted it. I am interested in radio that is special and interesting, the complete antithethis of terrestrial radio. I have no ulterior motives, unlike the scumbags In the FCC and the NAB. So you have your "Bad Radio" don't you PCSTEL? And evidently you are content with it, which is fine with me. Freedom of choice is a good thing. It creates competition, which in turn may someday force terrestrial radio to start careing about the quality of radio that they produce. I tried that little clue that you so condescendingly advised me about... that tuner thing. It works great on satellite, but on AM and FM I tried it and every station SUCKED - each one worse than the last! Thanks anyway; it will come in handy on Sirius. You say that I have convinced myself that by supporting the merger, I am supporting a format for increased choice. You are great at reading peoples minds and voicing their opinions. I have no idea what the future bodes for satellite radio, and I never claimed that I did. I know that I like the service. I know that I hate terrestrial radio. I know that I would like to see satellite radio become viable, whether it is one company or two. I know that the NAB wants both companies to fail, and is doing everything in their power to damage them. I know that I already have much more choice without a merger than I will ever have with terrestrial. If they don't merge, I'm not going to jump off a bridge. If they add commercials, make it too expensive, or compromise the programming, I will cancel. Other sbscribers will too, so there will be incentive for them to keep listeners happy. "Hatred for the evolution of radio"? WTF. I listened to radio for many years, and can remember when it was actually creative and innovative. Now everything is so formated and radio programmers are so restricted as far as playlists that it is, to me, a shadow of it's former self. I don't claim to be the "average" satellite radio subscriber, whatever that is? I am more enthusiastic about the service than most people probably are, and I won't apologize for that. "Personal vendetta" you say? Not any more than the vendetta YOU seem to have against satellite radio and the merger attempt. As far as whether I have a financial interest in this merger, it is, quite frankly, non of your business. By the way, if I did, it isn't illegal. People invest in companies; you might have investments for all I know, but it's none of my business and I wouldn't be so crass as to even bring up the subject of what you do with your money. So we finally agree on these points: I am a "Special Interest Group", I am not your "Average Ordinary Joe Subscriber", and we both have a skeptcism as far as what a merged companies motives and policies might be post merger. I might be enthusiastic, but I'm not stupid. If satellite starts to resemble terrestrial radio, I will cancel in a heartbeat. I have other ways of filling the void. There are more important things in life.

Anonymous Warrior

Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

The ignorance, fear and Desperation Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

How Did Satellite Radio Become Uncool?

No one knew what satellite radio was until Howard Stern signed on.

And people hate Howard.

Suddenly satellite radio went from something cool, the new iPod, into the same old thing, but you pay for it.

I mean who wants to pay for Howard Stern? Oh, his show is better than ever, but it’s all about freeing HIM, not servicing YOU! He was constrained by the FCC, not you. And suddenly you got the same old thing, except it cost you $12.95 a month. Sure, diehard fans were happy to pay. But most Stern listeners were not. Only a fraction followed him to satellite.

Great way to build a business. Giving the middle finger to your audience. Telling people you need to feel free to make $100 million, but really you’re all in this together. Bullshit.

And those not into Howard Stern, they were happy to stay away from the stink.

But what about XM?

X what?

Suddenly, satellite became synonymous with Sirius. Howard hyped it everywhere he went, for a year before he could even be heard on the service.

And then Mel Karmazin followed him there.

Mel Karmazin is the number two poster boy for everything Americans hate about radio. Number one, of course, is the Mays family/Clear Channel. But wasn’t it Mel who turned CBS Radio into an advertising juggernaut? And everywhere he went after signing on to Sirius, Mel babbled about how he was going to sell so much advertising.

Suddenly, satellite radio was Howard Stern with commercials. And you had to PAY FOR IT! People were turned off.

Most people have never heard satellite radio. They’ve got no idea of its charms.

Then again, if you listen to Sirius, it doesn’t sound that different from terrestrial. The deejays are jive and the records are repeated endlessly. But you’ve got STARS! Curious, don’t you think. In an era where the stars on television are the hoi polloi, where everyman is what most people want to see, they suddenly want to PAY to hear the bloviations of people who have no previous history in radio?

Now if you need Howard, Sirius is the only place to go.

And if you buy a Sirius-ready car, you’ll find the service is superior to terrestrial, so maybe you’ll keep up your subscription.

But where’s the growth?

Suddenly signing up satellite subscribers is a grind. The kind Mel Karmazin works with his salesmen. Instead of people flocking to buy it, like Windows switchers to Macs, you’ve got to convince people. And that’s tough.

XM had it right. The service was growing organically. Its best salesmen were its subscribers. But you can’t sell XM to non-subscribers anymore. They know all about satellite. Losing money and desperately begging for a merger. Battling with terrestrial and iPods. Shit, does the iPod cite the Walkman as competition? But we’ve got Mel all over the media saying Sirius and XM have no choice but to merge, because of all the competition. Does U2 have competition? Even Coldplay? Great bands generate their own desire. It’s only crap bands that have to fight for their spot in the marketplace.

I’m getting a bad feeling that the Sirius/XM merger is a fait accompli. That all of Mel’s whining is going to convince the regulators. And this is sad. Because what’s lost in translation is satellite radio’s PROMISE!

Oh, don’t tell me about Net radio. First and foremost, you can’t get it in your car, and won’t be able to for a while. Never mind that too much of it is unlistenable. And HD radio? The amount of money thrown towards programming wouldn’t keep XM or Sirius afloat for minutes. No, satellite radio is the answer, if only they could make it cool again.

I don’t think Mel is interested in making Sirius cool. He’s just interested in the bucks. Which is why satellite is being dragged down. But XM? Can XM be cool again? Can XM be saved by a repositioning, a separation from Sirius?

XM is not terrestrial without the commercials. It’s a different philosophy. The deejays don’t talk jive and the playlists are varied. Not that anybody but subscribers knows this, because nobody has told them!

The future is about filters. XM is a filter today! But it’s been positioned so poorly, it’s dying on the vine.

While Hugh Panero focused on car deals, he did no soulful marketing. And, didn’t plan for car owners to switch the service off, because the vibe on satellite is so bad in the community. Buying satellite is like buying a Zune. What kind of chump lays hard-earned money down for crap?

First and foremost XM has got a perception problem. Sirius does too, but it’s going to use this merger to triumph. But what if the merger doesn’t happen? What if regulators finally see that competition is best? Can XM sell itself again? Can it get people to believe and spread the word? That’s its challenge.

Hey Annonymous Coward,
Are you drunk? You sound really stupid. Maybe it's the heat? Try putting an ice pack on your head, and stay out of direct sunlight.

"Terrestrial is far more resilient than many on Wall Street thought. It will still have its challenges but because of its purest benefits it will stick around for quite a while longer: It's free. It's easy to operate. Everyone has one. Everyone knows its benefits. And the public doesn't seem to mind paying for it with commercials. ..."

"HD Radio is a comparative baby and exciting new applications that almost no consumer even knows about are rolling out over the next couple of years. "

Annonymous Coward,
EEE EEE EAT ME,
NO! to Illiterate AC's, NO! to the NAB, and YES! to MERGER announced very soon.

A ground-level view of the XM/Sirius merger in the sky
There are a number of problems with this merger; but they're also problems with satellite radio in general:
1) Antitrust. There are too few companies — just two — in satellite radio here in the U.S.; and soon there will be only one. Imagine if one company owned the whole FM band. It's like that. (Yes, I know Clear Channel sort-of does in many places, but what's dead about terrestrial radio is not on the table here.) The only thing keeping this merger out of antitrust territory is the still experimental nature of the whole medium, and the fact that neither company as it stands is known for its profitability.
2) Program quality. The new company will presumably encourage production of radios that receive both services, which will be nice. But what will lack of competition between Sirius and XM do for programming on either of the former sides? There may be more money to buy better quality talent or whatever; but I find it hard to imagine how a drop in competition will improve anything. Which brings us to...
3) Monoculture. I don't care how diverse the programming becomes, it's still coming from too few companies. When the choice gets down to one, I guarantee that programming will have a homogenous quality to it. There's already a self-sameness to both Sirius and XM, and that's sure to be the case with Xirius or whatever they call the new company. And I say this as a generally pleased Sirius customer. At some point Xirius' homogeneity will not compete against the absolute heterogeneity that listeners already find outside the walled garden(s) of satellite radio.
4) Obsolescence. When the two services started (around a decade ago), a total of 300 different "channels" (around 150 apiece) seemed like a lot. The program choices for listeners on either XM or Sirius far exceeded the sum of available sources from terrestrial radio. But now the sum of all program choices runs into the thousands or perhaps even millions. Yes, satellite radio is live while most of the other choices are just stored files; but files are easier to distribute and lend themselves to iPod-style listening. (On the "T" this morning here in Boston, I noted that a quarter of all the commuters in my subway car were listening to something on earphones. I'm sure it wasn't radio — satellite or otherwise.) As Dave says, listeners want to program their own "stations". Many listeners, which we used to call "consumers" are now also producers, for themselves and others. Where does satellite radio fit in that picture? I don't think even Mel Karmazin knows. Meanwhile, the whole system continues to leverage an understanding of How Radio Works that is, to say the least, not current — much less future-proof.
5) Costs. The running costs of maintaining satellite radio infrastructure is high, to say the least. Too high? Not as long as the company remains profitable. Which brings us to...
6) Revenues. Subscriptions may be enough. But if they're not, what will happen when something better obsoletes the kind of advertising that has sustained radio for the duration? I may be wrong about this, but I've long believed that the inherent inefficiencies of broadcast advertising will doom the model in the long run. I haven't been right yet about that, so feel free to continue not believing me.

Anonymous Warrior,

No changing your posting now, your countless posts of ignorance got you....

Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

The ignorance, fear and Desperation Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

Anonymous Warrior,

No changing your posting now, your countless posts of ignorance got you....

Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

The ignorance, fear and Desperation Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

I know that I hate terrestrial radio. I know that I would like to see satellite radio become viable, whether it is one company or two. I know that the NAB wants both companies to fail, and is doing everything in their power to damage them.

¿¿¿¿¿¿ Satellite Radio is not viable?? You have written paragraph after paragraph explaining how viable Satellite Radio is as a competing medium. After all, you coined it as "Good Radio" So we know from you comments that SDARS service as it stands today provides a viable aural entertainment alternative to the public of these United States. You like the service and you like the programming offerings. Sounds ideal to me. But, there must be "another form of viable" that you are concerned about.. Must be financially "viable"?? Is that correct?? So you have an alternative motive i.e. (Special Interest) to support the merger. In other words, you are willing to support the merger as long as you have the potential to recover your losses in these highly speculative companies.

I really hate to tell you this.. But, I think the NAB is smart enough to understand that just because one or both companies filed BK, that they would disappear. I mean, even if the companies filed BK. The music would continue to play without skipping a beat. The consumer would hardly know the difference. Sirius already did a massive reorg where the Common Equity Investors got mostly wiped out.. But, the music continued to play. Only the "Satellite Radio Special Interest Groups" would be harmed. So you see.. You have attempted to convince yourself that you are fighting for the survival of Satellite Radio as a "public interest" concern. However, Nothing could be further from the truth. You are simply attempting to wrap your own financial special interests into the concept that you are providing some sort of "public service". Nothing could be further than the truth. You are only serving YOUR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS.

I am more enthusiastic about the service than most people probably are, and I won't apologize for that. "Personal vendetta" you say?

I believe you are more enthusiastic about recovering you financial losses than any "public interest" aspects of the record. You claim...

I have no idea what the future bodes for satellite radio, and I never claimed that I did. I know that I like the service. I know that I hate terrestrial radio.

So you are willing to "gamble" on the future quality and diversity of a service that you LOVE as it exists today, for an "unknown" result in the future.

¿¿¿¿¿ Why would you do this?? As a subscriber, I think you would embellish what is provided and work to prevent changes that could undermine the future quality of the service that you have come to be so enthusiastic about. But, somehow you are willing to let "consolidations ugly effects" render SDARS service to the same fate as the same terrestrial radio that you despise so much.

But, it appears that you are willing to to so in exchange for a couple of dollars placed in your back pocket. So "Personal Integrity" goes right out the window when a couple of dollars gets introduced into the mix. Is that correct??

Not any more than the vendetta YOU seem to have against satellite radio and the merger attempt. As far as whether I have a financial interest in this merger, it is, quite frankly, non of your business. By the way, if I did, it isn't illegal.

I have no "vendetta" against SDARS service. Nor do I currently have a financial interest in either company. I do believe that the merger is not in the current and future Satellite Radio "Average Joe" Subscriber's best interest. You seem willing to allow the quality and diversity of it's offerings to be placed at risk for some sort of "financial reward".

That my friend is a "Special Interest Group". By portraying your self as just a typical "Average Joe" SDARS subscriber is misleading. You are simply a person who lack the candor and credibility to present your intentions at face value. You would rather hide behind the cloak of "public interest" pretending you attempting to "Save Satellite Radio", instead of the reality of the matter where you are willing to sell you "personal integrity" down the toilet in order of the hope of recovering you financial losses.

How many Comments have you filed with the Commission under false and/or misleading aliases??

My personal viewpoint is.. Karma tends to take care of people like you?? How's your Karma been treating you lately?

And so it goes,
PCSTEL

Anonymous Warrior

Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

The ignorance, fear and Desperation Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

BMW? did someone bring up BMW?

BMW offers up HD Radio in its entire fleet. The first automaker to offer HD Radio receivers as a factory-installed option on its entire fleet of vehicles.

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/

"I listened to radio for many years, and can remember when it was actually creative and innovative"
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

"I know that I hate terrestrial radio."
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

" Freedom of choice is a good thing. It creates competition"
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

"I have convinced myself that by supporting the merger, I am supporting a format for increased choice."
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

Is that why you want the choice removed from you when it comes to choice in satradio companies? However your basic math skills are a but off....2 satellite radio companies minus 1 = 1 (no choice there) Content, programming and talent minus direct competition also = LESS to NO choice

"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"

Thanks for proving you DON'T know, thanks for proving the blind ignorance of a satradio fanboy. Thanks for proving your another in the small minority of Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's bitches, uneducated enough to believe in the "merge" MONOPOLY scheme hook, line, and sinker.

Adelstein: Tool. All of the FCC commissioners are political appointees. Broadcast experience and/or knowledge is not necessary. Being a political tool is.

He'll get in line and vote with dear little Kevin and those other nitwits...this is just him making it look like he's giving this long and careful thought.

HEY AC
If you are going to quote me, you useless piece of shit, try finding something I actually said. "I have convinced myself that by supporting the merger, I am supporting a format for increased choice." You better go back to remedial reading class, because I never uttered these words, you PCSTEL ass licking whore.

Yeah ok Anonymous Warrior....... no need to change things are re-quote yourself now.

Anonymous Warrior = Bu Bu Bu BUSTED for posting BS and got called on it

The ignorance, fear and Desperation Bu Bu Bu BUSTED

You have proven in your countless ignorant posts that you DON'T know, thanks for proving the blind ignorance of a satradio fanboy. Thanks for proving your another in the small minority of Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's bitches, uneducated enough to believe in the "merge" MONOPOLY scheme hook, line, and sinker.

NO! to uneducated, blind, ignorant, satradio fanboys
NO! to Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's "merge" MONOPOLY scheme

"I listened to radio for many years, and can remember when it was actually creative and innovative"
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

"I know that I hate terrestrial radio."
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

" Freedom of choice is a good thing. It creates competition"
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

"I have convinced myself that by supporting the merger, I am supporting a format for increased choice."
Anonymous Warrior | July 20, 2008 3:21 PM

Is that why you want the choice removed from you when it comes to choice in satradio companies? However your basic math skills are a but off....2 satellite radio companies minus 1 = 1 (no choice there) Content, programming and talent minus direct competition also = LESS to NO choice

"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"
"I know"

Thanks for proving you DON'T know, thanks for proving the blind ignorance of a satradio fanboy. Thanks for proving your another in the small minority of Melvin Alan "Mel" Karmazin's bitches, uneducated enough to believe in the "merge" MONOPOLY scheme hook, line, and sinker.

PCSTEL wrote:
Hey, I have a little clue for you.. If you don't like the same 20 songs played over and over. They have a little gadget integrated on you radio.. It's called a "tuner". You might find that other so called radio stations offer other formats. You see. This provides a format of "choice to the consumer". If they don't like one station, they can always tune to another.

I have been trying this tactic for over twenty years with the same results. Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial and then you run out of radio stations so you go through the stations again... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial...

I remember the old days before we had satellite radio, I would be driving to work in the morning scanning all of the terrestrial radio stations... talk... talk... talk... Commercial... Commercial... Commercial... No wonder people were having accidents and there were so many road rage incidents. I wanted to rip out my car stereo and throw it out the window. I would be screaming, "Play some f*&#@ing music!" while driving down the freeway. I could never understand why terrestrial radio felt that if you were up in the morning you definitely wanted to hear idiots talk about absolutely nothing for hours.

Thankfully, MP3 players came along and saved me from the commercials and pointless boring talk. However, MP3 players had serious disadvantages too. I was only able to listen to what I put on the player, I spent hours making play lists, I was not able to find new music and I was no longer in contact with the outside world. Terrorists could be attacking again and I would be absolutely clueless.

Then came the final step in the "evolution of radio" with satellite radio. Satellite radio, the best radio on radio. I can listen to any one of over 100 plus channels and I can still listen to my favorite MP3's.

Terrestrial radio has no one to blame but themselves. What did they think was going to happen after torturing us for decades? No matter which side you are on, what we are all experiencing is a revolution.

Tristan:

The FCC realized that "commercial radio" was not for everyone. That's why they set up about 20% of what is known as the FM Radio spectrum for Non-Commercial Broadcasters.

Those are stations that are "Commercial Free". You j

Tristan28:
I feel the same frustration as you do. Terestrial radio is a nightmare. Trying to find something to listen to is like trying to find a needle in a haystack! The torture ended the day I got Sirius. It was like being released from prison!