Impending Monopolies and my commute

by grantfunk on Mar 30, 2008 3:12 PM EDT

This'll probably be off topic for some readers, but I'm guessing that at least some of the expatriated community has considered either XM or Sirius Radio.

SInce it's a royals page, XM would be/has been the most relevant thus far, but with the Justice Dept. finally signing off on the merger (after more than a year... seriously, if you don't think lobbying works...) it seems that we may have a Final Solution that doesn't involve either a mass genocide or me losing my mind.

I purchased Sirius because the music is better. Period. I wanted baseball, i'd trade NFL, NHL, NCAA and Martha Stewart for just Royals games... to be honest, I'd pay an extra amount every month to hear Denny everywhere i go. with the merger, there's hope that this'll finally work out. does anyone out there know/think/care to speculate about the merger?

Poll

Do you have Satellite radio?

Sirius- it's about the music man! and the playboy channel.

3 votes

XM- i've been enjoying baseball everywhere i go. idiot.

9 votes

no. i live and work close enough to an AM station.

8 votes

20 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

The satellite radio merger

Both XM and Sirius wanted it. By all accounts, neither would succeed very long with the market split. The satellite radio market just isn't that big, nor is it growing fast enough at this point. So, they need to merge. The FCC understandably wants competition and doesn't want a monopoly to control that industry. But if the choice is between monopoly and no satellite radio at all, they'll go with the monopoly.

Normally, I'd say that if the powerful and wealthy people behind the deal want it to get done, then it will get done. But there are also powerful and wealthy corporate interests in the terrestrial radio industry fighting it. So I kind of think the money/power/lobby effects from the two sides (satellite and terrestrial) cancel each other out. In the end, the FCC will likely act to save satellite radio and allow the merger.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Mar 30, 2008 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

when does it go final?

i have always wanted to subscribe

I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me

by LeoBloom on Mar 30, 2008 6:02 PM EDT reply actions

We don't really know

The Justice Department took a year to put their two cents in. Now the FCC has to rule. No one knows how long that will take. I would be surprised if the merge was effective within one year from today.

I probably disagree with you.

by Scott McKinney on Mar 30, 2008 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

My stock in Sirius has been in decline

so I'm happy that this merger is coming (hopefully). I actually like the music on XM better though.

by royaldaddy on Mar 30, 2008 9:57 PM EDT reply actions

really?

before i signed up, i did the week's free trial of each service online. I found nothing i wanted to listen to on XM. besides baseball. hope your stock and my baseball listening both go up this season.

The first thing I know about someone in a KC hat is that they're loyal.

by grantfunk on Mar 31, 2008 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions