How the deal will get approval

[titoisradio]

1. XMSIRI can not carry both licenses for satellite radio. This of course will mean a reduction in channels and could cause some contractual problems with both companies as added bandwidth is going to be needed.

2. The second satellite radio service license will be up for auction. Clear Channel could possibly decide to enter in though now as a private company not sure they'd have the capital available to launch satellites, ect. Could a net company such as Google partner with a content provider to develop programming for a second service?

3. A miracle.

 

[PaulO]

1. XMSIRI can not carry both licenses for satellite radio. This of course will mean a reduction in channels and could cause some contractual problems with both companies as added bandwidth is going to be needed.

2. The second satellite radio service license will be up for auction. Clear Channel could possibly decide to enter in though now as a private company not sure they'd have the capital available to launch satellites, ect. Could a net company such as Google partner with a content provider to develop programming for a second service?

3. A miracle.


I think that a satellite service designed to carry some of the country's radio stations would be a good idea. They can use some of their band width to carry the HD radio channels. That way people can listen to them.

 

[NeilRattigan]

In the marketplace, without regulation hurdles, the deal would go through.
The Reagan-era FCC would have ok'd it.

The FCC's clout really depends on the president who appoints the commissioners.
Some commissioners may understand that giving one struggling satellite service a fighting chance is better than having two of them go belly up.

 

[tankedsecondchance]

this deal has been ran through all the pre-merger footwork (on the hill)and its basicly, now a given it gets the green lite in the end...

heres a interesting link to information filed as factual statements as required by law with the sec ,that will surely enter into the talks on the hill on the 28th.....

the nab can blow all the smoke they want......im sure not one broadcast group will now indicate the filed information was unfounded or based on anything less then the truthful facts

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/why-terrestrial-radio-cant-fight-satellite-radios-definition-of-a-competitive-market.html

 

[Kent]

this deal has been ran through all the pre-merger footwork (on the hill)and its basicly, now a given it gets the green lite in the end...

I'm not sure I buy that. Using that logic, every merger has gone through the pre-merger footwork and should always happen in the end. This doesn't happen in every case. See the DirectTV/Dish Network merger...

heres a interesting link to information filed as factual statements as required by law with the sec ,that will surely enter into the talks on the hill on the 28th.....

the nab can blow all the smoke they want......im sure not one broadcast group will now indicate the filed information was unfounded or based on anything less then the truthful facts

http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/why-terrestrial-radio-cant-fight-satellite-radios-definition-of-a-competitive-market.html

I can't imagine this being anything even near a deciding factor. The NAB has, for years, maintained every other form of listening is competition and even considers newspapers competition. It has used this argument to press for total removal of ownership caps in radio. It hasn't happened. The FCC doesn't buy it. I agree it's disingenuous for them to argue against the merger on grounds satellite radio is a separate medium that needs separate regulation while arguing the exact opposite for the sake of getting ownership caps eliminated. Flip, meet Flop! However, I can't see this argument suddenly swaying people it couldn't sway in the past.

In short, none of us know if this merger will happen or not. The analysts are divided, and not even both companies believe it's a guarantee.

 

[Rockin Rob]

1. XMSIRI can not carry both licenses for satellite radio. This of course will mean a reduction in channels and could cause some contractual problems with both companies as added bandwidth is going to be needed.

2. The second satellite radio service license will be up for auction. Clear Channel could possibly decide to enter in though now as a private company not sure they'd have the capital available to launch satellites, ect. Could a net company such as Google partner with a content provider to develop programming for a second service?

3. A miracle.


I think that a satellite service designed to carry some of the country's radio stations would be a good idea. They can use some of their band width to carry the HD radio channels. That way people can listen to them.

HEY! I like that concept. That way, people can get their local content no matter where they go in the USA. The downside would be....THE SAD STATE OF TERR-RADIO, WHICH DROVE US TO SAT-RAD IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

I could see a service where the National "bird" feeds (i.e.: ABC's Hot AC, Jones' "Music of Your Life") are the entertainment, then local news and ad content provided by major market stations tailored by location (programmed into the unit itself by zip code) to cover the national spots. Then, you have streams of other stations, but then you have a selection of a few AM stations. I could see, as far as Philly goes, KYW, WIP and WYSP as candidates.