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FCC Chair To Support XM-Sirius Merger [XM/Sirius to placate Dems with 48 Liberal channels]
Washington Post ^ | June 16, 2008 | Cecilia Kang

Posted on 06/24/2008 3:16:24 PM PDT by The Raven

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin said yesterday that he will support a merger between the nation's sole satellite radio operators, XM and Sirius, a decision that could remove the last regulatory hurdle in the lengthy and heavily criticized move to make the companies one.

...

The companies have agreed to:

... set aside 4 percent of their radio spectrums, or 12 channels, for noncommercial services such as educational and public safety programming. They would lease another 12 channels for programming run by minorities and women, groups that are underrepresented in entertainment broadcasting

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fcc; liberaltalkradio; satelliteradio; sirius; xm
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To: Vaduz

Pay for non-Nanny radio? Absolutely.


21 posted on 06/24/2008 4:46:43 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Yo-Yo
As an XM subscriber, I’m already subjected to Err Amerika, the Oprah channel, Take Five, The Power, and XM Public Radio. But I also get America’s Talk, America Right, Talk Radio, Fox News Talk, and Family Talk. It all balances out.

When I first became a Sirius subscriber in late 2006, the first thing I did when I installed the system was learn how to block channels.

Now my dial skips right by the two NPR channels, PMSNBC, CNN, the whiny bedwetting liberal talk channel and the miscellaneous rap and spanish channels as if they don't exist. I do the same thing with DirecTV.

As long as that feature subsists, I'll be more than happy to block the rest of this satellite welfare so long as the remaining portion has enough to satisfy me (love the Patriot Channel, Elvis Radio, Radio Classics, Spectrum...).

By the way, ratings are tracked for satellite channels...the last set I saw was from Arbitron. I bet these affirmative action channels will subsist on minimum funding and no listeners. I hate supporting it financially, but at least it won't thrive.
22 posted on 06/24/2008 4:59:11 PM PDT by LostInBayport ("Anyone whose tax bill goes up feels like it's an increase." - Mass. Governor Deval Patrick, 2/28/07)
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To: Yo-Yo
how could I forget the Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered channel The Agenda.

I don't believe such a critter exists. The Left has denied in print many times for years that there is no homosexual "agenda". There is no goal. No endgame.

23 posted on 06/24/2008 5:25:14 PM PDT by weegee (In 1988 Lenora Fulani was the 1st black woman to appear on presidential ballots in all 50 states)
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To: The Raven
To all: Please cancel your subscription if the Government forces left wing content --

Oh come on.

Nothing quite like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

As far as I can see, paid programming like XM/Sirius, is not going to be subject to the "fairness" doctrine if the RATs ever manage to resurrect that. And if Obama wins in November, look for it to be back less than 12 weeks after the coronation.

The article said they were going to set aside the channels. Big whoop. They will still be able to charge something for them. Or, even if bad comes to worse, and they have to give away the airtime for free, they don't have to subsidize the content.

No one listened when it was free, and no one is going to pay to listen to cr@p. Without a subsidy for content, liberals, community groups, and "underrepresented" groups are going to have a hard time competing.

Plus, one of the big reasons talk radio is so successful is that radio is the medium for people with jobs. The mindless unemployed watch TV, those with something worthwhile to do listen driving to work or sometimes at work. This is not a liberal audience.

If the price of having conservative pay radio is that they also carry liberal channels no one will listen to, that is the price and I am willing to pay it.

24 posted on 06/24/2008 5:31:00 PM PDT by CurlyDave
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To: LostInBayport

I am an XM subscriber. If this merger goes through, I will cancel. I have no intention of supporting a company that supports Howard Stern and his garbage.


25 posted on 06/24/2008 5:32:31 PM PDT by hydrotech1 (I chose the path less traveled. Now where the hell am I?)
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To: hydrotech1

...then don’t listen to stern. if you have cable tv, then you already have seedy content that you skip. do the same and enjoy the music, sports, and conservative talk.


26 posted on 06/24/2008 5:37:25 PM PDT by devane617 (we are so screwed)
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To: weegee
I don't believe such a critter exists.

You're right, of course. The Agenda is a program, not an entire channel. My bad.

http://www.theagendaonxm.org/xm/

27 posted on 06/24/2008 5:47:09 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: hydrotech1
am an XM subscriber. If this merger goes through, I will cancel. I have no intention of supporting a company that supports Howard Stern and his garbage.

Yet you support Opie and Anthony.

28 posted on 06/24/2008 5:50:55 PM PDT by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: The Raven

“To all: Please cancel your subscription if the Government forces left wing content —”

Will do.


29 posted on 06/24/2008 6:27:34 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: The Raven

“groups that are underrepresented in entertainment broadcasting” LOL
That’s a laugh.

Will conservatives get equal time OR ELSE!


30 posted on 06/24/2008 6:30:15 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: Myrddin

“YOU will pay for keeping the liberal channels on the air.”

See the devious always comes up with something. I refuse to buy any of it.
Lefty broadcasting is not worth it.


31 posted on 06/24/2008 6:32:50 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: Yo-Yo

>>It all balances out

No...when the government gets involved - that’s dangerous. It’s not free speech if it’s forced on us.

And “forced” can be subtle - so as to look like the companies are “volunterring” to do this.


32 posted on 06/25/2008 2:36:13 AM PDT by The Raven (Blame it on the Dems.)
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To: CurlyDave

>>If the price of having conservative pay radio is that they also carry liberal channels no one will listen to, that is the price and I am willing to pay it.

But...if politicians were successful in shaping content in the past.....why not in the future?

If no one listens to the lib channel - they just close down the conservative channel.

It’s why the NRA goes after even the smallest attacks on the 2nd amendment.


33 posted on 06/25/2008 2:41:46 AM PDT by The Raven (Blame it on the Dems.)
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To: hydrotech1

You are supporting Oprah, Opie and Anthony, and other crap.


34 posted on 06/25/2008 3:26:11 AM PDT by bmwcyle (If God wanted us to be Socialist, Karl Marx would have been born in America.)
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