Free Republic

Congress has scheduled another hearing, for April 17, on the proposed merger between Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio. Like all significant mergers, this one deserves scrutiny by the antitrust and regulatory authorities. Congress legitimately has an oversight role as well. But keep a keen eye: the way in which this merger is handled will tell much about whether our government officials grasp how dramatically communications and information services markets are changing. I am concerned that the Department of Justice antitrust officials and the Federal Communications Commission regulators charged with reviewing the merger do not adopt an unduly narrow...

Since the inception of satellite radio, consumers have been forced to choose between two competing networks, XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., depending on the kind of hardware they buy. But new documents show the rival companies have designed a receiver capable of carrying both services — a development that could significantly alter the competitive landscape of the emerging industry. However, despite spending more than $5-million (U.S.) on the project, XM and Sirius have no plans to let consumers in Canada or the U.S. get their hands on the devices. Though the broadcast licences granted in...

There's been a recent obsession over mobile content, from both the mobile operators and content providers. For the most part, this obsession was due to the unsustainable success of the ringtone market. Mobile operators who were desperate for more revenue from each subscriber suddenly thought mobile content was their ticket to big money. Content companies scared silly by the internet looked at mobile phones as basically a better internet -- because it's closed. However, that makes one huge assumption: that it always remains closed -- something that anyone with a sense of tech trends should have realized wasn't going to...

In Wall Street terms, the recent “weakness” in XM Satellite Radio shares is “unwarranted,” and could actually be seen by investors as a buying opportunity. Sirius Satellite Radio has its own cheerleaders, as well, but two of the three analysts Billboard Radio Monitor surveyed think Sirius shares are worth about $5 per share, while one analyst pegs those shares to finish 2006 at $9. XM and Sirius shares each hit a 52-week low yesterday (March 14) during the trading day. For XM that low was $20.26 per share, but the stock ended at $20.50 when the market closed. Historically, and...

Sirius Satellite Radio may soon be able to claim that it is the only satcaster with 100% commercial-free music channels. An arbitration panel has ruled that XM Satellite Radio will have to introduce advertising on some of its commercial-free music channels. The ruling resolves a legal dispute with Clear Channel, who made a 1998 investment in the satcaster, gaining control over four of XM’s music channels, which now represent 2.5 percent of the satcaster's 160-channel subscription radio menu. As an early investor in XM, Clear Channel has owned the right to program four music channels, but both companies have disagreed...

'Nothing yet follows on this. . .'This seems to be a 'breaking' news - announcement. . .though it probably affects smaller portion of population. . .nonetheless; I surely hope this is cleared up quickly. . .and to Fox News and Sirius advantage. . .. .

It's a common refrain, one XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have heard too many times to count: No one will pay for what they already can hear for free. So what happens if you can't get it for free anymore? Numerous announcements during the past year by XM and Sirius are testing that theory. Singing a different refrain - "content is king" - the companies have sought to lure customers by emphasizing what traditional radio doesn't have. Sirius, for example, last month signed a four-year deal to devote a 24-hour radio channel to Martha Stewart, whose syndicated 90-second...

Ratings and research company Bridge Ratings has conducted a study of Howard Stern listeners gauging their willingness to follow him to Sirius when his current Infinity contract ends. The survey found that over one in five listeners, or 22%, planned on subscribing to Sirius to continue to hear Stern. 41% were undecided, while 37% said they wouldn't subscribe. When asked if they knew what it cost to subscribe to Sirius, almost half (49%) of the listeners weren't aware, as compared to 39% who were. When told that they would have to pay for hardware and a monthly subscription fee, only...