Can Sat. Radio Woes Help Win FCC Approval? - Reporters Notebook

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Amy Gilroy

Can Sat. Radio Woes Help Win FCC Approval?
June 24, 2008

For the commissioners at the FCC, the big question may now be, “Is it in the public interest if Sirius and XM, so hobbled by market conditions, cut services to survive?”

A recent report on the companies by Goldman Sachs was so dire, it sent satellite radio shares tumbling and left Wall Street wondering if a combined Sirius/XM would be worth more than $1.75 a share! Kids are buying MP3 players and iPhones instead of satellite radio subscriptions, said Goldman analysts. Also of note, XM and Sirius have spent a combined $85 million on merger-related expenses to date, said Goldman Sachs.

BusinessWeek picked up on the idea that Goldman’s doom-and-gloom report may just push the deliberating minds at the FCC toward a pro merger decision.

Posted by Amy Gilroy on June 24, 2008 | Comments (3)

June 29, 2008
In response to: Can Sat. Radio Woes Help Win FCC Approval?
Bill in Atlanta commented:

Let's have the XM-Sirius merger. One satellite radio service is better than no satellite radio service. Commerical-free satellite radio music, news, sports and other programming with nationwide reception is vastly superior to the programming offered by the majority of local over-the-air radio broadcast stations. This obvious fact makes clear the reason for over-the-air broadcasters' organized opposition to the XM-Sirius merger. The demise of satelite radio would be the elimation of the most serious competitor of over-the-air radio stations.

June 29, 2008
In response to: Can Sat. Radio Woes Help Win FCC Approval?
Bill in Atlanta commented:

July 1, 2008
In response to: Can Sat. Radio Woes Help Win FCC Approval?
Big Al commented:

I think the FCC is just waiting for both sat providers to go under before they approve the merger. Just goes to show how much influence and power the NAB and its members have over the gutless FCC. I'd really like an accounting of who's raking in the bribes on this one.