New York — Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin said pricing for merged XM/Sirius programming could exceed $12.95 if the consumer orders content from more than one service.
Sirius confirmed that Karmazin told the New York Times, “Subscribers wanting to keep their existing service would not face a price increase, and listeners who wanted the best of both services would pay less than the combined rate of $25.90.”
Published reports said past statements by Karmazin claiming a merged XM/Sirius company would not raise prices were confusing because it was not known if this referred to maintaining a cost of $12.95 (for one service) or of $25.90 (for two services).
Karmazin is expected to testify on the merger before that House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet on March 7.
