In a letter sent to the FCC late
last week, the Alliance again says that adding HD Radio capability to
satcaster receivers should be a requirement of the merger, as should
the termination of any exclusivity agreements with retailers and
automakers. The Alliance adds that an XM/Sirius
merger would reduce consumer choices and at this point, HD Radio
“cannot be considered a competitive alternative to satellite radio.”
They add that a merger would also “make it more difficult for HD Radio
to expand consumer choices.”

The letter
also goes into detail about the satcasters’ relationship with
automakers and says that “while XM and Sirius have already become
entrenched, HD Radio is at the early stages of adoption in the most
important distribution channel for…radio.”

[Via: FMBQ]