From CNN Money:

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin
Martin needs to convince one more commissioner on the five-member body to sign
off on his recommendation that a pending merger between XM Satellite Radio
Holdings Inc. (XMSR) and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (SIRI) be approved.

Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell has voted with Martin to approve the
merger with conditions, such as a three-year price freeze for subscribers and 24
channels reserved for minority and public programming, according to a person
with knowledge of McDowell’s vote.

XM and Sirius already have agreed to those conditions in negotiations with
Martin and some lawmakers.

People close to the talks say the fate of the deal lies in the hands of
Republican Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate because the two Democrats on the
commission - Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps - aren’t likely to sign on to
the merger.

Martin said Friday that he wants the other commissioners to formally submit
proposals about the pending merger.

“I think some of the commissioners do have concerns about the transaction, and
all I’m saying is if they have concerns, they need to articulate what they would
like to see done about it,” Martin said at a press conference.

Martin left open the possibility that other conditions could be placed on the
merged entity. “Other commissioners have concerns, and they want conditions,” he
said.

People familiar with the deal say the conditions laid out in Martin’s
recommendation were carefully negotiated, and there may be little wiggle room
for further changes.

The Justice Department has already signed off on the deal with no conditions.

Martin has met with each of the commissioners about his proposal, but he said
the undecideds haven’t indicated whether they would sign off if other conditions
were added.

“They’ve said they’ve got issues and concerns about it, but they haven’t
necessarily proposed this is how they want them to be added,” Martin said.

Shares of XM Satellite closed down 3.1% Friday, while Sirius was unchanged.

-By Fawn Johnson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9263

On a side note we should be finally hearing an answer before August 1st. That is what Kevin Martin said, but take that with a grain of salt.

Maybe August 2009?

Sorry no Friday update this week, I was out of town with no internet access.

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