Tate’s blessing came only after the companies agreed this week to pay a
total of $19.7 million to the government for violations of FCC rules,
according to the Associated Press.

Conditions on the approval
included a series of consumer protection conditions, including a
three-year cap on prices, setting aside 8% of their channel capacity
for minority and non-commercial programming and payment of a $19.7
million penalty for past FCC rule violations, reports Reuters.

The joint company will have
to build radios that receive both Sirius and XM. Also, FCC will conduct
an inquiry into whether HD terrestrial radio signals can be built into
all satellite radios.

“I think it’s going to be, in the end, a good thing for consumers and
be in the public interest,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman
Kevin Martin told The Associated Press. “Consumers will enjoy a variety
of programming at reduced prices and more diversified programming
choices.”

It’s about damn time!!!!!!

More reports as the work week gets into gear.

I’m sure there will be allot to report on in the following weeks. Everyone have a great weekend.

XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. and SIRIUS Satellite
Radio today confirmed that the companies are in
discussions with the Enforcement Bureau of the Federal Communications
Commission to settle outstanding enforcement matters.

As
previously disclosed by the companies, in 2006, the FCC commenced
investigations regarding the compliance of certain radios that include
FM transmitters with the Commission’s rules, and the compliance of
certain terrestrial repeaters with the special temporary authority
granted by the Commission. The companies hope to enter into a Consent
Decree with the Federal Communications Commission terminating these
inquiries.

As part of a possible Consent Decree, the companies expect to agree, among other things, to:

– adopt comprehensive compliance plans, and take steps to address any potentially non-compliant radios
remaining in the hands of consumers;

–
in the case of XM, within 60 days of the order adopting the Consent
Decree, shut down 50 variant terrestrial repeaters, and shut down or
bring into compliance an additional 50 variant terrestrial repeaters;

–
in the case of SIRIUS, bring into compliance or shut down up to 11
variant terrestrial repeaters within 60 days of the order adopting the
Consent Decree. These terrestrial repeaters were shut off by SIRIUS in
October 2006; and

– make a voluntary contributions to the
United States Treasury of approximately $17 million in the case of XM,
and approximately $2 million in the case of SIRIUS.

There can
be no assurances regarding the ultimate outcome of these enforcement
proceedings, including whether the FCC will approve Consent Decrees
under discussion with the companies.

This deal is done everyone. There is work coming in that Tate made her Yes vote. Official word soon.

Tate is expected to cast the final and deciding vote on the deal shortly, the officials said. In exchange for her vote, Ms. Tate and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin have been negotiating with the companies to pay upward of $20 million in fines for violations regarding tower locations and power limits, people close to the negotiations said.

Video below:

After looking through various online sources it is known that FCC commissioner Kevin Martin said The Five member commission is set to approve the merger contingent on the two companies agreeing to meet certain conditions.

The final FCC vote (Tate) is expected to take place sometime today.

According to the statement released by Sirius and XM, the two companies
expect to agree to several conditions, including XM paying $17 million
and Sirius paying $2 million in “voluntary contributions” to the U.S.
Treasury.

The FCC has also had issues with several terrestrial, or land-based,
signal repeaters that the companies use to deliver their programming.
The FCC has argued that the repeaters can cause interference with
traditional land-based radio stations.

After the FCC approves the merger Xm has 60 days to shut down 50 Terrestrial repeaters or bring another 50 into FCC compliance.

After the merger Sirius is expected to shut down 11 repeaters by the end of the 60 days.

Updates as they come in.

Update 1

http://siriusxmnews.com/2008/07/update-fcc-commissioners-will-approve-xm-sirius-deal/

• 50 Channels will be available for $6.99 a month and will allow consumers
to choose either 50 Sirius channels from approximately 100 Sirius
channels or 50 XM channels from approximately 100 XM channels.
Additional channels can be added for 25 cents each, with premium
programming priced at additional cost. However, in no event will a
customer subscribing to this a la carte option pay more than $12.95 per
month for this programming.

• 100 Channels will be available on an a la carte basis for $14.99 a month.
This a la carte option will allow Sirius customers to choose from the Sirius
programming line-up and some of the best of XM’s programming, and
XM customers to choose from the XM programming line-up and some of
the best of Sirius’ programming.
Within three months of the consummation of the pending merger, the first a la
carte-capable radios will be introduced in the retail after-market and the
combined company will commence offering a la carte programming.

2. “Best of Both” Programming: Within three months of the consummation of the
pending merger, the combined company will offer customers the ability to
receive the best of both Sirius and XM programming. Current XM customers
will continue to receive their existing XM service, and be able to obtain select
Sirius programming. Likewise, current Sirius customers will continue to
receive their existing Sirius service, and be able to obtain select XM
programming. This “best of” programming will be the same “best of”
programming included as part of the 100 Channel A La Carte offering, and will
be available at a monthly cost of $16.99.

3. Mostly Music or News, Sports and Talk Programming: Within three months of
the consummation of the pending merger, customers will have the option of
choosing an option of “mostly music” programming. Subscribers will also be
able to choose an option of news, sports and talk programming. Each of these
programming options will be available on existing satellite radios at a cost of
$9.99 per month.

4. Discounted Family-Friendly Programming: Within three months of the
consummation of the pending merger, consumers will be able to purchase a
“family-friendly” version of existing Sirius or XM programming at a cost of
$11.95 a month, representing a credit of $1.00 per month. Current Sirius
customers will also be able to choose a family-friendly version of Sirius
programming that includes select XM programming, and current XM
customers can choose a family-friendly XM programming option that includes
select Sirius programming. This programming will cost $14.99 per month,
representing a credit of $2.00 per month from the cost of the “best of”
programming.
These programming options were previously described in the companies’ July 24, 2007
joint filing and are subject to individual channel changes in the ordinary course of
business and, in the case of certain programming, the consent of third-party programming
providers.

Public Interest and Qualified Entity Channels. The combined company will set aside
four percent of the full-time audio channels1 on the Sirius platform and on the XM

1 “Full-time audio channels” mean the aggregate number of channels of music, news, sports,
entertainment or audio programming broadcast on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
plus part-time channels aggregated on a full-time equivalent basis, on the Sirius platform or the XM
platform, as the case may be.

Read the rest of the File below

Link to PDF

I’m not sure if this is final but according to the PDF it includes “copies of a Summary of the
Sirius Post-Merger Channel Line Up Proposal”

Link to the PDf here: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519869225

I think the prices are great and I really like the A La Carte options.

So with the new pricing plan it look like I can pick 50 Sirius Channels for $6.99, I can add an additional channel for $.25 each and a Super Premium channel for an additional price of $6.00. Or a smarter move would be to just keep the Sirius Everything package for the same price it is now. I would really be interested in adding both XM and Sirius channels though.

What are your thoughts?

Technorati Tags: sirius xm pricing, sirius xm merger, sirius xm a la carte pricing

Following the approval of their merger by the Department of Justice
(DOJ), satellite radio companies XM Satellite Radio and
SIRIUS Satellite Radio, today highlighted the many
organizations and individuals who have publicly endorsed their merger.
They have all championed the lower prices and increased programming
choices that the merger will afford consumers and have urged the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve the merger without
delay.

Wide Range of Support

In a strong indication of the consumer benefits inherent in this
transaction, the companies unveiled an array of new programming
options, including two first-of-their-kind à la carte options where
consumers can individually select the channels they wish to receive. A
public opinion survey found that over 70% of voters thought the two new
a la carte packages would be a good deal for consumers.

Since first announcing their intentions to merge, the public
reaction to the merger of SIRIUS and XM has been staggering.
Representatives from every possible stakeholder group in this debate
have weighed-in supporting the merger: thousands unique public comments
from consumers have been filed with the FCC; a number of Members of
Congress from both political parties have urged approval; two former
FCC Chairman and former FCC staff have voiced their support; leading
car manufacturers have all indicated the consumer benefits inherent in
the merger; the nation’s leading voices for minority audiences,
including the NAACP and LULAC, have asked the FCC for approval;
religious leaders and family values advocates, including Cardinal Egan
and American Values, have also supported the merger.

Minority Interest Organizations:
• NAACP
• Second District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
• Hispanic Federation
• Independent Women’s Forum
• Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association (LISTA)
• League of United Latin American Citizens
• National Council of Women’s Organizations
• National Latino Farmers and Ranchers
• New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
• National Black Chamber of Commerce
• The Latino Coalition
• Women Impacting Public Policy
• Women Involved in Farm Economics

Corporations and Manufacturers:
• Chrysler
• Circuit City
• Crutchfield Corporation
• Ford Motor Company
• General Motors Corporation
• Harpo Productions
• Honda
• Hyundai
• Kia Motors America
• Loral Space & Communications
• NASCAR
• Oracle
• Toyota
• RadioShack

Think Tanks and Consumer Groups:
• 60 Plus Association
• American Association of People with Disabilities
• American Trucking Associations
• Americans for Prosperity
• Americans for Tax Reform
• American Values
• Citizens for Community Values (CCV)
• Club for Growth
• Competitive Enterprise Institute
• FamilyNet Radio
• Family Research Council
• Federation of Southern Cooperatives
• Intertribal Agriculture Council
• League of Rural Voters
• National Taxpayers Union
• Rural Coalition
• The Free State Foundation
• The Heritage Foundation
• Tennessee Conservative Union

Current and Former Public Officials, and Federal Regulators:
• Mayor Karl F. Dean of Nashville, TN
• Former Senator Bill Bradley
• Congressman Joe Baca
• Congressman Sanford Bishop
• Congressman Rick Boucher
• Congresswoman Corrine Brown
• Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
• Congressman Danny Davis
• Congressman Eliot Engel
• Congressman Bob Filner
• Congresswoman Virginia Foxx
• Congressman Ralph Hall
• Congressman Alcee Hastings
• Congressman Connie Mack
• Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney
• Congressman Ted Poe
• Congressman Bobby Rush
• Congressman Pete Sessions
• Congressman Ed Towns
• Congressman Anthony Weiner
• Reed Hundt, former FCC Chairman
• Harold Furchtgott-Roth, former FCC Commissioner
• Mark Fowler, former FCC Chairman
• Randolph J. May, former FCC Assistant General Counsel
• Thomas Hazlett, former FCC Chief Economist

What People Are Saying

Here are just a few examples, in their own words, of why they support the merger:

On Diverse Programming…
“We are convinced that the pending Sirius-XM merger will be a positive
development for consumers – more diverse, accessible and appealing
options at lower prices in satellite radio will help further expand the
reach of this medium.”
- Hillary O. Shelton, Director, NAACP

On Competition…
“I think that if XM and Sirius combined, it will be pro-competitive in
all likelihood. It seems to me that there’s no indication of any
anticompetitive outcome if they do combine, so let’s give them a chance
to have a sharper point on the arrow and see if they can do better in
terms of penetrating the listener audience.”
- Reed Hundt, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

On Greater Choices and Lower Prices…
“[SIRIUS and XM] have promised to offer consumers more choice at lower
prices after the merger. Service offerings that let subscribers pay
less would permit even more Americans to experience satellite radio.”
- Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York

On Innovation…
“More broadly, this merger proposes to combine two small players in the
audio entertainment market. As a result, the merger will bring greater
vitality and financial resources to this upstart technology. Allowing
this to happen will, in turn, spark a new generation of services and
products with more advanced and user-friendly features. Consumers, of
course, will be better off as a result.”
- Julian C. Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, RadioShack

On Benefits to Consumers…
“General Motors believes the proposed merger is and will be in the
public interest because the merged company will be able to offer
consumers expanded programming choices and a broad range of service
packages, including packages at lower prices.”
- Richard M. Lee, Executive Director of Satellite Radio Services, General Motors

On the Audio Entertainment Marketplace…
“The relevant market for competition purposes is the entire marketplace
for audio entertainment, including terrestrial radio, Internet radio
and Internet-protocol enabled applications. The relevant market clearly
includes all of terrestrial radio, as evidenced by repeated statements
by leading broadcast companies that they are in competition with
satellite radio.”
- Congressman Rick Boucher (D-VA)

Technorati Tags: sirius xm merger, sirius xm news, doj, fcc

“After a careful and thorough review of the proposed transaction, the Division
concluded that the evidence does not demonstrate that the proposed merger of XM
and Sirius is likely to substantially lessen competition, and that the
transaction therefore is not likely to harm consumers. The Division reached
this conclusion because the evidence did not show that the merger would enable
the parties to profitably increase prices to satellite radio customers for
several reasons, including: a lack of competition between the parties in
important segments even without the merger; the competitive alternative services
available to consumers; technological change that is expected to make those
alternatives increasingly attractive over time; and efficiencies likely to flow
from the transaction that could benefit consumers.

“The Division’s investigation indicated that the parties are not likely to
compete with respect to many segments of the satellite radio business even in
the absence of the merger. Because customers must acquire equipment that is
specialized to the satellite radio service to which they subscribe, and which
cannot receive the other provider’s signal, there has never been significant
competition for customers who have already subscribed to one or the other
service. For potential new subscribers, past competition has resulted in XM and
Sirius entering long-term, sole-source contracts that provide incentives to all
of the major auto manufacturers to install their radios in new vehicles. The
car manufacturer channel accounts for a large and growing share of all satellite
radio sales; yet, as a result of these contracts, there is not likely to be
significant further competition between the parties for satellite radio
equipment and service sold through this channel for many years. In the retail
channel, where the parties likely would continue to compete to attract new
subscribers absent the merger, the Division found that the evidence did not
support defining a market limited to the two satellite radio firms that would
exclude various alternative sources for audio entertainment, and similarly did
not establish that the combined firm could profitably sustain an increased price
to satellite radio consumers. Substantial cost savings likely to flow from the
transaction also undermined any inference of competitive harm. Finally, the
likely evolution of technology in the future, including the expected
introduction in the next several years of mobile broadband Internet devices,
made it even more unlikely that the transaction would harm consumers in the
longer term. Accordingly, the Division has closed its investigation of the
proposed merger.”

Extent of Likely Future Competition between XM and Sirius

The Division’s analysis considered the extent to which the two satellite radio
providers compete with one another. Although the firms in the past competed to
attract new subscribers, there has never been significant competition between
them for customers who have already subscribed to one or the other service and
purchased the requisite equipment. Also, competition for new subscribers is
likely to be substantially more limited in the future than it was in the past.

As to existing subscribers, the Division found that satellite radio equipment
sold by each company is customized to each network and will not function with
the other service. XM and Sirius made some efforts to develop an interoperable
radio capable of receiving both sets of satellite signals. Depending on how
such a radio would be configured, it could enable consumers to switch between
providers without incurring the costs of new equipment. The Division’s
investigation revealed, however, that no such interoperable radio is on the
market and that such a radio likely would not be introduced in the near term.
For example, in the important automotive channel, such a radio could not be
introduced in the near term due to the engineering required to integrate radios
into new vehicles. The need for equipment customized to each network means that
in order to switch from XM to Sirius, or vice versa, a subscriber would have to
purchase new equipment designed for the other service. In the case of a
factory-installed car radio, switching satellite radio providers would have the
additional disadvantage of requiring an aftermarket radio that would be less
integrated into the vehicle’s systems. Data analyzed by the Division confirmed
that subscribers rarely switch between XM and Sirius.

As to new subscribers, XM and Sirius sell satellite radios and service
primarily through two distribution channels: (1) car manufacturers that install
the equipment in new cars and (2) mass-market retailers that sell
automobile aftermarket equipment and other stand-alone equipment. Car
manufacturers account for an increasingly large portion of XM and Sirius sales,
and the parties have focused more and more of their resources on attracting
subscribers through the car manufacturer channel. Historically, XM and Sirius
engaged in head-to-head competition for the right to distribute their products
and services through each car company. As a result of this competitive process,
XM and Sirius have provided car manufacturers with subsidies and other payments
that indirectly reduce the equipment prices paid by car buyers to obtain a
satellite radio. However, XM and Sirius have entered into sole-source contracts
with all the major automobile manufacturers that fix the amount of these
subsidies and other pertinent terms through 2012 or beyond. Moreover, there was
no evidence that competition between XM or Sirius beyond the terms of these
contracts would affect customers’ choices of which car to buy. As a result,
there is not likely to be significant competition between XM and Sirius for
satellite radio equipment and service sold through the car manufacturer channel
for many years.

The Division’s investigation identified the mass-market retail channel as an
arena in which XM and Sirius would compete with one another for the foreseeable
future. Both XM and Sirius devote substantial effort and expense to attracting
subscribers in this arena, with both companies offering discounts, most commonly
in the form of equipment rebates, to attract consumers. Retail channel sales
have dropped significantly since 2005, and the parties contended that the
decline was accelerating. However, retail outlets still account for a large
portion of the firms’ sales, and the Division was unable to determine with any
certainty that this channel would not continue to be important in the future.

Effect on Competition in the Retail Channel

Because XM and Sirius would no longer compete with one another in the retail
channel following the merger, the Division examined what alternatives, if any,
were available to consumers interested in purchasing satellite radio service,
and specifically whether the relevant market was limited to the two satellite
radio providers, such that their combination would create a monopoly. The
parties contended that they compete with a variety of other sources of audio
entertainment, including traditional AM/FM radio, HD Radio, MP3 players (e.g.,
iPods®), and audio offerings delivered through wireless telephones. Those
options, used individually or in combination, offer many consumers attributes of
satellite radio service that they may find attractive. The parties further
contended that these audio entertainment alternatives were sufficient to prevent
the merged company from profitably raising prices to consumers in the retail
channel – for example, through less discounting of equipment prices, increased
subscription prices, or reductions in the quality of equipment or service.

The Division found that evidence developed in the investigation did not support
defining a market limited to the two satellite radio firms, and similarly did
not establish that the combined firm could profitably sustain an increased price
to satellite radio consumers. XM and Sirius seek to attract subscribers in a
wide variety of ways, including by offering commercial-free music (with digital
sound quality), exclusive programming (such as Howard Stern on Sirius and “Oprah
& Friends” on XM), niche music formats, out-of-market sporting events, and a
variety of news and talk formats in a service that is accessible nationwide.
The variety of these offerings reflects an effort to attract consumers with
highly differentiated interests and tastes. Thus, while the satellite radio
offerings of XM and Sirius likely are the closest substitutes for some current
or potential customers, the two offerings do not appear to be the closest
substitutes for other current or potential customers. For example, a potential
customer considering purchasing XM service primarily to listen to Major League
Baseball games or one considering purchasing Sirius service primarily to listen
to Howard Stern may not view the other satellite radio service, which lacks the
desired content, as a particularly close substitute. Similarly, many customers
buying radios in the retail channel are acquiring an additional receiver to add
to an existing XM or Sirius subscription for their car radio, and these
customers likely would not respond to a price increase by choosing a radio
linked to the other satellite radio provider. The evidence did not demonstrate
that the number of current or potential customers that view XM and Sirius as the
closest alternatives is large enough to make a price increase profitable.
Importantly in this regard, the parties do not appear to have the ability to
identify and price discriminate against those actual or potential customers that
view XM and Sirius as the closest substitutes.

Likely Efficiencies

To the extent there were some concern that the combined firm might be able
profitably to increase prices in the mass-market retail channel, efficiencies
flowing from the transaction likely would undermine any such concern. The
Division’s investigation confirmed that the parties are likely to realize
significant variable and fixed cost savings through the merger. It was not
possible to estimate the magnitude of the efficiencies with precision due to the
lack of evidentiary support provided by XM and Sirius, and many of the
efficiencies claimed by the parties were not credited or were discounted because
they did not reflect improvements in economic welfare, could have been achieved
without the proposed transaction, or were not likely to be realized within the
next several years. Nevertheless, the Division estimated the likely variable
cost savings – those savings most likely to be passed on to consumers in the
form of lower prices – to be substantial. For example, the merger is likely to
allow the parties to consolidate development, production and distribution
efforts on a single line of radios and thereby eliminate duplicative costs and
realize economies of scale. These efficiencies alone likely would be sufficient
to undermine an inference of competitive harm.

Effect of Technological Change

Any inference of a competitive concern was further limited by the fact that a
number of technology platforms are under development that are likely to offer
new or improved alternatives to satellite radio. Most notable is the expected
introduction within several years of next-generation wireless networks capable
of streaming Internet radio to mobile devices. While it is difficult to predict
which of these alternatives will be successful and the precise timing of their
availability as an attractive alternative, a significant number of consumers in
the future are likely to consider one or more of these platforms as an
attractive alternative to satellite radio. The likely evolution of technology
played an important role in the Division’s assessment of competitive effects in
the longer term because, for example, consumers are likely to have access to new
alternatives, including mobile broadband Internet devices, by the time the
current long-term contracts between the parties and car manufacturers expire.

The Division’s Closing Statement Policy

The Division provides this statement under its policy of issuing statements
concerning the closing of investigations in appropriate cases. This statement
is limited by the Division’s obligation to protect the confidentiality of
certain information obtained in its investigations. As in most of its
investigations, the Division’s evaluation has been highly fact-specific, and
many of the relevant underlying facts are not public. Consequently, readers
should not draw overly broad conclusions regarding how the Division is likely in
the future to analyze other collaborations or activities, or transactions
involving particular firms. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case
basis, and the analysis and conclusions discussed in this statement do not bind
the Division in any future enforcement actions. Guidance on the Division’s
policy regarding closing statements is available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/guidelines/201888.htm.

This is great news and all we need now is word from the FCC. Some are saying this week some are saying longer. I’m thinking after reading this we are very close!

Check back soon for any updates!

Technorati Tags: doj, sirius xm merger approved, sirius xm news, merger sirius xm