By Gino Lattarulo
We have a potential deciding vote on the marriage of Sirius (SIRI) and XM (XMSR). Adelstein says he would vote in favor of the deal as long as the company would agree to a six-year cap on subscription rates as well as relinquish 25 percent of all channels to public or minority-focused stations.
While they are at it, how about a ruling that 99% of all profits they do manage to squeak out be used for confetti during high school football games in climates under 72 degrees on the last Friday of each month while hopping on one foot singing Ring Around the Rosie?
Essentially what this means is that Sirius cannot increase revenue the old fashioned way and will have to be a volume dealer to make up for six years of rising costs of labor, technology, and content, not to mention the lackluster sales hurdle it will be facing from new automobile revenue.
Unfortunately the poor folks at Sirius may take the offer just to be done with this circus. For all I know they may have already agreed on it by the time this article is published.
Six years is an entirely unreasonable, insulting request and I truly hope that commissioner Adelstein is proud of the "For Sale" sign on his forehead.
