Has the FCC Gone Communist?

It’s bad enough that the FCC is against free speech and the First Amendment. Now it’s against capitalism. Get a load of commissioner Jonathan Adelstein’s ridiculous conditions on the long, long, long overdue Siriux-XM merger:

He told the companies that they would have to agree to cap prices for their service for six years after the merger, set aside one-quarter of their radio spectrum for noncommercial and minority programming and equip satellite receivers with high-definition over-the-air radio signals to ensure that traditional radio will be able to compete with the monopoly.

Disclosures: I’m a Sirius stockholder, a Sirius customer, and a Howard Stern fan and speaking as one customer, this merger is good for me. I don’t need you to protect me, sir.

Comments

[real sirius xm investor]

jeff,
bulleye!
I agree with you 100%, as I believe 95+% of us Sirius subscribers (and I am two, as I have two subscriptions) agree with you...

[Kentucky / John]

The FCC process on this merger has a distinctly foul odor to it. Holding this merger hostage for 500 + days = regulatory incompetence and/or blatant FCC corruption. I am more than disgusted with this example of our our federal government's performance.

[fpc]

i cannot understand how the virtual seizure, control and possible giving away 25percent of a company's assets , the imposition of a six year rate freeze, along with the requirement to add features in its products and services which the affected company neither want nor need, is supposed to protect the consumers.

fcc commissioners' conditions for the approval of the siri-xm merger are excessive. they are discouraging entrepreneurship.

to fcc commissioners - regulate, not destroy.
- no business establishments, no consumers.

[Satellite Subscriber]

First question, who are the consumers? Subscribers! Are any of these folks at the FCC subscribers? After this merger is complete Sirius would have a excellent lawsuit against the FCC.

[barryb1248]

As shown in the following contribution list to Adelstein, he should not be allowed any opinion on any matter involving media of any kind.
ContributerTotal
DLA Piper $100,950
AT&T Inc $92,600
Time Warner $76,000
Mintz, Levin et al $67,050
Viacom Inc $66,350
News Corp $57,500
Cassidy & Assoc/Interpublic Group $57,000
Walt Disney Co $50,850
Akin, Gump et al $50,250
Comcast Corp $49,500
Feeley & Driscoll $46,500
Sprint Nextel $43,750
Covington & Burling $42,450
Qualcomm Inc $42,204
General Electric $42,000
Cassidy & Assoc $37,300
GTCR Golder Rauner $36,800
Paloma Partners $36,500
Raytheon Co $35,600
National Assn of Broadcasters $33,300
It's such a shame that an official of our government could be allowed to try and destroy a business while getting paid off by opposing business. How does anyone live with themselves while knowingly committing acts against the citizens he's sworn to work for.
Shame on you Jonathan Adelstein.

[Beck-o-la]

$1,064,454.00 in lobbiest money to protect us from the big bad sirius/xm merger!!!! I'm fed up with these a**h****!!! These jerks need to go!!!

[Edster]

Might as well throw in my 2 cents worth. Our comments are falling on FCC deaf ears. The loops that Sirius and XM have to jump through is preposterous.

[tastensmell]

There is absolutely no reason to have two Satellite radios competing for customers. Think about it, there is nothing proprietary. There is no cost competition because if either lowers there price they will go out of business. Satellite radio is simply medium for musicians to be heard and for paying consumers to enjoy. Traditional radio sells advertising to produce revenues, Satellite needs subscriptions. Every consumer in America that is for this merger knows the real reasons why higher campaigning officials paint this picture of a monopoly. Can another Satellite radio enter the market and compete? Absolutely not. Why you ask? The answer is simple, because unfortunately the business model created by the two original satellite radio companies can not produce any other revenues besides subscriptions and competing for these subscriptions will cause the companies to fail. These companies need to merge, be able to introduce a new concept which is a direct competitor to mp3 players, IPods, traditional radios. My new car has a hook up for MP3’s and a separate hookup for an IPOD. I have actually listened to my Satellite and Traditional radio less because I download shows off of ITunes and listen to them on my way to work. Satellite Radio offers looping real time traffic and weather for commuters and also cable like content on our radios. I would never know how to choose between the two satellite companies nor would I want to. Trust me NO ELSE DOES EITHER. I have an IDEA why doesn’t traditional radio offer something worth listening to. Static and commercials are not very attractive. I love my Sirius Satellite radio, I love the Howard Stern Show, I personally would not mind paying a little more, the content offered by Sirius is like no other. Adelstein is off the wall with his comments.

[Indian Joe]

HOW! Do the merger for monday opening. It has bin just a waste of everybody's time and wampum!

[Worst Stockpicker Ever]

I just pray that once the merger goes through, Sirius-Xm destroys Traditional Radio and shows the NAB whose boss. The FCC is a joke. Hopefully President Obama will abolish them. And yes, I know Adeljerk is a Democrat and that if the FCC consisted of 5 republicans this merger would have already been approved.

[novelator]

If lobbying were against the law, perhaps the quality of people aspiring to the job of President, Senator, Representative, and FCC Commissioner would improve.

Nah, who am I kidding? The entire system is so corrupt now there's no saving it.

[ctman]

barryb1248 - The contributions you listed as going to FCC Commissioner Adelstein is actually a list of those who have contributed to Massachusetts Democrat Congressman Edward Markey who is also trying to have the FCC impose strict conditions on the merger. FCC Commissioners are appointed, not elected and don't get political contributions.

[experiencedmentor]

Comrade Adelstein, If prices get too high, I will simply cancel my subscription to satellite radio. Government need not get involved. NO lives will be harmed. No welfare programs need be affected. Please just enjoy your summer dacha and stay out of the way.

[WeThePeople]

The question we should be seeking to answer is what can we do as subscribers, consumers and investors to fight the FCC on this merger debacle? They are out of control and a politically run agency.

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

SLAM THE PHONE ON ADELSTEIN'S OFFICE THE FCC, AND COMM TATE TO CLOSE THE DEAL. PRESSURE AND MORE PRESSURE TO GET THE DOJ MORE INVOLVED. COMM MARTIN NEEDS NO MORE DIALOG ON THIS MERGER SET A VOTE DATE THEN ALL THE COMM VOTE. THATS HOW THE MERGER WILL GO THRU.

FOR THE RECORD DOES ANYONE KNOW IF OBAMA OR MCCAIN SUPPORT THE SIRIUS / XM MERGER?

EXPECT ANOTHER POP IN PRICE MONDAY AS THE MERGER GETS CLOSER TO BEING APPROVED. MY GUESS THIS WEEK IT'S A DONE DEAL AT $4.00-$4.60 ON THE MERGER NEWS.

GREAT TO THE POINT ARTICLE JEFF!!!!

[mogrifier]

It doesn't matter Adelstein wants. Comm. Tate can bring it all home. You should be attacking her for being a coward and afraid to vote since she, too, is in the pocket of the broadcasters. Adelstein at least admits he's Markey's lapdog by echoing the same foolish requests.

I wonder, will Adelstein and Markey and Tate impose a 6 year cap on HD radio fees (yes, HD radio can be subscriber only- it's called conditional access)? Going head to head with a paid service is the next step of the broadcasters and HD radio.

[notsosmart]

conservative socialism has arrived.capitalism is corrupt & cant be fixed.if the russians & the chinese had not been as greedy as us they would not be holding that worthless paper & could really laugh at the collapse of capitalism.when will this end-when the middle class taxpayer is broke.

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

Here is all the Comm's names and phone numbers again. The FCC fax is the same for all 1 866-418-0232 I say we bombard them with faxes. Let them come to work monday morning and see a trail of paper!!!

Chairman Martin's Contact Information
Room: 8-B201 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Commissioner Copps' Contact Information
Room: 8-B115 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Commissioner Adelstein's Contact Information
Room: 8-A302 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Commissioner Tate's Contact Information
Room: 8-A204 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Commissioner McDowell's Contact Information
Room: 8-C302 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

I hope blue dog bites them in the ass!!!! sic-em !!!

[User 225305]

Last time I checked there was only ONE terrestial radio so why is he referring to sattelite as the only MONOPOLY in the situation?????? Also why is he worried about keeping competition fair when we live in a society where the products with the strongest demand survive...I can tell you why......Huge amounts of money going his direction from the NAB....It's all about greed and who owns who....It doesn't matter anyway becuase terrestial radio is on it's way out.........

[petolen]

I dont need the fcc to protect me either, they are doing me more harm than good anyway. They are a waste of taxpayers money, and just another organization that can be bought off from the highest bidder. How sad the country we live in today!!

[launiuss]

"WE THE PEOPLE ON THE TAKE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"

this should be our new preamble.or better yet instead of U.S.A. maybe it should be
L.O.T.A.D.

LAND OF THE ALMIGHT DOLLAR.

[fireball]

the fcc what about the whole stinking federali apparatus? much of the 50 states apparatus? and a sickening amount of the local gangsters?

[Rawbhurt]

In actuality Adelstein,is really saying NO to the merger.
Is proposal speaks for it's self.

[valuestocksonly]

If i lose my LIFETIME subscription to SIRIUS, i will be definately seeking legal council on what my options will be against the FCC. They are intentionally causing financial harm to the SATRAD companies!

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

Commissioner Adelstein's Contact Information
Room: 8-A302 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]


Commissioner Tate's Contact Information
Room: 8-A204 • Phone: [phone] • E-mail

Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554
More FCC Contact Information...
Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

CALL ALDELSTEIN AND COMMISSIONER TATE AND LEAVE VOICE MAIL IN THEIR BOX LET THEM KNOW WERE PISTED OFF AND WANT A VOTE ON MERGER NO MORE CONCESSIONS!!!!!

FORCE TATE IN APPROVING THIS MERGER THIS WEEK!!!

[Joe flint]

I think its time to dust off the GUILLOTINE and take it to Washington.....Those assholes are having a "toga" party at our expense....

[enough is enough]

ADELSTEIN HAS NO RIGHT TO ASK FOR SUCH HEAVY CONCESSIONS FROM BOTH SATRAD SUBSCRIBERS AND THEIR AILING STOCKHOLDERS. HOLDING THESE TWO SMALL "MADE IN THE USA" COMPANIES AT BAY FOR ALMOST 500 AGONIZING DAYS WHILE SCORES OF COMPETITION (MUCH OF IT FOREIGN) HAVE BROUGHT NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MARKET IS A TRAVESTY IN ITSELF ! IT DEFINITELY FORTIFIES THE CLARITY OF THE DOJ’S DECISION. THE FCC MUST CONCUR!

PRICE FREEZING FOR SIX YRS IN THIS (OR ANY) ECONOMY IS SUICIDE THAT IS RECOGNIZIBLE BY EVEN THE DUMBEST OF US. MY GOVERNMENT CAN'T EVEN MAINTAIN THE PRICE OF A SIMPLE POSTAGE STAMP YET YOU ASK ME TO ALLOW YOU TO FURTHER RISK AND IMPEDE THE SUCCESS OF MY INVESTMENTS AND CONSEQEUNTLY MY PERSONAL LISTENING PLEASURE AS WELL. THIS IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS SIRS !!!

FURTHERMORE, EXTRACTING ANY REFERENCE FROM THE LONG DEFUNCT ECOSTAR MERGER, BESIDES INSULTING, HAS CLEARLY NO CORRELATION TO THE ISSUES OR BENCHMARKS AT HAND. IT STRONGLY ADS, HOWEVER, LUCIDITY TO THE FEEBLE SMOKESCREEN WHICH ACTUALLY REVEALS ADELSTEIN'S CONCRETE ALLEGIANCE WITH MARKEY, NAB, GEORGETOWN AND THE LAW SCHOOL KIDS. IT IS MORE OBVIOUS THAN EVER THAT THAT GROUP, AS A WHOLE , ARE SCRAMBLING IN DESPERATION, FEAR AND COLLUSION TO DEBILITATE THEIR WORTHY SATRAD OPPONENT AT ALL COSTS. ADELSTIEN’S OWN WORDS OVBIATES THIS POINT BY HIS REDICULOUS DEMANDS WHICH PARALLELS THE OPPOSITION DAMN NEAR LINE FOR LINE !!! THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF CRIMINAL. POLITICALLY CRIMINAL !!!

WHAT IS EVEN MORE CRIMINAL, SIRS, IS THE TRUE STRANGLEHOLD THAT THE NAB AND, OBVIOUSLY, ANY NEW UNESTABLISHED FLY- BY-NIGHT SPECIAL INTEREST MILLIONAIRES CLUBS HAS ON YOUR FOCUS. YOUR FOCUS MUST RETURN TO ME AND MY FAMILY, THE AMERICAN CONSUMER!! WE ARE PEOPLE YOU ARE SWORN TO SERVE!! IT IS ALSO CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THIS HAS BEEN THE STATUS QUO FOR SOME TIME. THIS OPPORTUNISTIC TRAVESTY MUST END IMMEDIATELY !!!

COMMISSIONERS, YOU MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY TO RID YOURSELVES OF THE NAB GORILLA AND ITS FLYS THAT HAVE PLAGUED AND CONTROLLED YOU FOR YEARS. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAS ALREADY SPOKEN!! YOU MUST LISTEN TO US !!! 20,000,000 SUBSCRIBERS PLUS COUNTLESS OTHERS CAN’T BE IGNORED !!! NEW SUSCRIBERS AT THE CONSISTENT RATE OF 4-5000 PER DAY 24/7 ARE EVIDENCE ENOUGH TO HELP YOU MAKE THIS DECISION TODAY!

DEAR COMMISSIONERS- STOP HELPING ME!!! LET ME DECIDE WETHER OR NOT THIS LUXURY ITEM IS A VALUABLE SERVICE. QUIT, IMMEDIATELY, THIS CIRCUS PARADE OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS WHOSE VIEWS AND NEEDS DO NOT REPRESENT ME !!! STOP, STOP, STOP BANKRUPTING MY INVESTMENTS AND MY DREAMS!! THEY ARE NOT , I REPEAT NOT, YOUR PROPERTY !!! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ANY OF IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, WHICH YOU DO NOT HAVE!!!!! QUIT GIVING AWAY WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU!

COMMISSIONER TATE, YOU MUST COUNTER TODAY WITH THE VOICE OF PRUDENCE, COMPROMISE AND REASON. I INSIST THAT YOUR FOCUS RETUN TO ME, THE AMERICAN CONSUMER AND INVESTOR !!! YOU MUST NOT SHRINK FROM YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ME!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!! APPROVE HIS MERGER WITH REASONABLE TERMS SO WE ALL CAN WIN

[fireball]

JOE FLINT i knew a guy who was a dc cop. he would make extra money by working security at their nightly tax funded parties. he would always be given fillet mignon and lobster before they threw the surplus in the trash. he was outraged by the decadent waste of our money every single night. he was at a loss to describe the luxurious flamboyant waste of money. he said imagine the worst you can and multiply it by 10. he felt guilty for working their security and for accepting their scraps but he needed the money and the food was headed for the garbage anyway. oh yeah he could not drink on duty but every night the finest wines and champagnes flowed. will enough ever get mad to unseat these arrogant masters?

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

MARTIN CAN END IT WITH A VOTE DATE. TATE WILL SIGN OFF ON IT. THE MORE IT DRAGS THE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME JACK ASS TO COME OUT AND SAY MORE CONCESSIONS ARE NEEDED.

THE STOCK IS STARTING TO POP BACK UP WHICH IS GOOD. THE STREET KNOWS IT'S A DONE DEAL AND IF PEOPLE DONT WANTTO HAVE SO BE IT NOBODY IS FORCING THEM TO HAVE IT OR KEEP IT.

ADELSTEIN, OR BETTER YET WE CALL HIM "IDLESTEIN" GOT HIS HANDS IN OUT POCKETS. LETS SHOUT DOWN "IDLESTEIN" ON BEING IDLE ON THIS MERGER FOR SO LONG. WHAT "IDLESTEIN SAID LAST WEEK HE COULD HAVE SAID A YEAR AND HALF AGO.

MARTIN HAS LOST CONTROL AND DROPPED THE BALL A LONG TIME AGAIN. THE FCC SHOULD HAVE NO SAY ON ANTI TRUST ISSUES IT IS BETTER LEFT WITH THE DOJ. HANG ONE THIS WILL BE DONE REAL SOON. $4.00-$4.60 ON THE MERGER BREAK OUT.

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

SIC-EM BLUE DOG!!!!

[launiuss]

lonestar,


you sound more interested in the merger for yourself in stock holdings.this is about the almighty dollar.but not yours.this is about people on the take.you give me a little and i will do what i can for you.bottom line.

give me a little extra and i will try a little harder.

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

LAUNIUSS,..... IT IS ABOUT MY DOLLAR AS A SHARE HOLDER, AND YES WHEN THE MERGER GOES THRU THE STOCK WILL GO UP NO LIE THERE. THAT MEANS MORE MONEY TO ME AND THE OTHER SHARE HOLDERS. IS THAT WRONG TO THINK THAT WAY? AND YOUR SO RIGHT ABOUT PEOPLE ON THE TAKE.......GREED, AND SPECIAL INTRESTS CANT SAY IT BETER THEN THAT.

[gekko13]

One needs to look no further than the pending merger between XM and Sirius Satellite to see cronyism, corruption, and bureaucratic ignorance at its best. And the guilty party is the FCC and congress, who are being paid off by lobbyists who are against the merger. This, after the Department of Justice ruled back in March that the merger was not monopolistic and would benefit consumers. This after the DOJ gave the green light WITHOUT the companies having to give concessions. The proposed merger is a mouse compared to other mergers in history, with the combined market cap of the companies hovering near 5.6 billion dollars. Yet it is the longest running merger proposal in history, surpassing 400 days! Meanwhile, Exxon and Mobil, two oil behemoths were allowed to merge relatively smoothly, considering the monopolistic concerns involved in that one. (How do you like gas prices today?) And now Anheiser Busch is going to be gobbled up by a foreign entity in three shakes of a lamb's tail. The actions, or rather, INACTIONS by the FCC concerning XM/Sirius wreak of BLATANT POLITICAL CORRUPTION. And people wonder why our country is so screwed up?

[launiuss]

protect and serve,


i am a share holder,way before stern was announced.i do believe it will go thru.but the article was based on the almighty dollar so to speak.if the people should ever get tired of what OUR GOVERNMENT IS DOING,we need to find a way to make them accountable.

does your name have to do with law enforcement?
if it does thank you for doing that horrific job.

[muley101]

Once the merger is approved let's start an independant candidates' channel as one of the non-commercial channels so their voices can finally be heard. I am sickened by this whole ordeal and by the constant brainwashing of America that we only have 2 choices for our government. Every time I hear phrases like bi-partisian, both sides of the aisle, or across party lines I want to puke. I am eligable for retirement, have been working since I was 12 years old and paying social security and taxes all that time., and am ready to run for congress to try and stop the selling of our government to the lobbyists. Who's with me?

Stan Muse - (I) Georgia

[xmichaelx]

The FCC isn't communist -- it's its own little dictatorship, and you and I are its subjects.

On a slightly different note: while I realize that regulation is generally a bad thing, deregulation of terrestrial radio is what rendered it unlistenable, and created the NEED for satellite radio. Imagine if the merger is allowed and ClearChannel someday buys the resulting company -- radio would be uttely dead (again).

Perhaps the FCC realizes how its idiocy destroyed radio, and hopes to prevent another catastrophe.

Nah - it's about the money.

[PROTECT AND SERVE 0310]

TO PROTECT AND SERVE SOMETHING THE FCC HAS FAILIED TO DO.

[Hank s.]

If either siri or xm goes belly up the survivor will automaticaly bcomes a (dreaded word) monopoly.

[Hank s.]

If either siri or xm goes belly up the survivor automaticly becomes (dreaded word) a monolopy.

[Vapor]

As a stock holder in Sirius, I have urged Sirius to a file a injunction in federal court to approve and proceed with the merger since it has been approved by the DOJ, and the loss in millions of dollars in shareholder value due directly to the incomptenance of the FCC.

I just cannot believe any federal judge would deny the injunction.If he/she did we might as well turn off the lights
Vapor

[MSF]

They're a bunch of smelly animals.

[launiuss]

hank s.,

what the big problem is if either one went belly up before they merged,the one left would be out soon and here is why.

someone with money would come in and buy the one out of bk.then they would have no debt so to speak.where would that leave the other one?to file also.that would leave us out in the cold.

[muley101]

Conspicuously absent from Adlestein's protectioinist demands is a requirement to continue to offer commercial-free programming. Wonder why that is, hmmmm.

[oregonduck]

Quit whining and threating to vote for Obama. No one who seriously invests in the stock market and wants to make money would really want to vote for a guy who would raise cap gains by 13% and call all of us wealthy just because we have money to invest. But, to each his/her own.

Adelstein is talking from Georgetown partners talking points. Directly. He knows that there are 3 yes votes. He is trying to extract conditions. Sirius knew that they would have to give up something and they will give up 50 channels and 4 years of price freezes. Big deal. They will gain that many subscibers who will be willing to sign 4 year contracts for fixed prices over that term. How many of those customers will know that those were legally required? They can market it that way. A la cart will not be included in the fixed price deal. Also, I can see porn channels coming out in a la cart that could be charged at premium rates. (yes....porn.) If cable can do it, why cant radio?? They could charge 40 bucks a month for 5 porn channels.

[Seamless82]

I've cried foul on this one. But I'm just the everyday, average finance graduate who was taught to believe in the free markets. You know... Adam Smith, the invisible hand and all that jazz. But we've seen an increasing amount of regulation just since I finished college a year ago! It's so easy for me to be alarmed and I'm sure any other business graduate. What's going on certainly does not follow free market.

I wish the universities had done a better job teaching communism. At least I'd have a better framework for investing. Maybe Georgetown partners should write a textbook and the FCC should publish it. Now there's an idea.

"How to destroy the wealth of nations".

Sirius and XM shareholders have put up a ton of risk capital, as I learned it in college. It would be a shame, and go against everything free-market, to allow this agency to legislate control over the proprietary networks established by Sirius-XM.

This article was extreme. But, sadly, the author is dead on! And it is why I hope the shareholders of Sirius-XM file for a class action lawsuit when this is all said and done, in the true american spirit!

[Ross P]

agree. FCC has totally gone communist. How in the world XM and sirius can keep freez the price when the inflation is gpoing up. The already battered companies will soon belly up if they agree to these non-sense, ridiculous and unqualified conditions. As a avid subscriber of sirius and a stock holder, I don't need any protection from FCC. The FCC commisioners are abusing their power by simply biasing towards regular radio lobbies. Are they working for US government or for clear channel or other radio companies. When the justice department clarly sees too many competitions to the XM or Sirius. How in the world FCC sees the combined company will be a monopoly. Every few months there are too many technology gagets keep coming up and posing serious competition to Satellite radio. How can they freez the price for 6 years. Is the FCC commisioner living in the stone age?

The FCC commisioners are seriously abusing their power for not taking a decision on XM-Sirius deal for a record many months in hostory. They are also heeding to the advice of the regular radio lobbies instead being neutral while tking merger decisions.

It is a clear case of abusing the power these FCC commisoners are wielding.

[altri]

It would only be fair to also require that high-definition over-the-air radio signal receivers be equipped to receive satellite signals.

[User 229366]

SOME ONE HAS FINALY SAID WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG, I DON'T NEED SOME "A"-HO TO PROTECT ME. THANK YOU JEFF.

[BoutiqueMusic]

How come these politicians intent on protecting consumers are completely ignoring Exxon/Mobil? I know the FCC has nothing to do with it but I mean politicians in general. The President (head crook on the take) has already stated that the US should not restrict a companies ability to make money. Apparently, that only applies to his friends in oil and broadcasting.

I listen to Sirius because terrestrial radio is awful. The programming and content is not entertaining. So based on that assesment, satellite is not even competing with them

[Served Country for 26 yrs]

I HAVE SENT BLOG THIS TO ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS(MARTEN,M... and that jackass of a puppet(ADELSTEIN).

FCC COMMISSIONERS - KEVIN MARTIN AND McDOWELL GET AN ASTERISK FOR MARTIN’S RECCOMMENDATION AND McDOWELL SUPPORT. MR MARTIN’S RECOMMENDATION’S WERE PRACTICAL AND FAIR.

Perhaps all you commissioners should be viewing the blogs on this merger. The overwhelming majority believe that the FCC is handling the on goings very badly.
Now for the language that is needed to actually explain the FCC’s action on this matter.

YOU FOLKS ARE UNREALISTIC JACKASSES AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM YOU POSITIONS IMMEDIATELY.

HOW THE FUCK CAN YOUR CONDTIONS BE VIEWED OTHER THAN WITH TRUE DISBELIEF. MR. ADELSTEIN NEEDS A LABOTOMY FOR OUTLINING SUCH OFF THE WALL CONDITIONS. THE MAN IS MERLY NOTHING MORE THAN A FUCKING PUPPET OF CONGRESSMAN MARKEY. IT TOOK HIM NEARLY 500 DAYS TO PUT FORTH SOMEONE ELSES IDEAS. IT MUST HAVE TAKEN HIM ALMLOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF DAYS TO DISLODGE HIS HEAD FROM MR. MARKEY’S ASS. I AM AMAZED THAT THE FCC CAN JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS. IT APPEARS THEY ALL MORE INTEREST IN SERVING THEIR OWN POLITICAL INTERESTS THAN THE PEOPLES.

THE BANKING COMMISSION, THE CONGRESS, THE FEDERAL RESERVE, THE SEC, THE LEGAL SYSTEM, THE FCC, POLITICIANS IN GENERAL ARE PLACING A BIG HURT ON OUR ECONOMY. IT’S OBVIOUS THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE APPROPRIATE REGULATIONS IN PLACE AND SECONDLY DO NOT ENTIRELY ENFORCE THE ONES THEY HAVE, AND THIRDLY ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO READILY CHANGE THE ONES THAT AREN’T IN STEP WITH THE CHANGING TIMES(FCC), AND LASTLY HAVE SHOWN A PROPENSITY IN ALLOWING LOBBYIST TO DIRECT AND CONTROL THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES. ALL OF THESES CLAIMS CAN BE SUPPORTED WITH ACCURATE FACTS. LET ME GENERALLY CITE SOME THAT WILL COVER ALL THAT I HAVE JUST MENTIONED. 1. SEC (naked trading is illegally and not enforced at all - HAS destroyed companies that should not have been) 2. Senator Chuck Schumer(publically noting that bank INDYMAC was about to go belly up which caused a run on this particular bank - this is illegal practice and he should be sued by the investors. But as some of us aware of politicians have immunity on things that they say and publish. - he should be immediately removed from his office especially since their might have been some foul play involved. 3. cONGRESS(SPENDING MORE TIME ON THE POLICING OF STEROID USE IN MLB THAN ON WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE GONE TO WAR, THE DRAFTING OF THE PATRIOT ACT, OUR PREPOSTURIST ELECTION PRACTICES – DO I NEED TO SAY MORE ABOUT THEIR PROESS?). 4. FEDERAL RESERVE (TRYING TO CONVINCE THE PEOPLE THAT THE HANDLING OF THE PRIME Rate is the panacea of fixes - SHAME on them for all their bullshit throughout the years. 5. legal system(judge burns not giving the maximum penality to convicted congressman randy “duke” cunningham, who indirectly was resonsible for the deaths and laming of our military personnel. - it was justified by stating it was the harshes sentencing for a person of his position to date. - i guess that is ok. - it’s like saying that our country is the best of the bad in the world, so accept their wrong DOINGS; it could be worst somewhere else. - i myself cannot equate the two. - perhaps if we handling issues more prudently, we would not have this lame comebacker.

LASTLY THE FCC. IT’S TOO MUCH TO EVEN BEGIN TO LIST, I SUGGEST READ THE PLETHORA OF BLOGS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED AT AN ALARMING RATE. HOWEVER I WILL INCLUDE A SHORT CLIP FROM THE MOST RECENT ONES POSTED TODAY BY JEFF JARVIS(A COLUMIST OF “SEEKING ALPHA”). IT HAS TO DO WITH MR. ADELSTEIN’S LATEST BRAIN FART. WE ALL OF HEARD THAT STINGING CLAIM - “YOU HAVE SHIT FOR BRAINS”. WELL IT APPEARS ADELSTEIN ACTIONS SUPPORT THIS CLAIM.

It’s bad enough that the FCC is against free speech and the First Amendment. Now it’s against capitalism. Get a load of Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein’s ridiculous conditions on the long, long, long overdue Sirius-XM merger:
He told the companies that they would have to agree to cap prices for their service for six years after the merger, set aside one-quarter of their radio spectrum for noncommercial and minority programming and equip satellite receivers with high-definition over-the-air radio signals to ensure that traditional radio will be able to compete with the monopoly.
Disclosures: I’m a Sirius stockholder, a Sirius customer, and a Howard Stern fan and speaking as one customer, this merger is good for me. I don’t need you to protect me, sir.

[brazen]

Do you asshats realize what communism is? It seems like every ignorant American who disagrees with someone else seems to throw around the phrase, "Oh, you must be a commie!" as some kind of insult to say the person is ridiculous.

Let me tell you what would happen if a communist government was making a decision on this merger. They would dissolve both companies in addition to terrestrial radio to create a government controlled radio entity, consisting of only government sanctioned and run radio programming.

What we have here is not communism - it is in fact quite the opposite. I think its more like capitalism to its extreme, where money and political power go hand in hand, and companies/industries dictate the political process.

Get a clue.

[Mathman Prophecy]

Brazen23,

At the point government controls private enterprises, it's communism. Listing degrees of government control is simply splitting hairs.

While I have no problems with 'monopolies', because I think the market will mediate them eventually -- like Microsoft, for instance, which had vast control for many software applications like Internet Explorer, and Windows, has begun to lose significant market share to other offerings with no goverment assistance to those alternatives.

Nevertheless, I have cannot understand how Siri/XM can be called a monopoly. First of all, there was a time when SIRI did not exist, and XM was the SOLE PROVIDER of Satellite Radio! Was there any talk of a monopoly back then?

I'm a Sirius subscriber, and I do not own the stock. The reason I got Sirius was because I hated listening to the public radio stations that played the same songs, which were constantly interrupted by commercials. I chose to Pay for satellite radio to replace terrestrial radio. REPLACE is the key word.

Before that, there were no options. Terrestrial Radio was the monopoly!!!

Under the guise of consumer interest, the NAB is trying to protect its interests in the name of capitalism , and the illusory claims of a monopoly. But the stark truth is that the NAB is simply reacting to its loss of monopolistic control over the radio waves and is using the FCC in its fight to sustain its own monopoly!