Ron Casalotti

Sirius/XM Satellite Radio: Merger is Doomed

Using the Dish/Echostar precedent is a red herring. To say that a Sirius/XM merger would fail to serve rural areas is to pre-suppose that rural areas have no alternative radio sources. My, oh my, what ever did those areas do for radio entertainment before Sirius and XM came along? Oh that's right, they listened to the hundreds of AM and FM stations that serve them.

And I guess that also means they have no access to Internet based radio either. It's a wonder those small towns aren't changing their names to XM-ville or Sirius-land since apparently it's having these two - pay -companies available separately that keeps these towns connected to the 21st century.

Say the merger is wrong because the NAB objects? Please! This is the same NAB that fails to serve it's smaller and diversified markets by refusing to grant licenses to small market interests and favors consolidation of stations by giant mega-media companies like Clear Channel.

The only people really opposed to the merger fall into two groups:
1) Those who are uninformed as to what these companies do and how a merger can make it better, and
2) Those who've drunk the Kool-Aid the traditional radio megalopoly is serving.

Blockbuster vs. Netflix: Which Online Rental Service is Better and Why?

Hmm... Let's see Andy. Your argument is that you spend less time looking for movies online.... because you are spending more time in the Blockbuster store picking them out in person? Seems to defeat the whole purpose of doing it online. I think I'll stick with wagging the long-tail.

Note To Sirius: Offer Howard Stern Podcasts To Boost Subscribers

I think you need to attribute the downturn in Web traffic not so much to dwindling influence, although there is still a steep learning curve for those yet to follow Howard to satellite, but also to the content of his post-terrestrial show.

In the past, you often vistied Howard's Web site for content that was censored during his radio show. Now, with no restrictions, Howard's fans get the fully uncensored presentation as it happens 9or in replays) right off their satellite radio unit.

As such, the need to visit his Web site is diminished.