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In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

#1
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Here are the Sirius/XM merge details as reported by the
Associated Press...

Quote:

(excerpts from report)

Shareholders of the nation's only two satellite radio companies are scheduled to vote Nov. 13 on Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s proposed multibillion-dollar acquisition of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

XM shareholders must vote in favor of the buyout, while Sirius investors must approve the issuance of shares and other related matters. XM shareholders of record at the close of business Monday and Sirius stockholders as of Tuesday are eligible to vote.

Now, the FCC, which is reviewing the deal and could take until the end of the year or longer, must decide if transferring both licenses to one company is in the public interest.


It is our personal hope that the XM/Sirius merger happens. We see
it as a great benefit to satellite radio subscribers.

In anticipation that the merger will be approved, as well as the relaxed
feelings towards both companies, we have combined the two satellite
radio forums into one.
Ronald J Epstein
Home Theater Forum co-owner
Email me at: repstein@hometheaterforum.com 
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#2
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

Just a heads up that the vote has been approved by the shareholders:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...111300800.html

You folks will though have to wait some more for the all important FCC decision...

Jay

You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life

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#3
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

I would suspect this to be a "done deal."

Actually, I'm looking forward to one satellite radio service.
Ronald J Epstein
Home Theater Forum co-owner
Email me at: repstein@hometheaterforum.com 
To View My Massive DVD Collection Click Here
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#4
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

This is from the xm411 merger forum. Personally I am 100% against the merger.

Quote:
Merger is hardly a slam dunk for approval and a delay is most probable. Deal will get delayed beyond end of year. Look for stocks to take some punishment on this news soon.


http://siriusbuzz.com/stanford-incre...-of-timing.php

An Excerpt:

Survey suggests risk of DOJ challenge may be more real than we thought

At the conference, we conducted an informal survey of 17 antitrust attorneys relating to the Sirius-XM merger. Those expressing a prediction on the issue of regulatory approval had close to 100 years of experience practicing antitrust law. The survey was anonymous and not meant to solicit the formal legal opinion of any particular attorney or (even by implication) government agency on the issues involved in the matter. The results of the survey were:

1) median probability given to merger approval was roughly 47%, the average roughly 48%;

2) 33% predicted that the DOJ would approve the merger, while 67% predicted that the DOJ would challenge the merger; and

3) the consensus was there would be a public announcement of the DOJ’s decision in early 2008, with relatively little expression of the view that it would be announced this year. The survey results were a mild surprise, as we have believed that the FCC is the higher hurdle than the DOJ.
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#5
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

so what are the pros and cons of a merger.

seems that it would be bad due to no competition
..
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#6
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

Actually, right now there is a ton of competition... from non-unified sources. SIRIUS and XM are both working as a broadcast provider that is non-FCC regulated. When they first launched birds up, this seemed like a kind of niche market. But now, there are companies putting out MP3 ready head units for cars, etc. and so SIRIUS / XM are now in direct competition with: PodCasts, Internet Radio, IPod, and now, with streaming online content to it things like the iPhone are really changing the game.

In the reality of it, they aren't competing with each other as much as they are one niche product competing in a large field of niche products as content providers. Preventing them from merging only pretty much guarantees they stay relatively small and never really act as a true competitor to any; they have nowhere near the market penetration, even combined, of newer cell phones which can receive (and play) internet radio ... the drive to say "Merging is always bad" sometimes is defeatist to the consumer when a failure to merge just means the end loss of both companies or the death of one or the other, and so consumers have fewer choices in the end then they would if a merger were successful and provided a solvent company
My Current DVD-Profiler


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#7
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Re: In anticipation of XM/Sirius merge.....so have we!

Chris,

You point out a necessary fact. The field has widened substantially
since both companies came into existence about 5 years ago.

I'm surprised the merger decision has taken this long. Mel Karmazin
was confident that a decision would be reached and companies
merged before Christmas.

I'm still hoping for a merger. Though I'm not particularly happy
about XM giving up its brand to Sirius, I do realize the necessity
for this to happen in order for satellite radio to keep footing within
the competition you noted above.
Ronald J Epstein
Home Theater Forum co-owner
Email me at: repstein@hometheaterforum.com 
To View My Massive DVD Collection Click Here
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