According to today's NY Post. Get ready for a nice subscription hike.
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According to today's NY Post. Get ready for a nice subscription hike.
This has been a rumor for about three months. Looks like it may be fact. Both companies reduced their 4th quarter subscription numbers and shares of both are in the toilet.
Don't be surprised to see Justice quash the merger. The anti-trust lawyers with the blinders on did just that a few years ago to the proposed merger between Direct TV and Dish TV. A Sirius/XM merger should be in the best interest of consumers, by consolidating resources. The marketplace should decide what best for US consumers - not the heirs to the "trust-busters".
I have my doubts about the viability of satellite radio subscription services per se without an increase the services offerred. I can just go out to my car to hear Ravens or political talk on several local AM stations or rock or country music on about 10 Baltimore or DC FM stations. So there's no attraction to me to satellite radio, unless I am renting a car to drive in the remote mountains or desert. However, there could be greater demand for satellite radio if services could be expanded to include two-way communications, video, or greater synergy with GPS applications (already started by XM), or with cellular services.
Satellite radio is great for me. Clear Channel absolutely ruined terrestrial radio in Denver. When I drive my wife's car, which doesn't have Sirius, I have to turn off the radio. One song gets played and then there's 10 minutes of Shane Company commercials. Plus all the stations are owned by by the same company, so they coordinate the commercials to all be on at the same time.
As for passing the DOJ muster, they need to get their heads out of their asses and realize that the broadcasting/entertainment industry has changed in the past 10 years. Having separate satellite companies (Radio and TV) already hurts the consumer, since both companies go out and spend outrageous amounts for exclusive programming (NFL and NASCAR on Sirius, Sunday Ticket & MLB on Directv, etc.), or companies like Disney can charge outrageous fees for channels like ESPN, because they know if a provider doesn't carry the service, the other company will take the subscribers. I'll take my chances on the monthly subscription rates if it means the sat companies no longer get played against each other and have double the bandwidth. Although they don't work for me, there's still terrestrial radio and and cable TV to keeps things competitive.
Ahh, Clear Channel.
If Clear Channel feels threatened, count on Bush administration opposition. :mad:
unedited, I can pause and rewind and not all of us live in big citys with lots of radio stations
I've listened to Sirius or XM many times in rental cars, so I know what I'm not paying for -- thanks just the same. To my knowledge, neither system carries Ravens talk shows. Or traffic reports on DC or Baltimore freeway jams.
As to my being crazy: 95% of radio listeners tune in to local AM or FM stations. Are we all crazy?:insane:
Sirius has both dc/baltimore weather/traffic reports
Sirius channel 152, updated every 4 minutes
"They don't have local talk in regard to news and sports, about 90% of my radio listening. If I want music I put in a CD. I am with T except I see sat radio down the road as offering these things and growing. Cable had little market for years and many asked "why pay for TV when it's free?" Well, now most everybody has cable or satellite.
That being said, I always come in on the tail end of these technologies after all the have-to-havers are in and the volume makes it more affordable. I am still watching regular TV, 27 inch in the family room and 31 in the basement. I can wait until the big HDs are down around $500.
If 95% of people still listen to AM/FM radio then the fed would have no reason to stop such a merger you'd think. I had given up on FM radio for music years ago (thank god for CD changers and later mp3 head units), but I still tune into AM radio for sports content as long as I'm within range. If I still lived in the Baltimore metro area I would probably still listen to Baltimore AM stations. I can get WBAL 1090 up here in Delaware but since WBAL dropped the O's and Terps I've listened less and less to WBAL. I have sirius right now, and I would welcome a merge with XM because then I'd be able to listen to the Ravens, O's and Terps games no matter where I am on my Sirius Stilletto whether its the 30th Street train station in Philly or at home in Newark, Delaware.Quote:
As to my being crazy: 95% of radio listeners tune in to local AM or FM stations. Are we all crazy?