U.S. Justice Department Approves Sirius/XM merger

[Boblobla]

Hopefully I get hockey back on Siruis now.

[Mccree]

Will you need to buy a new receiver??

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The FCC approved it by a vote of 3-2. Now loads of questions on how this affect subscribers. As a lifetime subscriber, I'm especially interested on how this will affect me. An article from the LA Times today.

On the broader question of what the future holds for the new Sirius XM, the short answer is: It's complicated.

The new company was vague about its future programming lineups in the announcement yesterday of the deal's closure. It said:

As a result of the merger, SIRIUS XM Radio will also be able to offer consumers new packages in audio entertainment, including the first-ever a la carte programming option in subscription media. In addition to two a la carte options, the new packages will include: “Best of Both,” giving subscribers the option to access certain programming from the other network; discounted Family Friendly packages; and tailored packages including “Mostly Music” and “News, Talk and Sports.” The first of the new packages will be available in the early Fall.

One of the major concessions the FCC got from the companies was that they would not increase their existing $12.95 monthly subscription prices for at least three years, nor reduce the number of channels in those packages.

But Sirius and XM customers, who have gotten used to simplicity (both companies offered only one package at the identical $12.95 price) now will have a somewhat confusing array of other choices.

With three months, Sirius XM must ....
... allow customers to choose whatever channels they want -- the a la carte offering mentioned above -- and introduce a radio capable of allowing them to do that.

There will be two a la carte offerings.

One for $6.99 a month will allow you to choose 50 Sirius channels from a subset of 100 Sirius channels (Sirius has more than 130); or 50 XM channels from a subset of 100 XM channels (XM has more than 170).
The other, for $14.99 a month, will allow you to pick 100 channels, with Sirius customers able to select from a company-determined "best of" XM's channels, and XM customers allowed to select from the "best of" Sirius channels.

Those programming selections haven't been released, but it's a good bet they'll include some exclusive content, such as XM's Major League Baseball broadcasts and channels featuring Oprah Winfrey and Bob Dylan. They likely will also include Sirius' National Football League broadcasts, NASCAR coverage and Howard Stern channels (he's so popular, he has two).

But for those options you'll need to buy a new radio that is capable of receiving individualized channel packages.

For customers who don't want to buy a new radio, there will be several other packages available within three months.

For $9.99 a month, customers will be able to choose either a "mostly music" package or a "news sports and talk" package. For $16.99, Sirius customers will get all their existing channels, plus the best of XM, and vice versa for XM customers. And finally, in a concession to FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin, the companies agreed to offer a family-friendly version of Sirius or XM channels (presumably without Stern or Opie & Anthony) for $11.95 a month. There will also be a family-friendly "best of" offering that will cost $14.99.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/tech...-xm-radio.html

[Slava]

Just bumping this old thread to note that Canada's Sirius and XM are finally coming together!

(Just in time...might keep me in the event that Howard Stern is out the door after all....)

http://www.financialpost.com/Satelli...277/story.html

[Boblobla]

Does that mean I will finally get NHL on Sirius? I hope so.

[Slava]

^I think that is exactly what it means! I sure hope so. You might have to buy some package, but might be worth it.

[Madman]

Great news. I switched to Sirius and have been missing Opie and Anthony.