FCC Commissioners Ponder XM-Sirius Proposal
Hill Democrats continue to push for conditions on satellite-radio merger.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/1/2008 7:50:00 AM EDT
The pushback from Hill Democrats continues as the Federal Communications Commission members contemplate a proposal, circulated by FCC chairman Kevin Martin, to approve the XM Satellite Radio-Sirius Satellite Radio merger with conditions volunteered by the two companies.
In a letter dated June 27, five House Democrats from Minnesota wrote the commissioners to register their disapproval with the condition that would set aside only 8% of the combined company's spectrum -- 4% for educational fare and another 4% to an outside entity, say, a minority, to program their own channels on the service.
The legislators said 25% of the spectrum should be reserved for educational, minority and emergency-service use.
And echoing a letter from a trio of senators including John Kerry (D-Mass.), they called for a requirement that the satellite-radio receivers also be able to receive digital broadcasts from free, over-the-air radio stations.
They also warned that approval of the XM-Sirius merger without conditions would be "to the detriment of the public interest," although the odds of an approval with no conditions are slim to none.
Signing the letter were Reps. Betty McCollum, James Oberstar, Collin Peterson, Keith Ellison and Tim Walz.
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Why ... Because the FCC knows very well that this merger is necessary for the proliferation ... no, existence of satrad. They know these companies are deeply in dept and can't sustain themselves for another half year, they know people love the service, they know satrad provides a great pubic service, they know the NAB has had a monopoly for years treating consumers like sheep.... and YOU know all these things are true!
But as Mr. Addlestein's writing hint (and I like him as a person and Commissioner ... he'd make a great future Chairman IMO) the FCC has allowed itself to be controlled by Congress... and Congress has allowed itself to be controlled by the NAB... and the NAB's intent is to destroy Satrad for their own financial benefit.
The FCC has fully relinquished its autonomy under Kevin Martin.
So what is a puppet FCC organization to do? Torn by the dictates of their puppet masters yet intelligent and moral people who realize that they are not doing their duty to consumers or the technology by nixing this arrangement.
They "Hobble" Sirius and XM very much like Kathy did. They take XM and Sirius within inches of their lives. This way they can have it as close to "both ways" as possible. Please their Congressional puppet masters and (lastly) hopefully the public.
This is exactly what they have done!
Let's hope it's not too late.
Go Jimmy Go!
