Martin: No XM-Sirius Vote at Aug. 1 Meeting

FCC chairman Kevin Martin doesn’t expect XM Satellite Radio-Sirius Satellite Radio merger vote to come at Aug. 1 meeting.

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/11/2008 1:38:00 PM

Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin said Friday that he did not expect the XM Satellite Radio-Sirius Satellite Radio merger vote to come at the FCC's Aug. 1 meeting.

Martin already signed off on a proposal to approve the merger with various conditions, and he said he believes one more commissioner voted on it, as well, although he did not say which way.

As to reports that he has been out of the country, which he has, and, thus, unavailable to discuss the concerns of other commissioners, he said he discussed the proposal with all of them, including Michael Copps, before circulating it, adding that they are free to offer counterproposals once they decide what they want to do.

"In large part I have proposed what I think is the answer," he told reporters Friday. "Other commissioners have concerns and want other kinds of conditions. I'm not opposed to anybody proposing anything they want, but they need to figure out what they want and propose it."

The FCC has been considering the merger for more than one year, with the companies continuing to delay a date to unwind the deal absent government approval.

The Justice Department already gave the deal a green light.

Martin gave no timetable for when he might propose a scheme for requiring cable operators to unbundle their channels, saying that there is no order being worked on at the moment.

"There isn't anyone in the commission working on that issue," he added. "The reply comments have come in, but nothing has been drafted."