Sirius-XM Merger, Take 2

Since the other thread got bombed, and I'm determined to keep it going...

The DOJ has approved the merger, and now we're waiting the idiots from the FCC. As usual, Congress is right on the pulse of things (from the WSJ Blog):

Let me get this straight...you'll give your "approval" if the companies allow consumers to receive satellite via other devices? Like maybe in-dash radios, or receivers that tie in directly to your existing car stereo, or maybe even an in-home option that is included with your receiver? Oh wait, they already have those. Idiots.

Man, I thought you were kidding about JJ, then I looked it up. What a fucking megalomaniac.

Oh, and another thing I've read (I can't find the source again) is that car manufacturers can't wait for the merger so they can stop aligning themselves with one or the other, and just put in radios that receive satellite radio, period. Not that it's a major part of why you'd buy a Honda over a Ford (because you wanted XM, not Sirius), but it's still a convenience for the car manufacturers and Surprise!--the consumer.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...-XM-Sirius.php

Hell yes. The FCC head has given his thumbs up. Although..."in exchange for a number of concessions, including turning 24 channels over to noncommercial and minority programming." There's already like 100 noncommercial music channels on Sirius, let alone between the 2 of them, and almost a dozen channels that are "minority" programming. Whatever, just push it through. Now we wait on the actual commissioner votes, which can happen at any time now. I would think they would look pretty silly voting against the merger after the Justice Dept. and the FCC head honcho both gave their approval.

Yeah, the only things I want from XM are Cinemagic and ACC sports.

Not bad. There's Backspin, which is "old skool" (forgive me) rap, and then a couple of R&B stations, and Eminem's channel.


Heard some of the concessions that they're doing this morning on Stern--unbelievable. They're having to make all their radios compatible with iPods and MP3 players, and...wait for it...HD fucking Radio. Yes, they have to make their radios so they'll also work with non-satellite radio (ie, their competitor's) technologies in order to not be a monopoly in satellite radio. You read that correctly--in order to not be a satellite-radio monopoly, they have to be compatible with non-satellite radio technologies. Why didn't they just make them add an AM/FM tuner as well? Whatever.

From the DOJ's statement:

"As to existing subscribers, the Division found that satellite radio equipment sold by each company is customized to each network and will not function with the other service. XM and Sirius made some efforts to develop an interoperable radio capable of receiving both sets of satellite signals. Depending on how such a radio would be configured, it could enable consumers to switch between providers without incurring the costs of new equipment. The Division's investigation revealed, however, that no such interoperable radio is on the market and that such a radio likely would not be introduced in the near term. For example, in the important automotive channel, such a radio could not be introduced in the near term due to the engineering required to integrate radios into new vehicles. The need for equipment customized to each network means that in order to switch from XM to Sirius, or vice versa, a subscriber would have to purchase new equipment designed for the other service. In the case of a factory-installed car radio, switching satellite radio providers would have the additional disadvantage of requiring an aftermarket radio that would be less integrated into the vehicle's systems. Data analyzed by the Division confirmed that subscribers rarely switch between XM and Sirius."

Honestly, you can find el-cheapo older radios for both XM & Sirius (I almost bought one at a garage sale last weekend--now I'm kicking myself that I didn't). You can either buy a new device, or find an older, cheap model. There's a Sirius model that you can buy new for under $35, I believe. If I can take my Sirius service and add an XM radio to it and not pay extra (other than the usual charge for another unit), that's fine with me.

Man, I've been out of the loop the last few weeks because my company's office doesn't allow streaming, so I use my Stiletto here and there. So I've missed out on all of this...I heard Howard's mini-rant about all the Dems voting against the merger, which further embellishes the stereotype that Democrats are "anti-capitalism/competition/whatever". Anyway, glad to hear this is finally going through...it only took what...2 years? That's a joke unto itself. I've resisted on updating my car's Sirius radio because I've been waiting for the final verdict. Give me Cinemagic and my ACC football, and I'm a happy camper.

How sad is this--I had a dream last night that I turned on my Sirius radio this morning and all the channels updated and now had all the combined channels on it. I'm fucking DREAMING about the merger now.

Mel K. was on Stern this morning and said for XM subscribers, in early fall (Sept-Oct.), they'll be able to pick up some Sirius programming (including Stern) for $4/month extra. Other than Stern, they haven't announced (or even figured out) what the extra content will be yet. Same with Sirius--they'll have some XM programming that will be available to Sirius subscribers for the same $4/mo. And it's supposed to be for the same radio you own now.

Unfortunately, from what it sounds like he said, if you want both with everything right now, you still have to buy another radio and it's an additional $12.95/mo. instead of being an additional radio. If it were just the cost of another radio, I'd buy an XM receiver tomorrow. But it may get to that point.

Interesting...I turned on my radio yesterday, and it said "Subscription Updated". I started looking through the channels to see what changed, and I now have two new categories: "XM" and "XM Sports".

If they could get the ACC stuff and Cinemagic hooked up in the next 30 days, I'd be as happy as a little schoolgirl.

Different tracks. They'll play a little blurb from the movie itself, then play a track from the score. Sometimes they'll play the whole thing, if they're doing a special weekend or something. I got to listen for almost 2 weeks one time when the loaner car the garage gave me had XM in it.

Well, I got half my wish. They added XM Sports channels. The other programming is Oprah, Virus Radio (with O&A and Ron&Fez), XM Public Radio, Golf Tour, NHL Home Ice. No Cinemagic...yet.

But if you buy the new Starmate, they are offering an a la carte package, among other things. You can pick your favorite 100 channels for $14.99/mo. The downside is that none of the a la carte options include listening online. I think you have to pay extra for that unless you have one of the "everything" packages. I went ahead and added the "Best of XM" package to my car radio, and we'll see how it goes. I honestly don't care about anything else on it except ACC sports. And until Cinemagic appears as an addable channel, I'll probably cut it off after the college football season is over.

Just got this today:

As of 1/1/09, Cinemagic is on channel 81 on Sirius.

FUCK. YES.

I was disappointed when I saw they got rid of Backspin (old school rap) as well. And I am thrilled to keep Hair Nation and to get Boneyard.

I guess Cinemagic's placeholder right now is Xmas music, because that's all I've heard on there. Also listened a bit to the "Book Channel" on 117. They were doing "Ender's Game"(?) by Orson Scott Card the other day. I think they play a chapter, then do a chapter of something else, because the book was different when I got back in the car.