Stories related to: satellite radio

The Justice Department today approved the proposed merger between satellite radio firms Sirius and XM, the Wall Street Journal r eports. The FCC must still sign off, but the pair appears to have allayed antitrust concerns about the merger of the industry's two largest companies by arguing that they face competition from all music providers, including conventional radio. More »

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius stock prices got a boost Friday when an analyst predicted the Justice Department won't block Sirius from buying out the larger XM. Morning trade saw XM shares jump 9.4% and Sirius shares 4.6%, reports CNN. The analyst said that shares could hit $20 and $4.50, respectively, if the deal goes through. More »

It's been almost two years since Howard Stern switched to satellite radio, and the never-modest shock jock is reveling in his success on Sirius—and the woes of his former network, CBS, and rival, Don Imus, back in terrestrial radio. In a sit-down with the AP, Stern crows that his show is funnier than ever, now that he can tell jokes without the punchlines being bleeped. More »

Thanks to an agreement at a month-long UN telecom conference in Geneva, the cost for rights to use new US wireless spectrum going on the block in January may have just increased. Google, Yahoo and Apple are among the companies expected to a battle for licenses to the 700 Mhz bandwith, and the UN deal could make products built for the US attractive in dozens of other markets worldwide. More »

For anyone doubting that a merger between Sirius and XM would harm the satellite radio industry by forcing listeners to go through a single provider, the Washington Post’s Marc Fisher has two words: cable TV. Fisher argues that for all of the advantages any union may produce, ultimately it would result in fewer channels, inferior customer service, and higher prices. More »

Internet radio hangs in the balance, webcasters say, but the Senate Commerce Committee, which holds radio hearings today, can save it by reviving bills setting royalty rates for online broadcasters as low as satellite radio's. Legislators introduced the bills this spring, the Post explains, when the Copyright Royalty Board jacked up web rates, but ultimately told the sides to negotiate. More »

In an attempt to lower resistance to their proposed merger, satellite radio providers Sirius and XM unveiled new pricing plans today that they say will cut subscription prices by 46%. The plans, which start at $6.99 as opposed to the current $12.95 per month standard price, also allow listeners to select channels to add a la carte. More »

It's time AM and FM radio broadcasters started paying for the music they play, a group of music industry types has decided. They're lobbying Congress to amend the federal law that has exempted terrestrial radio from paying artists' royalties for nearly a century, Business Week reports.   More »

Fans of "The Opie & Anthony Show" cancelled their satellite radio subscriptions by the hundreds after XM slapped the shock-jock duo with a 30-day suspension earlier this week. Subscribers are accusing the station—which promises uncensored content—of pandering to the FCC so they won't block a pending merger with Sirius. More »

Jim Surowiecki describes how the “Chicago School” of economists revolutionized anti-trust thinking in the 1970s. By arguing that it is not the number of competitors but rather their strength that mattered, these economists posited that some mergers stimulate competition. More »