Stories related to: Sirius

With Howard Stern gone and Don Imus chastened, today's commercial radio is fighting to be heard, the Wall Street Journal reports. What's more, consolidation is depriving stations of a local touch and squelching chances for would-be stars. Plus there aren’t as many “heirs apparent,” said one analyst, “and there used to be.” One new gabber, Adam Carolla, discovered just how vexing post-Stern radio life can be. More »

XM and Sirius both postponed annual shareholder meetings as they awaited final FCC approval of their planned merger, the Washington Post reports. The nation’s only satellite-radio operators are expected to win approval, but their plans have faced new criticism from lawmakers and state attorneys, and there may yet be conditions on the partnership. More »

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 »

Anyone heard Hollywood's radio silence lately? Movie tunes like "My Heart Will Go On," "Up Where We Belong," and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" aren't ruling the airwaves like before. And star directors like Cameron Crowe and Wes Anderson are opting for known tunes to carry their flicks. Why? It starts with radio's splintering over the past decade, AP reports. 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 »

Twelve years after Jerry Garcia's death, the band is getting back together—on satellite radio. Sirius will launch a channel that's all Grateful Dead, all the time on September 7, kicking off with a legendary 1974 performance at the Hollywood Bowl. "This is gonna be one fun channel," says guitarist Bob Weir. 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 »

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 »