Say NO to the merger

[Me Know]

Ultimately higher prices - that's what ala carte will push us to -
higher prices.

No competition means degraded programming. Lack of choice. Higher prices.

Tell the FCC and the Justice Department NO on the Sirius XM proposed merger.

[Rich]

Congressional Record and government controls says lower prices.-
that's what ala carte will push us to -
lower prices.

Competition means improved programming. Additional choice. Lower
prices.

Tell the FCC and the Justice Department YES on the Sirius XM proposed
merger.

[Kimba W. Lion]

Post by Rich
Congressional Record and government controls says lower prices.-
that's what ala carte will push us to -
lower prices.

Ain't no way in the world that'll happen.

Post by Rich
Competition means improved programming. Additional choice. Lower
prices.

Exactly. But the merger means NO compeition.

Post by Rich
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department YES on the Sirius XM proposed
merger.

Hell, no.

[Kingo Gondo]

Post by Kimba W. Lion

Post by Rich
Congressional Record and government controls says lower prices.-
that's what ala carte will push us to -
lower prices.

Ain't no way in the world that'll happen.

Post by Rich
Competition means improved programming. Additional choice. Lower
prices.

Exactly. But the merger means NO competition.

If what you say is true, then Xerious will be pricing themselves out of
existence almost immediately--satellite radio is by no means a "necessity"
that can impose upon the market high prices for a shitty product. It is not
profitable NOW, for Christ's sake--and lowering aggregate fixed costs (which
is what the merger, through economies of scale and eliminating redundancy,
allows) seems to be the only way out.

Didn't anyone around here take Econ 101?

[Kimba W Lion]

Post by Kingo Gondo
lowering aggregate fixed costs (which
is what the merger, through economies of scale and eliminating redundancy,
allows) seems to be the only way out.
Didn't anyone around here take Econ 101?

No one at the satellite radio companies seems to have an ounce of economic
sense. Go back to the original presentation they made about the merger and
look at all the other technologies they say they're competing against. Not
one of those involves multi-million-dollar contracts for superfluous
"talent" that no one cares about. Both satrad companies have dug themselves
into a hole and are looking for government favors to continue their stupid
business model, which will, I guarantee, result in either higher prices or
lowered service (aka packaging for price).

Better one or both should go bankrupt. With all that hardware floating
around someone would surely move in and buy up those assets--hopefully
someone with some sense.

[Me Know]

Post by Rich
Congressional Record and government controls says lower prices.-
that's what ala carte will push us to -
lower prices.

Maybe lower, because you will have less to choose from. 200 channels for
$12.95 (current) or 25 channels for $6.00 - sure lower price, not as
much to listen to. Rip Off!

Post by Rich
Competition means improved programming. Additional choice. Lower
prices.

Eliminating a vendor means NO competition and NO choice. No choice and
no competition ultimately mean HIGHER prices. That's why we have laws
against a monopoly which is what we will have it they are allowed to merger.

Post by Rich
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department YES on the Sirius XM proposed
merger.

It is simple economics. You are all intelligent. One vendor, no choice -
do you really think that is going to be good for the consumer? If you do
, then write your congressional representatives and tell them to do away
will all laws forbidding monopolies because if you like one, you got to
like them all. One Oil company, one bank, one cell phone provider, one
grocery store....get the picture? One sat company is bad!

[N***@gmail.com]

Post by Rich
Congressional Record and government controls says lower prices.-
that's what ala carte will push us to -
lower prices.
Competition means improved programming. Additional choice. Lower
prices.
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department YES on the Sirius XM proposed
merger.

Rich

Even an idiot like you should be able to see that Mel isn't pushing
this merger nonsense so he can take less money for the service.

Sirius self-destructed when it paid 3/4 billion to hire Howard Stern.
Now that retail has crapped out, that bill still has to be paid, just
without new customers. I understand why you Siriots want it; the
company has no chance of ever digging out without it.

XM clearly believes that by taking over Sirius XM shareholders will be
better off. Don't know how they figured it, but it clearly will ruin
it for consumers.

[Radio Matthew]

Post by Me Know
Ultimately higher prices - that's what ala carte will push us to -
higher prices.
No competition means degraded programming. Lack of choice. Higher prices.
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department NO on the Sirius XM proposed merger.

That, and the programming is going to suck.

[Rich]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Supply-and-demand.svg#file

For those worried about pricing. Unless you are a Communist, self
explanatory.

[Me Know]

Robert Klein used to do a routine about the law of supply and demand. He
said basically if "we have all the supply, we can demand whatever the
f__k we want."

That will be sat radio if the government allows this monopolistic merger
to go through.

Post by Rich
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Supply-and-demand.svg#file
For those worried about pricing. Unless you are a Communist, self
explanatory.

[Rich]

It is very simple. Should not find the value in the merged company,
cancel. You won't die or even go hungry or get cold without satellite
radio.

[N***@gmail.com]

Post by Rich
It is very simple. Should not find the value in the merged company,
cancel. You won't die or even go hungry or get cold without satellite
radio.

There is an FCC, and since it began auctioning spectra it has had a
clearly stated goal of promoting competition so that consumers don't
get screwed.

In this instance, Sirius goofed and spent itself into oblivion on
Howard Stern and others. While XM's losses are declining toward
eventual profitability, Sirius has lost A BILLION DOLLARS MORE than
ANYONE expected over the last two years (coincidentally, since they
hired Stern).

The fact that you won't die or even go hungry or get cold without
satellite radio does not provide any more rationale for the
elimination of competition in the sector than any of the other
nonsense arguments Siriots have put forth. The fact of the matter is
that Sirius cannot (as I've been telling you nitwits for years now)
survive given its wild spending. So, now, they need XM to bail them
out -- XM, who is still losing money itself.

Even though XM's Board of Directors will be running the combined
company, it is STILL not a good thing to eliminate a competitor via
merger. The fact that XM has a more competent Board is great, but if
you think they're not going to take advantage of the consumer when
they have no competition, you have another think coming.

Not that you can think in the first place, of course.

[Airdale]

So, now, they need XM to bail themout

Complete nonsense.

Sirius does not need XM. XM needs Sirius.

No worries, merger or no merger.

[N***@gmail.com]

Post by Rich
For those worried about pricing. Unless you are a Communist, self
explanatory.

Supply of satellite radio is unlimited.

[amanda]

Ultimately higher prices - that's what ala carte will push us to - higher
prices.
No competition means degraded programming. Lack of choice. Higher prices.
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department NO on the Sirius XM proposed merger.

Like *YOU* have a choice or voice in this......

[Me Know]

Post by amanda

Ultimately higher prices - that's what ala carte will push us to - higher
prices.
No competition means degraded programming. Lack of choice. Higher prices.
Tell the FCC and the Justice Department NO on the Sirius XM proposed merger.

Like *YOU* have a choice or voice in this......

Just like everyone else.

[Not Me ()]

Agreed. This merger should not be allowed to happen and as a stock-holder and customer of both services I fully intend to vote against and have
already written to the FCC against this merger.

Also, the very same arguments that were made against the Echostar Dish Network and Hughes DirecTV merger request could be made even stronger
against the XM and Sirius merger. Video recording devices were ruled as non-competive and that ruling should also be applied to the Satellite
Radio (especially since in the past audio recording devices have been ruled non-competive during market merge requests of standard FM). That
makes quite a body of precedent against recording devices being competion.

During the Dish/DirecTV merger request there were still serveral smaller companies offering Satellite TV. Here we have no other Satellite Radio
companies offering service. There was also Over The Air TV (FM Equivalent), Cable Companies, Internet Based Broadcasting, and in select areas
TV from Phone Companies (much like Verizon's FiOS only on a smaller scale). Radio has only the FM and Internet Based Broadcasting as
competition. There are no other Satellite Radio Companies, there are no cable radio companies, music from phone companies is not being done as
abroadcast medium but as file downloads such as recording devices and thus not classifiable as competition.

So with FM as the only viable competition and given the precedent of previous company and market merger attempts it would create a clearly
defined monopoly.