NAB Makes Statement On Merger News
The National Association of Broadcasters has issued a statement regarding the news reports that the FCC will approve the merger by a 3-2 vote. Once again, the NAB has chosen Executive Vice President David Wharton to be the spokesman, which leads to the question why Rehr is in the back (pun intended). This publication pointed out early on that Rehr was risking a lot by being the frontman of the NAB campaign. Rehr made fighting the merger a central point in his platform. By distancing himself, perhaps the blame pie will not rest solely on him.
Wharton stated:
“This sweetheart deal for Wall Street speculators is premised on a promise that a monopoly will provide consumers with lower prices, better service and more programming formats. Only members of the Flat Earth Society would buy into such specious nonsense.”
A sweetheart deal for Wall Street speculators? Perhaps Wharton was holding the stock chart for these equities upside down. Thanks in part to the NAB delay tactics, this merger has dragged on and on, and investors have actually suffered. Do members of the Flat Earth Society believe that 20 minutes of commercials per hour is good? Is it true that only members of the Flat Earth Society can be members of C3SR? What was their membership again? Oh, they (or you) never did tell us that.
“Just six years ago, the FCC denied a monopoly to the nation’s only two satellite TV companies in a 5-0 vote. Yet today, the Commission is apparently preparing to grant a monopoly to the nation’s only two satellite radio companies that in their 11 years of existence have had more luck flaunting the FCC’s own rules than creating a successful business model.”

In what could only be called a surprise move at this point of the process, Congressman Charles Gonzales, (D- TX), Congresswoman Hilda Solis(D- CA). , Congressman Bobby Rush (D- IL) & Congressman Ed Towns (D-NY) applaud the efforts made by Sirius and XM and support the offer made by the companies. Didn’t see that coming, did you?
According to the Wall Street Journal, FCC commissioner Tate is set to approve the proposed merger of Sirius and XM with a fine of $20 Million fine that is said to resolve several enforcement issues surrounding satellite radio.

Pioneer has been very vocal in their position with one particular “concession” that has been a frequent subject of the proposed merger between Sirius and XM. The audio equipment manufacturer believes that there should be no requirement to install HD radio chipsets in all SDARS receivers.
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