Exclusive: Revised Sirius / XM Concessions
We have just learned of a revised commitment letter filed with the FCC Friday, which details all of the voluntary concessions agreed to by Sirius and XM, in regards to the recent FCC decision.
There are some interesting items of note including a statement that the combined company did not expect to cause or see a reduction in royalty payments as a result of its new offerings, although no commitment was actually made in this regard.
Sirius has voluntarily agreed:
- To work with the commission to resolve all outstanding WCS/Interference issues by the end of 2008
- To make available immediately, the plans and specifications for an interoperable radio available for license to equipment manufacturers; and within 9 months of the merger offer for sale an interoperable receiver in the retail aftermarket
- Not to originate local programming or advertising through their repeater networks
- Provide open access and not enter into any contract that would ban other technologies such as HD
- Reiterated its 36 month price freeze
- Clarified its public interest set aside proposal to include not selecting a programmer to fill more than 1 such channel on each platform, as long as the demand for these channels exceeded the available supply.
All of these concessions are offered voluntarily rather than as a government mandate.
In the end it would appear that Ibiquity, the NAB, Chester Davenport of Georgetown Partners, Jesse Jackson of Rainbow/Pu$h, C3SR and the numerous puppets of the aforementioned groups received absolutely NOTHING in exchange for the money they threw away. In the end, the system worked and America has prevailed!
[ FCC Filing ] Via [ Sirius News & Rumors ]
“In the end, the system worked and America has prevailed!”
Three cheers to that!!!
Not often nowadays when everybody and everything is for sale that the right thing gets done. For all the slamming the FCC has gotten for drawing out this decision (and I have dished out my fair share) I’m glad they finally had the courage to do what’s right. For that I applaud them.
And you guys are doing an AWESOME job with these scoops. Yesterday you were the first to post on the decision and now this.
SIRIUSBUZZ ROCKS!!!
Yipee!!!
True, but just think for a moment- this barely happened! If there was one more Democrat commissioner, this would have been denied, or approved with the anti-business, government mandated, unfair conditions that Adelstein actually proposed. Once the sucker masses elect Obama and an all Democrat congress, you can kiss the idea of letting free markets work GOODBYE! Thank God this happened when it did, just barely at the end of a Republican-controlled FCC!
HUZZAH!
Excellent Post!!! Love how you guys are staying on top of this stuff even on the weekend!
“In the end, the system worked and America has prevailed!”
Only 500 days into the process. The majority of these concessions were announced, what, a month into this stupid thing?
This thing should have been closed within the 180 day clock. America has prevailed, but the system did NOT work.