The Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio, a group funded by the national Association of Broadcasters is trying to obtain confidential information about Sirius and XM. C3SR was exposed early as being financed, at least in part, by the National Association of Broadcasters, and ties between the NAB and C3SR’s law firm have been also been established.

C3SR claims to be an advocacy group for satellite radio subscribers, but has done little to illustrate how they actually advocate on behalf of the people they claim to represent. The C3SR website has seen very little update in weeks, and many sections have not been updated in months. The latest blog post on their site is from March 10th, nearly nine months ago. Their section dedicated to their latest merger related filings has not been updated since October 1st.

How can a group of college students who claim to have a passion for this issue be so out of touch with their stated mission. It seems as if it is now the law firm that represents C3SR is taking the lead in their cause. Where the funding to pay this law firm comes from is not known, but those that have followed the issue strongly suspect that the NAB is the money behind the operation.

The latest filing from the law firm that represents C3SR is seeking access to “Highly Confidential Information”.

What should be troubling to consumers is that an organization that can not even take the time to update their website, does not actively poll subscribers to obtain a collective opinion, and provides no data as to the size of their “membership”, seems to be taking such an active role in this process. many feel that C3SR is simply a front for the National Association of Broadcasters. The lack of attention to the consumers C3SR reports to represent makes the argument that they are merely a front much stronger.

If C3SR were truly advocating on behalf of satellite radio subscribers, wouldn’t they first understand the collective opinion of those subscribers? If they do not have time to update their site for the subscribers they claim to represent, how would they have time to review the requested highly confidential information?

C3SR is on a mission, but appearances are that that mission is not their stated advocacy.

Is the course of their actions dictated by satellite radio consumers they claim to represent or the National Association of Broadcasters? Circumstantial evidence of C3SR’s activities to date point to the latter. What opinions do readers have?

Position – Long Sirius, Long XM