Re: [Swprograms] Slightly OT: FCC commissioner Copps Expresses Doubts Over Media Mergers

[<josephbuch@xxxxxxxxx>]

Somewhere in the back of my head is a vague recollection that existing XM subscribers wanting to choose Sirius channels or vice versa would be required to purchase new radios that would accomodate both technologies.  Frequencies and data encoding formats are different between the two systems. 

 

I could easily live with 30 channels which I actually listen to for $6.99 per month.  Much of the program streams duplicate each other.  The only channels Sirius offers over and above what I get today on XM, that I would be willing to pay for, are CBC Radio 1 and 2 and WRN.

Seems to me they could cross-strap at audio using channels now dedicated to duplicate programming (news channels for example) or near duplicated programming (like 28 genres of rock and hip-hop music or three channels of classical music each).  That would eliminate the need to buy new radios to hear the other partner's programming. 

 

I do not know if existing receivers are individually addressable to limit reception to only 30 channels and that may be the real reason they are requiring purchase of new radios to receive ala carte programming.  In any event, they have said that those customers who like what they have can keep it after the merger so there should be no cause for folks to delay subscribing if they like what they hear now.

 

Joe

 
Richard Cuff <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> One has to wonder if any delays prove hurtful to both companies no
> matter how the FCC rules, as I suspect new subscriptions are way down
> as people hold off until the future of either or both companies is
> determined. I know I'd be sitting tight.

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