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Martin Noncommittal On XM-Sirius Merger Status
WASHINGTON -- March 4, 2008: Although he acknowledged that questions about the competitiveness of the crowded media marketplace are central to the review, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin this morning revealed little about the status of the long-pending merger proposal between XM and Sirius. His comments were made during a meeting with reporters at the agency's headquarters.
Responding to a question about whether the deal -- if approved -- could set a precedent for arguments from individuals like Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin that today's expanding media marketplace crosses the traditional media boundaries regulated by the FCC, Martin said, "That is the thrust of everything we are doing."
However, when questioned by Radio Ink about what specific issues are holding up the process, Martin cited only his previously stated concerns. "As I have said before, I think they face a very high hurdle," Martin said, noting that the proposed merger directly challenges an FCC rule that prohibits the two from combining.
Martin noted, however, that the a la carte offerings the companies have promised should the merger gain approval are intriguing to him from a consumer standpoint.
The FCC Chairman also didn't back down from his previously stated goal of issuing a decision on the deal by the end of Q1. "We're just at the beginning of March, so I wouldn't say that we still can't get it done by the end of the first quarter," he said.
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