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Cheech Tremendous

XM and Sirius announce merger

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Press release announcing the merger of XM and Sirius. This will face a lot of backlash from the anti-trust lawyers, but if if goes through it's a total win for consumers.

 

SIRIUS and XM to Combine in $13 Billion Merger of Equals

Provides Consumers with Enhanced Content, Greater Choices and Accelerated Technological Innovation

Enables Satellite Radio to Better Compete in Rapidly Evolving Audio Entertainment Industry

Extraordinary Value Creation for Shareholders

Mel Karmazin to Serve as Chief Executive Officer and Gary Parsons to Serve as Chairman of Combined Company

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR - News) and SIRIUS Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI - News) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement, under which the companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined enterprise value of approximately $13 billion, which includes net debt of approximately $1.6 billion.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, XM shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 4.6 shares of SIRIUS common stock for each share of XM they own. XM and SIRIUS shareholders will each own approximately 50 percent of the combined company.

 

Mel Karmazin, currently Chief Executive Officer of SIRIUS, will become Chief Executive Officer of the combined company and Gary Parsons, currently Chairman of XM, will become Chairman of the combined company. The new company's board of directors will consist of 12 directors, including Messrs. Karmazin and Parsons, four independent members designated by each company, as well as one representative from each of General Motors and American Honda. Hugh Panero, the Chief Executive Officer of XM, will continue in his current role until the anticipated close of the merger.

 

The combined company will benefit from a highly experienced management team from both companies with extensive industry knowledge in radio, media, consumer electronics, OEM engineering and technology. Further management appointments will be announced prior to closing. The companies will continue to operate independently until the transaction is completed and will work together to determine the combined company's corporate name and headquarters location prior to closing.

 

The combination creates a nationwide audio entertainment provider with combined 2006 revenues of approximately $1.5 billion based on analysts' consensus estimates. Today the companies have approximately 14 million combined subscribers. Together, SIRIUS and XM will create a stronger platform for future innovation within the audio entertainment industry and will provide significant benefits to all constituencies, including:

 

 

* Greater Programming and Content Choices -- The combined company is

committed to consumer choice, including offering consumers the ability

to pick and choose the channels and content they want on a more a la

carte basis. The combined company will also provide consumers with a

broader selection of content, including a wide range of commercial-free

music channels, exclusive and non-exclusive sports coverage, news,

talk, and entertainment programming. Together, XM and SIRIUS will be

able to improve on products such as real-time traffic and rear-seat

video and introduce new ones such as advanced data services including

enhanced traffic, weather and infotainment offerings.

 

* Accelerated Technological Innovation -- The merger will enable the

combined company to develop and introduce a wider range of lower cost,

easy-to-use, and multi-functional devices through efficiencies in chip

set and radio design and procurement. Such innovation is essential to

remaining competitive in the consumer electronics-driven world of audio

entertainment.

 

* Benefits to OEM and Retail Partners -- The combined company will offer

automakers and retailers the opportunity to provide a broader content

offering to their customers. Consumer electronics retailers, including

Best Buy, Circuit City, RadioShack, Wal-Mart and others, will benefit

from enhanced product offerings that should allow satellite radio to

compete more effectively.

 

* Enhanced Financial Performance -- This transaction will enhance the

long-term financial success of satellite radio by allowing the combined

company to better manage its costs through sales and marketing and

subscriber acquisition efficiencies, satellite fleet synergies, combined

R&D and other benefits from economies of scale. Wall Street equity

analysts have published estimates of the present value of cost synergies

ranging from $3 billion to $7 billion.

 

* More Competitive Audio Entertainment Provider -- The combination of an

enhanced programming lineup with improved technology, distribution and

financials will better position satellite radio to compete for

consumers' attention and entertainment dollars against a host of

products and services in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving

audio entertainment marketplace. In addition to existing competition

from free "over-the-air" AM and FM radio as well as iPods and mobile

phone streaming, satellite radio will face new challenges from the rapid

growth of HD Radio, Internet radio and next generation wireless

technologies.

 

"We are excited for the many opportunities that an XM and SIRIUS combination will provide consumers," said Gary Parsons, Chairman of XM Satellite Radio and Hugh Panero, CEO of XM Satellite Radio, in a joint statement. "The combined company will be better positioned to compete effectively with the continually expanding array of entertainment alternatives that consumers have embraced since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) first granted our satellite radio licenses a decade ago."

 

"This combination is the next logical step in the evolution of audio entertainment," said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS Satellite Radio. "Together, our best-in-class management team and programming content will create unprecedented choice for consumers, while creating long-term value for shareholders of both companies. The combined company will be positioned to capitalize on SIRIUS and XM's complementary distribution and licensing agreements to enhance availability of satellite radios, offer expanded content to subscribers, drive increased advertising revenue and reduce expenses. Each of our companies has a strong commitment to providing listeners the broadest range of music, news, sports and entertainment and the best customer service possible. We look forward to sharing the benefits of the exciting new growth opportunities this combination will provide with all of our stakeholders."

 

The transaction is subject to approval by both companies' shareholders, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory review and approvals, including antitrust agencies and the FCC. Pending regulatory approval, the companies expect the transaction to be completed by the end of 2007.

 

SIRIUS's financial advisor on the transaction is Morgan Stanley and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Wiley Rein LLP are acting as legal counsel. XM's financial advisor on the transaction is J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; Jones Day; and Latham & Watkins LLP are acting as legal counsel.

 

Conference Call and Webcast Information

 

The companies will hold a joint conference call and webcast on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at 8:30 AM ET to discuss this announcement. The conference call can be monitored by dialing 800-573-4840 within the U.S. and 617-224-4326 for all other locations, passcode 29490052. The webcast can be accessed at http://www.sirius.com and http://www.xmradio.com as well as on their satellite radio services by tuning to SIRIUS channel 122 and XM channel 200. The webcast will be archived at http://www.sirius.com and http://www.xmradio.com.

 

About SIRIUS

 

SIRIUS, "The Best Radio on Radio," delivers more than 130 channels of the best programming in all of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering 69 music channels. SIRIUS also delivers 65 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NASCAR, NBA and NHL, and broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL, NBA and NHL, as well as live NASCAR races. All SIRIUS programming is available for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95.

 

SIRIUS Internet Radio (SIR) is a CD-quality, Internet-only version of the SIRIUS radio service, without the use of a radio, for the monthly subscription fee of $12.95. SIR delivers more than 75 channels of talk, entertainment, sports, and 100% commercial free music.

 

SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are available in more than 25,000 retail locations, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, RadioShack and at http://shop.sirius.com.

 

SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep®, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercury, Maybach, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Rolls Royce, Scion, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in its rental cars at major locations around the country.

 

Click on http://www.sirius.com to listen to SIRIUS live, or to purchase a SIRIUS radio and subscription.

 

About XM

 

XM (Nasdaq: XMSR - News) is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 7.6 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, Chicago, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2007 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.

 

XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota is available in 140 different vehicle models for 2007. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide. For more information about XM hardware, programming and partnerships, please visit http://www.xmradio.com.

 

Forward Looking Statements

 

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., including potential synergies and cost savings and the timing thereof, future financial and operating results, the combined company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations, products and services; and other statements identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "may," or words of similar meaning. Such forward- looking statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of SIRIUS' and XM's management and are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of SIRIUS and XM. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

 

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in the forward-looking statement: general business and economic conditions; the performance of financial markets and interest rates; the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the transaction on a timely basis; the failure of SIRIUS and XM shareholders to approve the transaction; the failure to realize synergies and cost-savings from the transaction or delay in realization thereof; the businesses of SIRIUS and XM may not be combined successfully, or such combination may take longer, be more difficult, time-consuming or costly to accomplish than expected; and operating costs and business disruption following the merger, including adverse effects on employee retention and on our business relationships with third parties, including manufacturers of radios, retailers, automakers and programming providers. Additional factors that could cause SIRIUS' and XM's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in SIRIUS' and XM's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2006, June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2006 which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and Sirius and XM disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.

 

Important Additional Information Will be Filed with the SEC

 

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed business combination involving SIRIUS and XM. In connection with the proposed transaction, SIRIUS plans to file with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 containing a Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and each of SIRIUS and XM plan to file with the SEC other documents regarding the proposed transaction. The definitive Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus will be mailed to stockholders of SIRIUS and XM. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF SIRIUS AND XM ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.

 

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by SIRIUS and XM through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Free copies of the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC can also be obtained by directing a request to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Attention: Investor Relations or by directing a request to XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., 1500 Eckington Place, NE Washington, DC 20002, Attention: Investor Relations.

 

SIRIUS, XM and their respective directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding SIRIUS' directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, which was filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006, and its proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 21, 2006, and information regarding XM's directors and executive officers is available in XM's Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2005, which was filed with the SEC on March 3, 2006 and its proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 25, 2006. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.

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Guest Oedipus Rex

Yeah, who didn't see this coming. I still don't think satellite radio will ever be more than a niche, so I guess it's best to just consolidate the two, because one of them (I always forget) was just bleeding money out the ass. In conclusion, satellite radio sucks.

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Yeah, who didn't see this coming. I still don't think satellite radio will ever be more than a niche, so I guess it's best to just consolidate the two, because one of them (I always forget) was just bleeding money out the ass. In conclusion, satellite radio sucks.

 

Between the two companies they have more than 14 million subscribers and most new cars come satellite ready. I think they are already past the point of being a niche. Spending $12.95 for a premium radio service doesn't seem that far-fetched when you consider what people spend on cable and satellite tv these days.

 

I also think that reports of them "losing" money were grossly overstated. There were huge start-up costs and capital investments that took place to establish these companies. I think they definitely make enough money to cover their current operating expenses.

 

Why are you so down on satellite radio? I haven't heard a single complaint from anyone who has it.

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I like my new XM receiver. The music channels are good and I enjoy the MLB talk channel. Sound quality could be better, but hopefully this proposed merger would give them more bandwidth to play with, solving that problem. The big fear in the satellite radio community is that this could lead to the playlists on the music stations becoming more homogenized, and that there will be commercials/more commercials. Basically people are worried that the overall quality of the service will go down and rates will go up. Theoretically, the merger would leave the new company with no competition, but I don't really buy that, since their real competition is terrestrial radio, new HD radio formats, MP3 players, etc.

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I've got XM in my car and like it very much. I'm not sure I'd pay the regular price for it, but my dad flies planes and has a subscription to XM weather, so I get it for $7/month as an add-on to his plan. At that price, really just catching an unexpected bit of the DBs or OMD ("Enola Gay," motherfuckers!) on the 80s alternative station makes it worthwhile.

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Guest Oedipus Rex

Spending money on radio does seem far-fetched to me in most cases, that's the thing. Also, I grew up in a radio family, so I've developed a sort of romanticism for local stations owned by local families and local companies, serving and reflecting their cities. Of course, that's all but gone now, save for small public radio stuff and WGN, but that's the ideal I dream of. Satellite radio has no appeal to me. Everything I ask from radio--news, Cubs, educational programming--is available to me free of charge. I possess the music I want to hear, and if I want to expand my horizons and leave my listening to a DJ or program director, then I roll the dice on NPR or college radio, not some sterile conglomerate. I have no desire to pay for my radio, and I hope I never have to.

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Guest Oedipus Rex

I listen to some sports talk and some local stuff, but the syndicated right-wing talking heads don't do anything for me. I just don't understand what satellite radio offers that justifies paying $12/mo for it, unless you need out-of-market baseball (which I totally respect) or you can't live without Howard Stern (I respect this less). I just don't think satellite radio is really a viable mass-appeal thing.

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I guess for me, it's the niche rock channels (alternative and such), and the MLB talk that I enjoy. Around here, you're hard pressed to find non-Packer sports talk on the radio, sometimes even during the regular baseball season. A lot of the baseball talk you hear is misinformed or downright awful. As a Brewers fan, I've already heard several interviews with Bill Hall, Doug Melvin, Jeff Suppan, and Ned Yost in less than two months on XM. To me, that justifies the less than 10 bucks a month you pay if you commit for a year (at least that's the deal I got).

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You're somewhat spoiled by the fact that terrestrial radio gives you options. Around here we get stuff from Stroudsburg, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, and even that is hit or miss. If I want to listen to any kind of talk radio at all, I have to get satellite. Of course, the baseball makes that all a moot point.

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It pretty much depends on where you live..in Kansas City we have crap for radio(our local AM sports stations are very good). I got hooked on XM when I got a new car. Theres just so much more music to listen to. And many months after later I disovered O&A and Ron & Fez and they are a blast to listen to. The baseball games and music made a trip from KC to Wyoming a breeze. I did get Sirius too for the NFL but I just wasted a year's subscription cuz I never listened to it. The channel selection seemed really odd when compared to XM(way more organized)...I more than justify my 12.00 a month...

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I've been an XM sub for over a year now, after having Sirius for about 8 months.

 

IMO Czech, your love of local radio is easy for you because you're from the greater Chicago area where I'm guessing there are quite a few of each kind of stations (rock, rap, whatever else). That's great. But for a majority of people, there isn't that choice in the market.

 

Take my market, for instance. Fort Myers, relatively small. One alt rock station, two classic rock stations, two hits/r+b stations, three country stations, one sportstalk am station. That's it. So, for a small fee, instead of listening to the same one rock station that plays the same eight "new" songs every two hours, I have the choice of 14 rock stations. That's a no-brainer to me.

 

Add in that no matter what side you fall on politically, there's a channel (or two) for you. Oh, and uncensored comedy. And commercial-free (and relatively interruption-free) music 24/7. Personally, I got XM for the sports, but spend more time listening to Opie and Anthony/Ron and Fez than anything else.

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Im willing to bet HOO HOO gets his way and O&A wont be on the merged "platform"..I cant see the two programs co-existing, more so than the whole publicized "Howard Stern and Oprah" thing. You know, cause Howie invented merging satellite radio companies 20 years ago. I doubt Ron and Fez will make the cut either, which disapoints me more than losing O&A as of late, but whatever. I go to sleep with mine on, which makes having XM worth it since my drive time to work is rediculously short (11 or 12 minutes).

 

Around here if you dont like Country Music, you're pretty much screwed. And one of my channels I will listen to goes to all 80's music on the weekends, which just doesn't do anything for me. We also have two of those wacky JackFM style stations, which are ok but they annoy the hell out of me with the same repetitive commercials and spots. And the only thing worse than hearing commercials is hearing the same ones over and over again over the course of a couple hours.

 

I posted my XM presets on here a while back..I pretty much have it locked on Lucy, Ethel, Fred or Squizz. The Tuneselect beeps all across the board though.

 

Oh, and dont forget the uncensored comedy channels! XM Comedy 150 is great.

 

Theres no Orioles coverage on the radio thats reliable around here. I can amazingly pick up WBAL in town but not at home. And with 1/2 the Os games being on channels I cant get, the radio coverage was important.

 

Oh, and I dont want it to happen for the plain and simple fact that I dont want to have to buy a new reciever. XM had to give in to the FCC and remove/cripple the FM moduators on all their new recievers and its the only way I can listen to XM in my car or at work for Os games. The Roady XT has an awesome (but proven highly illegal) FM modulator that apparently violates FCC rules. Their new solution is impossible for me to use at work and would make an install in my car even worse than it already is now. Under good conditions, the FM mod can work almost 1/2 a mile, as Ive tried it by driving down the road with my Roady still on at home, it usually cuts out just short of the end of the road which is barely 3/4 of a mile. Im not cruel and sticking the FM mod channel on a religious station and listening to O&A, but it can be done which is why theres a problem. That 1/2 mile allows me to listen to XM at work because I cant stick it in the kitchen at work, and even if I could we have no windows to stick the antenna to pick up a signal.

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Guest Smues

Braves games and The Tony Kornheiser show when I'm lacking an internet connection is enough reason for me to subscribe. The music is just a bonus (love that 80's station.)

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I've had XM since last spring and my main complaint with it is that they offer less channels in Canada than they do in the States. It's nothing big, but it's kind of an annoyance.

 

Even though I've since discovered Opie & Anthony and Ron & Fez and listen to at least parts of their shows every day, I bought it mostly for the sports, since it's hard to get a good signal on a station that plays Blue Jays games at night once the American stations power up. I can barely pick up Ottawa AM stations and that's only an hour away. Same goes for Leafs games. It was really convienent on night shifts to go out on my break and catch a few minutes of whatever game was on, but I'm getting laid-off in a few weeks, so that won't matter anymore.

 

The music stations are nice, but nothing I listen to that much. I sometimes like to listen on weekends when the '70s and '80s channels play the old Casey Kasem countdowns, though.

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I like the joy of getting both Toronto and Buffalo radio stations and everything in between. Got everything from two country stations, plenty of classic rock and alt/new rock, some top 40, jazz, classical, blues and lots of other stuff. Used to be a rap station, but not any more.

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Im willing to bet HOO HOO gets his way and O&A wont be on the merged "platform"..I cant see the two programs co-existing, more so than the whole publicized "Howard Stern and Oprah" thing. You know, cause Howie invented merging satellite radio companies 20 years ago. I doubt Ron and Fez will make the cut either, which disapoints me more than losing O&A as of late, but whatever. I go to sleep with mine on, which makes having XM worth it since my drive time to work is rediculously short (11 or 12 minutes).

 

I hope so. The best thing he could do in this merger is get those two douchebags thrown off the air ASAP.

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Im willing to bet HOO HOO gets his way and O&A wont be on the merged "platform"..I cant see the two programs co-existing, more so than the whole publicized "Howard Stern and Oprah" thing. You know, cause Howie invented merging satellite radio companies 20 years ago. I doubt Ron and Fez will make the cut either, which disapoints me more than losing O&A as of late, but whatever. I go to sleep with mine on, which makes having XM worth it since my drive time to work is rediculously short (11 or 12 minutes).

 

I hope so. The best thing he could do in this merger is get those two douchebags thrown off the air ASAP.

 

I don't think Stern would care one way or the other. He already brought Bubba the Love Sponge to his station and I don't think he's threatened in any way by O&A. When they announced the deal that would put them back on terrestial radio he knocked it, arguing that their product could actually bring subscriptions to XM. In the satellite world, I don't think he considers anyone else competition, especially when they will be working for the same parent company.

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Im willing to bet HOO HOO gets his way and O&A wont be on the merged "platform"..I cant see the two programs co-existing, more so than the whole publicized "Howard Stern and Oprah" thing. You know, cause Howie invented merging satellite radio companies 20 years ago. I doubt Ron and Fez will make the cut either, which disapoints me more than losing O&A as of late, but whatever. I go to sleep with mine on, which makes having XM worth it since my drive time to work is rediculously short (11 or 12 minutes).

 

I hope so. The best thing he could do in this merger is get those two douchebags thrown off the air ASAP.

 

I don't think Stern would care one way or the other. He already brought Bubba the Love Sponge to his station and I don't think he's threatened in any way by O&A. When they announced the deal that would put them back on terrestial radio he knocked it, arguing that their product could actually bring subscriptions to XM. In the satellite world, I don't think he considers anyone else competition, especially when they will be working for the same parent company.

 

I don't think he would either, I just think it's funny how much O&A nerds think he would.

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regardless, O&A wont end up on the new "platform". They are claiming their competition is free terrestrial radio and O&A have a highly poular program in large markets. They'll move the studio, even if its still in NY so that they wont be able to do the walkover to the XM studio and force them to make a decision and let them out of their contract since their extension was with XM and not the merged company. I doubt they'll be very angered at it anyway, because you can tell O&A like the free FM show a ton more than the XM show which is 90% an afterthought these days.

 

Fun to hear that Danny Doring is gonna show up at the Ron and Fez thing on Friday night..

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Not to hijack this thread into an O&A discussion but why would you think that O&A care less about the XM show that they praise so much and want the FM station that they hate on so publicly?

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Not to hijack this thread into an O&A discussion but why would you think that O&A care less about the XM show that they praise so much and want the FM station that they hate on so publicly?

 

They might like the XM show more and all, but it comes down to the fact that they have the FM show for 3 hours and sometimes they barely only do an hour and a half of XM and most of that just comes off as if they feel obligated to do it and dont really want to. The subject of them leaving early was brought up today, and ironically they left early. I dont listen every day but it seems like they always leave early when I do listen..the other week they all left cause Ant was hungover.

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Im willing to bet HOO HOO gets his way and O&A wont be on the merged "platform"..I cant see the two programs co-existing, more so than the whole publicized "Howard Stern and Oprah" thing. You know, cause Howie invented merging satellite radio companies 20 years ago. I doubt Ron and Fez will make the cut either, which disapoints me more than losing O&A as of late, but whatever. I go to sleep with mine on, which makes having XM worth it since my drive time to work is rediculously short (11 or 12 minutes).

 

I hope so. The best thing he could do in this merger is get those two douchebags thrown off the air ASAP.

 

I don't think Stern would care one way or the other. He already brought Bubba the Love Sponge to his station and I don't think he's threatened in any way by O&A. When they announced the deal that would put them back on terrestial radio he knocked it, arguing that their product could actually bring subscriptions to XM. In the satellite world, I don't think he considers anyone else competition, especially when they will be working for the same parent company.

 

 

He considered O&A competition when both shows worked for Infinity (Stern at what is now CBS Radio and O&A at WNEW). They weren't even in the same day-part (meaning, they weren't in direct competition and actually shared a good percentage of listeners). I might be an "O&A nerd", but if the past is any indication then Stern won't care what company you work for if he feels threatened by your success.

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