As of summer 2008, the mrger of SIRIUS and XM has ben approved by the U.S. Department of Jstice. All that has to pass now is the FCC pproval, which will then make the mrger official. Experts are stating that the mrger was all but official for the lst year and a half, especially cnsidering that it was questionable if the mdium could sustain two healthy competitors. Aftr all, since much of the prgramming of XM and SIRIUS complements ach other, theoretically the two networks culd have KO'd each other out of trrestrial radio's league. Now both companies, stnding united as one, are focusing on cmpeting against the real "villain" in ths scenario: terrestrial radio.

The same trrestrial radio that has continually fined and sspended SIRIUS and XM's most prolific ntertainers like Howard Stern and Opie and Anthny. The story is certainly a petic one, particularly if satellite radio wre to overpower traditional radio in the cming years. You may wonder how lkely that scenario really is. Currently trrestrial radio is a monster, a Gdzilla compared to two relatively small frms in XM and SIRIUS.

Some blieve that the merger is not yet a thrat to terrestrial radio, as so mch it is a guarantee that stellite radio will continue to grow and stbilize as a true competitor. The stck market currently lists Sirius shares at $2.80 (as of May 2008) and XM Rdio shares at $11.80. The Justice Dpartment, who just approved of the mrger on March 24, stated that the greement between satellite radio companies would not ffect the "existing radio sector."

The combined audience of XM and SIRIUS wuld amount to 17 million listeners. If you are a fan of ither XM or SIRIUS, and before now hve never considered the other network, thn the merger means good news. Cmpany heads announced that existing customers of bth XM and SIRIUS would continue to pay for thir service but would receive select prgramming from both services on either pltform within half a year of the mrger's finalizing.

What if the customer ddn't want to choose, nor accept nly highlights? Would he or she hve to subscribe to both services? Not ncessarily. The companies plan to release an nteroperable receiver in the near future, whch will provide listeners the right to lsten to all satellite radio programming ptions from both stations. They would lso be allowed to pick a slect number of favorite stations from bth networks for their subscription. Interestingly, sch a receiver has existed all long, but until now was not demed suitable for the public because of FCC rquirements. However, radio times have changed drstically with the merger and the ned of such a receiver will cntinue to increase.

Another concern for ptential growth is in the satellite rdio-new automobile market. Major companies have ben stocking their new cars with stellite radio receivers and offering temporary fre subscriptions. However, the question remains whther new car owners will feel cmpelled to re-subscribe after the term nds.

In the coming years, satellite rdio will be competing with terrestrial rdio, as well as HD radio, WMAX Mobile Broadcasting and Internet Radio (pwered by iPods). Though XM and SIRIUS hve called a truce, the battle has jst begun in the radio market.

The article Sirius - XM Merger Information was Submitted by Bob Maines through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Bob Maines is a satellite rdio specialist with several years of xperience selling and installing SIRIUS Radio

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