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DiggMel Karmazin just can't get a break from someone taking a swipe at the merger of his Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. with rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. The latest organization to air concerns about the deal is the Recording Industry Association of America, according to News.com. The latest tussle involving the satellite radio companies is part of an ongoing dispute with the RIAA concerning copy protection. Now the recording industry group has added royalties to its list of complaints.
With the merger still pending FCC approval, the RIAA is demanding the agency "require the merged companies to pay higher royalty rates to the record industry," arguing that the broadcasters are no longer struggling startups. In addition, the RIAA added its usual demand that the merged company support copy protections. It wants the merger to hinge on the issue, demanding the FCC "make clear that its approval of a merger was conditioned upon the continued protection of sound recordings from unlawful infringement."
Maybe Karmazin should have stuck with his June 2006 attitude toward merging the two companies. Back then, he told The Deal's Richard Morgan, "Our business plan doesn't include making a deal [with XM]." —Matthew Wurtzel
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I think it's interesting that officials are giving SIRIUS and XM such a tough time about their merger, but AT&T and SBC, who were split up years ago for antitrust reasons, were allowed to merge their companies without much attention. And we buy oil and diamonds from the biggest monopolies in the world OPEC and DeBeers.
The Sirius XM price cuts show that the merger will benefit consumers. Therefore, if the merger is stopped it will show that regulators don't have consumer's best interests in mind. Also aren't these the same regulators that approved the ATT-SBC merger after the companies were split up years ago for having a monopoly and the AOL Time Warner Merger? Let's not forget that we buy oil and diamonds from the biggest monopolies in the world: OPEC and DeBeers.
How I do HATE the RIAA!!!!!
Who's getting rich off Americans purchasing music? It sure isn't the artists...
Who's watching the RIAA?
They've learn how to squeeze blood for a turnip.
And millions from Americans
New name for the RIAA... The Mafia.