Sirius and XM Trying to Merge
Gary Parsons (left) and Mel Karmazan (right) at Press Club to discuss merger
July 24, 2007— -- After announcing on February 19, 2007, that they intend to merge, countless praises from CEO of Sirius Radio, Mel Karmazin and Chairman of XM Radio, Gary Parsons, were made about the benefits of combining their conglomerates, as Karmazin discussed the proposed merger at the National Press Club, today.
There is, however, a serious problem for SIRIUS: that this merger would eliminate all competition as SIRIUS and XM are the only two satellite radio services.
"It's a merger of the only two companies in a defined market, and such, a merger to monopoly" says Mark Cooper, Director of Research for the Consumer Federation of America.
Also according to the Consumer's Union, the proposed merger violates both SIRIUS and XM's licensing agreements to the public airwaves according to Gene Kimmelman.
However, if it goes through, the merger will offer eight plans to choose from, anywhere from the basic packages to more customized plans ranging from $6.99-16.99, based on whether the consumers want added or custom additions such as premium, family-friendly, etc., which SIRIUS and XM radios are calling the "A la Carte" option.
Karmazin's aims for this merger are to give the consumer exactly what they want, and for lower than the current $12.95 a month deal, which works out to less than $43 cents per day, for SIRIUS and XM separately.
The plans according to Karmazin would start right away at start at a mere $6.99 a month upon the merge. In combining the satellite radios, Karmazin and Parsons express that there will be more options for the consumer to choose from and a better variety of channels to accommodate to each individual consumer.
The package for $6.99 offers up to 50 channels monthly, and the consumers are given the option of choosing up to any 50 SIRIUS channels, or 50 XM channels.
With the $6.99 plan, "They can only choose from one or the other, based on which one they currently subscribe to," says spokesman for SIRIUS, George Ross, from Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher Corporate Communications firm.
