Martin: FCC’s XM-Sirius Review Still on Track for End of March

The Federal Communications Commission's review of the proposed merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio could still be done by the end of March. That had been FCC chairman Kevin Martin's projection, and he was not ready to revise or extend those remarks at a meeting with reporters Tuesday. Chairman Martin reiterated that he thought the two satellite-radio companies had a "high hurdle" given that they were the two national providers of the service. Although the companies argued that the market is broader and includes terrestrial radio, he added, "The commission's precedent would indicate that we would consider it in a narrower context." But he also said the companies’ proposal to deliver their satellite-radio channels in a modified a la carte regime "was intriguing and could provide for additional consumer protection."
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