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Clear Channel Pushing For Restrictions In Sirius / XM Merger

by Terrence O'Brien on March 25, 2008 at 03:19 PM

Clear Channel Pushing for Restrictions in Sirius / XM Merger
The Department of Justice approved the controversial merger between Sirius and XM Satellite radio yesterday. Now it's the FCC's turn to take a shot at the only two satellite radio providers in the country, which aim to become one monopolistic company.

Clear Channel is taking the unprecedented step of pressuring the FCC for stricter enforcement of decency standards, specifically making them applicable to satellite broadcasts. Currently satellite radio is not subject to the same standards that govern terrestrial radio broadcasts and television. In 2004 Clear Channel, the largest conglomerate of radio stations in the U.S., was slapped with well over half a million dollars in fines for indecent and started pressuring shock jock Howard Stern to clean up his act. Stern found a new audience Sirius, and now it seems that Clear Channel is looking to extract revenge on the satellite radio industry for stealing away one of its prime properties.

Among the qualifiers Clear Channel is seeking for the merger are the enforcement of decency standards for satellite broadcasts, opening up part of the satellite radio spectrum for a possible commercial competitor, five percent of the spectrum being set aside for public interest uses, and that the new unified Sirius / XM Satellite Radio be forced to integrate HD radio technology into its receivers, which Clear Channel is an investor in.

We find it quite interesting that Clear Channel is perfectly willing to support decency standards and public interest reforms... at least for its competitors.

From Ars Technica and AOL News

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Tags: clear channel, ClearChannel, fcc, government, law, regulation, satellite radio, SatelliteRadio, sirius, xm

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