Comment on the XM/Sirius merger
Here are the comments I submitted in favor of the merger:
This proposed merger should be allowed. I've been an XM subscriber for a few years now, and frankly I don't listen to it that much any more since I've gotten an iPod, where I can choose only the songs I want to listen to. Even with the variety of stations XM offers, it can't match the quality of music I can pick on my own.This is an indication that the market that XM and Sirius are operating in is not merely the narrowly defined "Satellite radio" market, but a much larger entertainment market. As we see in the example above, iPods compete with XM radio. XM radio and terrestrial radio are also obvious competitors. Music stations are also available over many digital cable networks, which creates even more competition for satellite radio. Defining XM and Sirius' market as satellite radio, rather than a broader entertainment based definition, is unnecessarily restrictive. Allowing this merger will not negatively impact competition and so it should be allowed.