Merging Together

The XM and Sirius Satellite Radio Merger

Because the world is always about money and competition, the Justice Department has to figure out if a merger between XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio would lessen competition. Of course in order for this issue to come to a conclusion the great people with the Federal Communications Commissions must follow suit. So what is the big problem then? Well the National Association of Broadcasters begs to differ with the Justice Department and disagrees whether it will lessen competition. An article quoted:

“In the retail channel, where the parties likely would continue to compete to attract new subscribers absent the merger," it said, "the division found that the evidence did not support defining a market limited to the two satellite-radio firms that would exclude various alternative sources for audio entertainment, and similarly did not establish that the combined firm could profitably sustain an increased price to satellite-radio consumers."

So, in the end no one is paying anymore money…no one gets hurt, right? The division has reached this conclusion because the merger would not enable the parties to increase any prices to satellite-radio customers for several reasons. First, there is a lack of competition between the parties even without the merger. Second, there are competitive alternative services available to the consumers. Third, there is plenty of technological change headed out way. So the Department feels that the merger will be a great thing of course. However, The National Association of Broadcasters are angry because they are not getting heard.

Of course The National Association of Broadcasters is still going to be upset because they feel that the Justice Department has broken FCC rules all along. They believe that giving them a monopoly is basically absurd. The broadcasters were the ones who felt betrayed:

“The merger had been strongly opposed by broadcasters, which argued that allowing the two companies to get together would create a monopoly in satellite radio, while the companies had said that they would simply be a stronger competitor in a crowded audio market that included cable radio, terrestrial radio and the Internet.”

Beware: Rabbit-Ear Lovers

From Analog to Digital just like that!

If you do not yet own a digital television set, you will have to buy one before February 17, 2009 in order to watch your much loved cable television shows because 21st century TV is going digital. Many of our older generation still owns and religiously watches their programs on their antique analog televisions.
This change to digital will most likely not be a big deal or problem to very many people; especially those legendary couch potatoes who basically worship the TV and all its holiness. However, there is that other percentage of our population that will most likely be frantically confused about what they need to do. I call this population the “old folks,” a.k.a. the senior citizens.
According to an article by Market Watch, many senior citizens are actually catching onto some of these changes being made and are already adapting to them appropriately. There are a few options to change from analog broadcasting to the new digital way which is taking over:

“ 1)Purchase a converter that will translate the analog airwaves of standard broadcast pictures to the higher-definition digital spectrum that will generate greater clarity in viewing and more channels for programming, 2) Subscribe to a cable TV service or satellite broadcasting that will do the legwork for consumers, 3) Purchase a new TV with a digital tuner already loaded into it, 4) Do nothing and give up watching TV.”

All of the above are decent options, however, I would go with my favorite option and just purchase a new TV (of course a digital one). The article states that many television stations are already broadcasting public-service announcements to insure the fact that viewers have plenty of time to act before the actual transformation occurs. This new digital era will let Digital TV, or DTV, allow for “multicasting.” This is where broadcasters at the local network stations can split their signal into multiple streams. In other words, one station will be able to carry anywhere from three to six programs at one time.

Hopefully this new change will not anger any of our fellow TV viewers or beloved couch potatoes. With time, those who have been affected by the change, will soon grow to learn that digital is in and bunny ears are out.