The merger between Sirius and XM Satellite Radio is now complete after the final FCC hurtles were successfully jumped.
The new company, now called Sirius XM Radio, can boast of over 18 million subscribers and is now poised to compete directly against terrestrial radio and digital audio players such as iPod and Zune.
This joining of the two companies is expected to garner them about $300 million in profits and save nearly $400 million in debt by the end of 2009.
Sirius XM Radio will showcase a roster of exclusive programming, ranging from channels dedicated to personalities such as Howard Stern, Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart, to specialty channels like Slice of SciFi, and will also include a lineup that includes professional sports broadcasts, news and music.
The new company’s biggest challenge will be the same one they faced as separate entities — how to interest new subscribers to join up.
For those currently subscribed to either XM or Sirius, the management at Sirius XM Radio ensure their customers that their radios will continue to work and every subscriber still has the option of maintaining their current service package.
Meh, bad timing as I am looking to downsize my monthly bills….
As a Sirius subscriber I’m rather excited at this prospect. Unfortunately, it means that once they combine their broadcast signals I will be forced to buy all new radios (of which I have FOUR!!!) just so that I can receive the XM channels as well!
They said that if you already have either radio that they will work. I hope so because I have two xm and 1 sirius radio. I just hope that they keep all my favorite channels. Each has certain channels that the other doesn’t. So it will be interesting to see which will win.