Karmazin Back on Hill to Sell Sat Radio Merger

KARMAZIN OFFERS MODIFIED "ADULT" A LA CARTE PROPOSAL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin told the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee on Tuesday that his company has proposed giving customers a price break if they choose to block channels with adult content. He did not say how much or what would qualify as adult content, calling it a more "Ã la carte" model of service. Karmazin said he believes that not all content that is available on satellite radio has to be acceptable to children and he would not agree to adopt broadcast-style indecency regulations or harbors, though he said he might if there were ever a clear definition of what the government did or didn't want. Give me a speed limit, he said, and I'll follow it. Subcommittee Chairman Herbert Kohl (D-WI) told Karmazin that the committee had real concerns that the proposed merger between Sirius and XM might be a great monopoly for the combined companies, but a bad deal for consumers. For his part Karmazin, who has promised not to raise prices after the merger, said he would at least consider having to submit any future price increases through some government agency, but he said he thought it would be unnecessary.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426304.html

* Karmazin Would Consider Government Review Of Prices
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6426314.html?display=Breaking+News

* Karmazin to Rebate Adult Fare Blockers
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6426377.html?display=Breaking+News

* Senator Presses Sirius Chief on Radio Merger
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/20/AR2007032001474.html

* Satellite radio plan draws fire
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-radio21mar21,1,6372270.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business

* The Used Car Salesman Side of Sirius’ Mel Karmazin
http://blog.thehill.com/2007/03/21/the-used-car-salesman-side-of-sirius-mel-karmazin/#more-2730

* The Used Car Salesman Side of Sirius’ Mel Karmazin
http://blog.thehill.com/2007/03/21/the-used-car-salesman-side-of-sirius-mel-karmazin/#more-2730

* Sirius and XM Offer New Concessions for Tiered Offerings
http://www.drewclark.com/2007/03/sirius-and-xm-offer-new-concessions-for.shtml