Peter Smyth Weighs In On Sat Merger

Peter Smyth

GREATER MEDIA Pres./CEO PETER SMYTH weighs in with an op-ed piece in TODAY's BOSTON GLOBE. In it, he writes:

The FCC should enforce its long-standing and well-reasoned prohibition against a satellite radio monopoly that it established in 1997 when it granted the spectrum licenses to XM and SIRIUS. The policy underlying this prohibition -- to provide an opportunity for a competitive satellite service to benefit consumers -- is as valid TODAY as it was in 1997.

Permitting XM and SIRIUS to merge would undermine the FCC's laudable regulatory objectives. Think about it: One company would control 25 megahertz of spectrum. This is more than the entire AM and FM terrestrial radio bands combined. In addition, one licensee would be able to air more than 300 channels in every market -- 40 times more channels than terrestrial radio broadcasters are permitted to control in the largest markets.

Read the full article here.

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