No drive-thru Las Vegas Wedding for this pair...
The proposed marriage of Sirius and XM sounds good...to Sirius and XM - maybe not so good to terrestrial radio and the FCC. Those that think that this merger will sail through, think again. FCC chairman Kevin Martin said the agency would review the deal but the hurdle "would be high as the commission originally prohibited one company from holding the only two satellite radio licenses". I think that it's ironic that the FCC does not regulate the content of satellite radio but will ultimately decide whether this merger will be done. I'm assuming that in this case the FCC is protecting free radio...
This proposed merger is no surprise, it's the only thing that makes sense and has been rumored for months. Neither XM or Sirius has turned a profit and shares of both companies have tumbled. If and when the merger occurs, Gary Parsons (current XM chairman) would be chairman and Sirius chief executive Mel Karmazin would be CEO. Sirius would pay about $4.6 billion in stock for XM, based on shares outstanding in the latest regulatory filings. Sirius would own about 53% of the company, XM 47%. There is a break-up fee of $175 million. The two companies have an enterprise value of about $13 billion including $1.6 billion in net debt and would work together to determine the combined company's name and headquarters...
Should this merger happen, the first step would be to determine the talent lineup and the monthly fee that listeners will pay for Howard Stern, Oprah, Bob Dylan, Major League Baseball, the NFL and other lesser named talent, music, entertainment and sports content. This is no drive-thru Las Vegas type marriage, more like a shotgun wedding but on FCC terms, not XM or Sirius. Stand by. The fun has just begun...
Today's video link is in the Recorded on this date timeline...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1999] Movie critic Gene Siskel ("Siskel and Ebert") dies from complications of brain surgery at 53...
Self-inflicted: 2005] Rock and roll journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson shoots himself to death at 67...
"Delivuh de lettuh": 1792] George Washington signs the Postal Service Act, creating the U.S. Post Office (the sale of muskets sky rockets)...
"Power to the people": 1809] The U.S. Supreme Court rules the power of the federal government is greater than that of any individual state...
No duel in the sun: 1839] The U.S. Congress prohibits dueling in the District of Columbia (it's about time)...
Picasso rejoices: 1872] The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City (still there)...
"On the radio": 1949] Ricky Nelson joins the cast of his family's radio show...
Recorded on this date: 1964] The Beach Boys record "Don't Worry Baby" (today's video link is a Beach Boys promo film featuring the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSN4gK1PXMM )...
Released on this date: 1970] "Instant Karma" - John Lennon...
"Tutti Frutti": 2000] ABC-TV airs the "Little Richard" movie...
Wedding Bells: 1982] Pat Benatar and her guitarist Neil Giraldo (correct spelling of Neil's last name) rock down the aisle (the couple has had 2 daughters since they married)...
"D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1974] Cher files for separation from husband Sonny Bono (married for 10 years, Cher will soon file for divorce)...
"Won't you wear my ring": 1992] Paula Abdul and Emilio Estevez announce their engagement (they will marry in April of '92 for 2 years)...
"Just like Bogey and Kate": 1952] "The African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn opens at the Capitol Theater on Broadway...
The final curtain: 1987] After 11 years as co-host of ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" David Hartman leaves the show...
"Going in Circles": 1962] John Glenn makes space history, orbiting the earth 3 times to become the 1st American to orbit the earth (aboard "Friendship 7")...
"Moonstruck": 1965] "Ranger 8" crashes on the moon after sending back thousands of pictures of its surface...
Breaking the barrier: 1952] Black umpire Emmett Ashford becomes the 1st of his race in organized baseball, in the minor leagues. He will graduate to the majors...
Winter Gold: 1988] Brian Boitano wins the gold medal in figure skating, the first gold medal won by the U.S. at the Calgary Winter Olympics...1998] American Tara Lipinski, 15, is the youngest gold medalist in Winter Olympic history when she wins the Ladies figure skating title at Nagano...
Fire rains death: 2003] Fire breaks out in a West Warwick (RI) club killing 100 including Great White guitarist Ty Longley. 200 others are injured in the blaze...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
"Happy Trails":
Veteran New York TV news reporter and anchor Ralph Penza passed away at 74 after an undisclosed long illness last week. Ralph was an "old reliable" type reporter who started his career after graduating from NYU. In 1960 he joined ABC as a news writer, eventually joining WCBS/2 as a producer and becoming a reporter and full-time anchor. Penza joined WNBC/4 in 1980, left in '95 and returned in 1997. His last air work was last summer. "Happy Trails Ralph"...
Commentary...
The consensus of opinion on the Tom Brady fathering Bridget Moynahan's baby situation is that the future Hall of Fame quarterback of the Patriots do the "right thing". He took up with Gisele Bundchen following his breakup with Bridget at the end of the year. Can you imagine what this baby will look like? It's not hard to imagine that if the baby is a girl she'll be a super-model, if a boy - a championship quarterback with good looks...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Stephon Marbury (30), Cindy Crawford (41), Charles Barkley (44), Patricia Hearst (53), Walter ("Steely Dan") Becker (57), Ivana Trump (58), J. Geils (61), Sandy Duncan (61), Phil Esposito (65), Buffy Sainte-Marie (66), Nancy Wilson (70), Sidney Poitier (80) and Gloria Vanderbilt (83)...
Timeline Countdown: 29 days until spring and 40 days until opening day...
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