Boucher Backs Sirius-XM Merger In Op-Ed
The Washington Times on Monday published a column by Rep. Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat and co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus, backing the pending merger of satellite radio giants Sirius and XM.
By year-end, the Justice Department and the FCC should have completed their review of the proposed pairing, and "because the merger will promote competition and benefit consumers, it should be approved," he wrote.
"At first blush, one might conclude that a combination of the only two providers of this satellite-based service would be an obvious antitrust abridgement," but "the reality of the relevant market, however, is both more subtle and more compelling," he stated. Read the full column here.
The estimated $14 billion deal also has its critics on Capitol Hill. The National Association of Broadcasters is keeping count, with a list of more than 80 lawmakers who reportedly have expressed opposition. Among them is Sen. Herb Kohl, a Democrat from Wisconsin and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee.
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