I was told yesterday that the satellite radio companies were given the green light to merge. What was holding up such a simple decision for so long? Isnt it sixteen months now they were trying to decide this?

Hardly the simple decision. The FCC issued only two licenses for satellite radio service with the provision that neither would be permitted to acquire the other in order to promote fair competition.

This negates the basis upon which the decision to issue licenses was made and creates a monopoly in the industry.

Not so simple.

Wayne

Hmm. Wayne's got it right - capitalists don't like monopolies, not on paper, at least. However, the recent media consolidations in which one corporate parent can now own your local newspaper, radio station and television channel didn't seem to faze them despite the public outcry.