BREAKING – XM / SIRIUS MERGER APPROVED

After 16 long months it was announced tonight by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin that the FCC has approved the 3.6 Billion-Dollar merger between XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.

For the past few days the vote was tied at 2 – 2 and the tiebreaker was decided by Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate who reportedly gave the merger her thumbs up after the satellite radio companies agreed to pay 19.7 million dollars in fines for FCC rules violations.

It took over 493 days for the FCC to approve the merger, which is the ongest it has taken any merger to be approved or denied by the FCC.

There has been no official word from the satellite companies in response to the decision, but I am sure of one thing, that on Monday I won’t have to hear Howard Stern whine about the merger anymore.  (That right there makes the approval worth it.)

Have a great weekend everyone!