Slashdot Mirror
Sirius, XM Merger Gets FCC Approval
Multiple readers, including koavf, have written to tell us the FCC has finally approved the Sirius-XM merger that has been in the works for quite a while now. CNN has picked up AP coverage as well. We discussed approval of the merger by the Justice Department a few months ago. From CNN:
"The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to approve the buyout, with the tiebreaker coming Friday night from Republican commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate. Tate had insisted that the companies settle charges that they violated FCC rules before she would approve the deal. The companies agreed this week to pay $19.7 million to the U.S. Treasury for violations related to radio receivers and ground-based signal repeaters. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin confirmed the final vote Friday night. 'I think it's going to be, in the end, a good thing for consumers and be in the public interest,' he told The Associated Press."
Actually, there is a fairly legit criticism of the US post office that would probably have some support on slashdot if it were more widely known. Until 1912, mail was delivered on Sundays in the United States. However, religious leaders felt that it was hurting their attendence (and subsequently, their collection plates) and appealed to the government to stop delivery on Sunday. Post offices at that time doubled as public gathering places to socialize. Supporters of no-Sunday delivery still claim that the post office is closed to prevent a government subsidized agency from forcing Christians to work on Sunday, a protection of religious freedom. That however is obvious bullshit, since the post office does not close for any other religion. Even using that reasoning, it's a clear violation of the seperation of church and state.
For more details search google or check out this article.