Martin Tight-Lipped On XM-Sirius Merger WASHINGTON -- April 24, 2008: FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has over the past few months deflected questions about when the FCC might rule on the proposed XM Satellite Radio-Sirius Satellite Radio merger by noting that the Department of Justice almost always acts first on proposals like the one between the two satcasters. With DoJ action out of the way, however, the FCC has not scheduled a vote on the merger for its next public meeting, and Martin on Thursday offered little insight into when the agency might finally act.
Meeting with reporters at the agency's Washington headquarters, Martin said he had no comment on timing for a decision and rejected the notion that the FCC was waiting for a DoJ decision for issuing its own ruling. "I wouldn't say that the DoJ was slowing us down," Martin told Radio Ink.
He also shot down the suggestion that he's holding out until he can get a unanimous 5–0 commission vote on the deal before moving forward, but said, "I always think it's preferable that we have a unanimous decision."
