Following Liberty Media Corporation’s 2009 investor meeting last week on the 16th of October, I was pleasantly surprised to discover Sirius XM Radio CEO Mel Karmazin was scheduled to speak. Once the meeting got underway though, I truly was not prepared to hear what either Greg Maffei of Liberty or Mel Karmazin of Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) laid out during the meeting. Rest assured, Sirius XM Radio’s relationship to Liberty Media and John Malone is a two-way door. Liberty Media gets 40% of the company with exclusive content and can leverage it over multiple possibilities; which I believe they are preparing to do in earnest. Mr. Maffei’s statements were like music to my ears when he said they were looking for opportunities regarding SIRIUS XM in other markets. To me it seems that this all is coming together and turning into global expansion with recent news of Liberty buying the debt of Worldspace and also now looking to purchase the hard assets of the company. This action could be seen as removing the hurdle of Spectrum licensing overseas that would be expensive and virtually impossible for SIRIUS XM to procure. More details are sure to come from this developing story as details continue to emerge. As Worldspace seeks to re start asset sale processes with Liberty Satellite Radio LLC, a unit of Liberty Media. Liberty Satellite Radio LLC is in fact a holding company that Liberty Media owns and has used in the past. This ties closely with Sirius XM’s rumored, though not confirmed partnership with APPLE (APPL) and could bring a whole new loyal following as well, likely adding more multi-subscription households. All this would give lots of those potential subscribers an opportunity to purchase all of the exclusive available channels including, but not limited to, Oprah Radio, MLB Home Plate, NFL Radio, NHL Home Ice, Mad Dog Radio, The Foxxhole comedy channel, and National Public Radio with the purchase of a new SKYDOCK and the possibility of an XM best of SIRIUS package. Seems like a no brainer.
Purchasers will also gain access to a variety of Sirius XM music channels, including E Street Radio, The Grateful Dead Channel, Eminem’s Shade 45, Radio Margaritaville, Siriusly Sinatra, and many others. All
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