On the other hand, there is absolutely no technical barrier to both providers offering identical content on twin, parallel streams. In other words, take the best programming from each, and deliver those shows on both platforms simultaneously.

As I understand it XM has some technical benefits, and is the more expandable/flexible platform (talking out of my ass to a degree here – I’m not a satellite engineer!). A way forward might combine all the content initially so both streams offer the same content to programmers. Over time they can use the XM streams to “enhance” features, add new content and offer whatever real benefits that technology has as a “value added” upgrade. Pay a couple bucks more a month and buy a new receiver, and you get the new things, and begin the migration to the better technology. At some point when the user base declines enough, they could offer cheap/new receivers to kill the old technology, and switch the Sirius satellites over to the new formats (the satellite ends tend to be more flexible software-wise, since you can’t just swap out boards in space and we know for sure formats, codecs and options change).

Still, all this is making a silk purse out of a sows ear. I don’t appreciate the format war any more than you do, but two competing companies will always innovate more than a monopoly (where’s my broadband-over-AC?). Its a tough choice today, and I sympathize with subscribers. Unfortunately all the noise I’m hearing in the media about this merger is bad: On NPR an analyst suggested that the aggregated audience was sufficiently large to deliver serious ad revenue. More ads? To subscribers? It’s bad enough there are ANY ads today, but from this and other interviews it sounds like XM Sirius’ vision for the future looks a lot like network radio of the past (albeit with a special playlist for every taste).

I pray regulators squash this thing in the bud. Unfortunately the timing suggests it’s a done deal (they’re getting in under the wire before the next round of campaigns, and potential for real oversight in a future administration).

XM subscriber here. One thing that would have made the current binary model of services a lot more palatable to consumer is if they had implemented compatible equipment.

Choosing XM or Sirius today is roughly analogous to deciding on a Beta or VHS VCR during the format war. Once you’ve bought the equipment, the notion of competition between the formats for your business or easily switching from one to the other largely evaporates. I’ll add that it’s silly and annoying to have only one or the other service available as a factory radio in a new car.

So what I would prefer to see is a “technological” merger, where either service is available on existing equipment, but they continue to compete with programming. (On the other hand, I have no idea if that is technically possible).