Word is out on the street that Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps has voted against allowing the merger between satcasters XM and Sirius. Chairman Kevin Martin and Commissioner Robert McDowell, both Republicans, have voted to approve a package suggested by Martin that included a modest concession package, with a three year price cap and 24 channels allocated to minority and NCE programmers. Democrat Jonathan Adelstein has said he would support a merger with a sweeter package, including a six year cap, 75 minority/NCE channels and receivers open to competing manufacturers and including an HD chip. Republican Deborah Taylor Tate remains the wildcard.
