Women Impacting Public Policy Voices Its Support for SIRIUS-XM Merger

Women Impacting Public Policy Voices Its Support for SIRIUS-XM Merger

WIPP Cites Merger as Beneficial for Women, Small Businesses and Consumers

WASHINGTON, June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) announced its support today of the merger between SIRIUS Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI) and XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:XMSR) in a letter filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

"WIPP believes the merger of SIRIUS and XM will substantially enhance programming choices by creating a stronger satellite radio company," said WIPP President Barbara Kasoff, in the group's letter to the FCC. "It will also provide a number of important economic benefits for small businesses, clearly benefiting the public interest, and therefore should be approved by the FCC without delay."

SIRIUS and XM provide a breadth of programming choices that appeal to WIPP's membership, who are often underserved by other providers in the broad audio news and entertainment marketplace. For instance, the "one size fits all" model of programming found on terrestrial radio consistently overlooks the particular interests of consumers in favor of more nationalized, homogenous content. This is true of many of WIPP's members, who do not have the same access to programming tailored to their interests as they do on satellite radio.

"Especially relevant to WIPP membership is the prospect of increasing the number of channels offering small business content, particularly issues of special interest to women and minorities in business," added Kasoff.

WIPP is also encouraged by the operational efficiencies and the ensuing pricing benefits consumers will enjoy as a result of the merger. For example, when the merger is approved, consumers will be able to receive a variety of content from both services at a range of prices, including more a la carte offerings and pricing options that cost less than what they would currently pay.

As a national bipartisan public policy organization that advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business, WIPP believes the success of this merger will benefit our membership and all consumers nationwide.

About WIPP:

Women Impacting Public Policy is a national bi-partisan group comprising well over half a million members. The non-profit organization is the public policy voice for 47 national Women in Business groups and is The Voice for Women in Business in Our Nation's Capital. WIPP strengthens its members' sphere of influence in the legislative process, creates economic opportunities for members and builds alliances with other small business organizations. Visit http://www.wipp.org/.

Source: SIRIUS

CONTACT: Anne Sullivan, +1-202-626-8528, for SIRIUS

Web site: http://www.wipp.org/

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