Merger of XM and Sirius gets go-ahead, Creates satellite radio monopoly

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The proposed merger between XM and Sirius, the two leading satellite radio companies in the US, was approved on Monday by antitrust authorities who said the deal would not lessen competition and was not likely to harm consumers.

The decision by officials at the Department of Justice removes a significant hurdle for the $4.6bn merger, which has been held in regulatory limbo since it was announced more than a year ago.

The ruling also provides fodder for critics of the Bush administration’s antitrust policies, who say the transaction will create a radio monopoly.

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