There’s been a lot of static about the proposed merger between XM and Sirius, what with whether allowing the two satellite radio stations to merge would violate antitrust laws. But now the air is starting to clear. The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday was on the cusp of approving the deal. Deborah Taylor Tate, a Republican member of the F.C.C., appeared ready to vote in favor of the merger, which would break a deadlock along party lines among the other four commissioners. The Justice Department in March approved the $5 billion merger, saying it did not constitute a monopoly because of the many alternatives in audio programming (read: iPods and HD Radio).
