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From FMQB: "A bill has been introduced to Congress which would set new rules for satellite radio, creating new rates and content protection standards similar to those of Internet radio...

"The bill is part of the ongoing debate over the ability of satellite radio subscribers to record high-quality, digital copies of songs directly from broadcasts. The RIAA and other organizations have spoken out against the possibility of recording directly from satellite broadcasts, and has asked for similar rules to be put into play that are in effect for Internet radio broadcasters.

"The RIAA has hailed the bill, with Chairman/CEO Mitch Bainwol stating, 'This early play... should leave no doubt that policymakers continue to view parity among digital music services as a top priority... Under the current system, satellite radio has been allowed to morph into a digital distribution service – shorting the creators of music, displacing licensed sales and threatening the integrity of the digital music marketplace in the process. We love satellite radio. But this is simply no way to do business.  It’s in everyone’s best interest to ensure a marketplace where fair competition can thrive.”

Read the entire article at FMQB.

From Ad Age: "XM and Sirius Satellite Radio could be merging sooner than expected.

"After months of investor speculation and varying interest from both parties, the power players of satellite radio have been dropping hints like  mad that they would like to see it happen. Just this week, at a Citigroup investor conference in Las Vegas, Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin and XM Chairman Gary Parsons both enthused about their mutual interest in combining their assets...

"Mr. Karmazin, who has been more vocal about the idea than Mr. Parsons, said the best way for him to provide value to shareholders as CEO is through consolidation, particularly in a fragmented industry such as radio...

"Mr. Parsons, meanwhile, backed off his long-held anti-merger stance a bit when he told Citigroup analyst Eileen Furukawa: 'We are open to assess any action that is positive for shareholders, obviously. Determining what those actions are and how the shareholders gain is the key thing that you really need to understand and make sure you have control of,'...

"But how close is a deal to actually happening?... [A] content provider with a long-term contract said Sirius assured them the terms of their deal would not change in the event of an imminent merger...

"An impediment to a merger is the Federal Communications Commission, which blocked a merger between satellite-TV players EchoStarand  DirecTV in 2002. Chairman Kevin Martin indirectly addressed the topic of an XM-Sirius partnership in an interview with Inside Radio earlier this week by saying it 'would be what we did on [satellite] television.'"

Subscribers can read the entire article at Ad Age.com.

From the Washington Post: "AOL signed Napster Inc. as its exclusive online music subscription service, the companies said on Friday, sending Napster's shares higher.

"Napster, which is considering putting itself on the auction block, said it will replace the online service's AOL Music Now, which has about 350,000 paying subscribers.

"The storied online music service hired investment bank UBS in September to explore a sale after receiving 'third-party interest,' Napster said at the time...

"AOL... also will promote Napster with links to its service throughout its free music site, AOL Music.

"Napster will re-create customers' personal Music Now music libraries, including their playlists, the companies said. They also will keep Music Now's pricing tiers and transfer prepaid track credits that subscribers have in their accounts."

Read the entire article at the Washington Post.