The primary point of disagreement with Echostar's Charlie Ergen, according to Reuters, is whether current Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin would keep his job. Liberty Media controls DirecTV and owns 50% of that company. Echostar manufactures satellite TV receivers and DVRs for DirecTV's major competitor, Dish Network, and until last year was part of that company.
It's unclear at this time whether this is a serious possibility or just a last ditch effort by Sirius XM executives to keep their jobs. It may help that one member of their board of directors, Eddy Hartenstein, is also the former CEO and Chairman of DirecTV's board, and served as their President for over a decade prior to that.
Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 12 Feb 2009 11:59