will XM and Sirius ever truly merge

Probably, but you'll never know.

The channel differences for sports are due to contracts, particularly with the MLB play by play channels.

I've heard 2016 for MLB, but I could be wrong.

No one knows.

If SiriusXM really cared, they would renegotiate all the contracts. NFL/NBA/MLB do this quite frequently with their TV contracts before the expire, so its not outside the realm of possibility. Probably has more to do with the fact that the renegotiated contract would be more expensive than the existing contract, and I doubt SiriusXM has the spare money to throw around.

They also have those Clear Channel channels that, you'd think, they'd just offer on both platforms but even after all of this time, it's still XM only.

Also dumb that they never sorted the Lifetime subscriptions (to allow you to switch systems) although I remember reading a post by one guy who claimed to be able to talk his way through it.

I haven't tried in two years. I just gave up.

Clear Channel channels are a remnant of when Clear Channel held a stake in XM and now they have the right to broadcast their own channels on XM only, I think.

If they intended to merge they would have had all car venders switch over fully to either XM or Sirius and all receiver venders switch over fully to either XM or Sirius (with the ability to receive all the channels, not just the older ones). But management has not done so. If I were a shareholder I would ask for the head of the CEO since all the services have done is added channels while reducing bit rates such that the sound quality has gone way down the tube. If it were not for the news channels I would not subscribe.

...XM can keep the Clear Channel stations, I don't want them on Sirius. Why would anyone want those?

You're in luck then, because Mel Karmazin is stepping down as CEO.

Why in God's name would you want a Clear Channel station on your satellite radio? I specifically got SIrius so that I wouldn't have to ever listen to a clear channels station again, I'm just confused as to why someone would miss any of their crappy cookie cutter format.

This is weird.

I like the talk channels that they offer.

Why is it weird? Clear Channel is the epitome of everything that is wrong with American radio today. As much as Sirius has a preset format, they don't go with the ridiculous 'microwave rotation' of playing songs over and over(And over) all day long, all sandwiched in between 20 minute commercial breaks. Not only does Clear Channel suck, but I can't escape them. The only thing I really admired Bush for doing was stoppin g the further consolidation of media ownership. CC would have been able to own my local cable outlet, 2 newspapers in my area, 3 TV stations, and something like 5 radio stations. There's a reason that media ownership has been limited, and the crap fest that Clear Channel has unleashed on the world is an example of why that still needs to be limited.

In my broadcast area, Clear Channel came in and bought a local radio station. They fired all the local on-air talent and replaced them with syndicated shows. This was right around the time I bought my new car that had Sirius in it. Haven't listened to the locals since.

Yeah, that was the idea I was truing to get across i my post. Clear Channel=bad radio. I'm not sure why anyone would 'miss' having those crappy stations.

I was thinking that if these 2 companies truly merge, wouldn't that become a monopoly???

I believe they're trying to phase out Sirius, as a new Sirius radio hasn't come out for a little bit. As far as merging goes, the only thing that is happening is being able to swap an XM for a Sirius, vice versa, & having them both on the same account. That's expected to come about beginning of 2013, no other news thus far.

Yes,a monopoly in the Sat. radio market but not when it comes to delivery of content of which they have lots of competitors. FCC allowed the merger because they claimed both would fail if they didn't.

Monopoly or not Smart phones,Ipods,Tablets,and other portable media is more than enough competition for the Satellite business.