BB - off the top of my head, and I'm just guessing here - but - I'm guessing that satellites can only stream so many channels. The limit, I don't know. If they could just double-up, and keep everything - then great! But I doubt it.
I've had XM for 2-3 years, got the radio as a gift, but I'm paying for the service. And gladly, because I enjoy the O&A and R&F shows -- and every baseball game live! But I also was jealous that Sirius has Big Pussy (the show - if it's still on). Howard, I don't give a shit about. But I wanted Big Pussy!
But even if they did combine... and let's assume that, since both services use different equipment (as they do)... if they kept all of both, they'd need both (group of) satellites beaming signals... and if they did that, we'd ALL need new receivers to receive both satellite signals (cha-ching for them)
But I don't see that.
O&A and Howard are at war. Obviously, under one company, they'd have to end that war. And there's no fun in that.
Not to mention, without competition (besides pre-recorded music on iPods or commercial radio), there's nothing to stop them from raising the monthly fees...
I'm hating this right now, 'til I'm explained a better rationale.