News Corp. had its say about conditions placed on its takeover of a controlling stake in DIRECTV in 2004 and efforts to eliminate the regulatory mandates tied to the transaction.

In a filing on the matter, News Corp. said that when the Federal Communications Commission placed conditions on its acquisition of a controlling stake in DIRECTV, the agency gave the media giant the right to petition for changes. Since then, News Corp. sold its interest in DIRECTV to Liberty Media, and Liberty Media divested its interest in News Corp.

Because of those moves, News Corp. pointed out that it's no longer vertically integrated with any pay-TV platform.

Conditions were placed on the News Corp./DIRECTV deal to ensure that pay-TV competitors had access to key News Corp. programming properties such as regional sports networks and broadcast stations. Entities like DISH Network and the American Cable Association have asked that the conditions remain in place to ensure access to must-have News Corp.-controlled content.

However, News Corp. said that given its divesture in DIRECTV, the balance of bargaining power has reverted to pre-transaction levels. "And any rationale for the arbitration condition that may have existed has been eliminated," the company said in its comments.

"Since an independent News Corp. has neither the incentive nor the ability to engage in the feared anticompetitive behavior that was thought to warrant the condition, the commission should eliminate it and permit News Corp. to resume bargaining for carriage of its regional sports and broadcast programming services in the competitive free market on the same footing as other independent video programmers and broadcasters," the company said in its comments.

Mobile satellite company Globalstar has partnered with Hughes Network Systems for what the companies called the next-generation of satellite communications services.

Specifically, Hughes will work with Globalstar to develop a proprietary satellite air interface and will deliver ground network equipment and software upgrades for installation at Globalstar's gateway ground stations.

Globalstar said it expects the ground network, combined with its second-generation satellite constellation scheduled for launch in the second-half of 2009, to provide the company with the ability to offer advanced wireless voice and high-speed IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) services, as well as seamless handoffs to terrestrial networks using multi-mode user terminals.

Worldspace, the global satellite radio provider, said it ended the first quarter with 171,470 subscribers worldwide, a loss of 2,696 customers from the close of the prior quarter.

The customer losses were attributed to the planned cessation of marketing efforts in India and other parts of the world ahead of the company's efforts to commence mobile service in Europe next year. In India, the company lost 1,049 net subscribers during the first quarter, for a total of 162,026, reflecting a continued reduction in marketing in that region.

As for financials, WorldSpace reported first quarter revenues of about $3 million, essentially flat when compared to the same period last year. The company's first quarter net loss was $36.8 million, compared to a net loss of $35.5 million for the same period last year.

XM has launched a highly targeted national consumer advertising campaign aimed at gridlocked commuters. The multi-media marketing effort for the XM NavTraffic service made its debut Monday, reminding drivers that with the product they can "Get There Faster."


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