It’s the big buzz in satellite radio and all the players concerned wait patiently for the decision  to come down. I’m talking about the merger, of course. Today, XM’s chairman said he remains “hopeful” the deal will close this year.

The chairman of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. said Wednesday he remains “hopeful” that the company’s $5 billion acquisition by rival Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. will close this year, although he acknowledged that time is running short.

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