Liberty Media to Buy Major Stake in Sirius and Avoid Bankruptcy

The Dow Jones reported that Liberty Media (LINTA) was near a deal to buy a major stake in Sirius XM Radio Inc (NASDAQ:SIRI) that would save Sirius from Bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, a group of Sirius creditors will seek to remove Chief Executive Mel Karmazin if the company chooses a bankruptcy filing over a deal with an investor that would let it stay solvent, the Wall Street Journal said.

"Creditors will act quickly and definitively if they perceive that management is (not) acting ... in the best interest of the estate," the paper quoted Edward Weisfelner, a partner with Brown Rudnick LLP - the law firm representing the creditor group - as saying.

"The management of Sirius XM is continually working to ensure the best possible outcome for the enterprise," a spokesman for Sirius said.  Sources told Reuters last week that Liberty Media was talking to Sirius about a plan to invest in the satellite radio company but not take it over. The timing of an agreement was unclear.

The talks with Liberty are seen as a last-ditch attempt by Karmazin to hold off EchoStar, which holds $175 million in Sirius convertible bonds due on Feb. 17. Sirius said it had refinanced some debt that was due in December, but added that it still might have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection if talks toward refinancing other debt did not yield results by Tuesday.

SOURCE: http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKN1632251620090216