[Satellite TODAY 03-19-10] WorldSpace has ended talks with Sirius XM major stakeholder Liberty Media over an unkown transaction that has been in the works for a year, WorldSpace announced March 18.

     Liberty Media bought WorldSpace debt in 2009 and expected to merge its operations with Sirius XM. As a result, Worldspace is “planning for a potential de-commissioning of its satellites and reviewing its strategic alternatives in light of the termination of negotiations,” the company said in a statement.

     Separately, Sirius XM Radio raised $800 million in a debt sale initiated on March 16.The company sold its senior note debt, due in 2015, at 8.75 percent interest, without changing its issuance price. Stockholders are set to approve the sale on April 16.  
      Sirius XM will use the money to prepay its borrowings under its senior secured term loan due in 2012 and to pay fees and expenses related to the offering. Nasdaq also has warned Sirius XM that it has not regained compliance with a $1 minimum closing bid price requirement for continued listing on the exchange. Sirius XM’s common stock will be added to the Nasdaq Q-50 Index effective March 22.