Democratic FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has, surprisingly, said he would vote in favor of the merger between satellite radio companies XM and Sirius - with conditions, reports MediaBuyerPlanner.

Adelstein said he would vote for the merger if Sirius and XM companies make 25 percent of their capacity available for public interest and minority programming and cap prices for six years, according to Radio Ink. XM and Sirius already agreed to a three-year price cap. They also committed to give 12 channels, or 8 percent, of their capacity over to public interest and minority-controlled programming.

Adelstein also wants the companies to include a digital radio tuner in any subsidized radios that include regular, non-digital AM-FM service, writes ABC News. Finally, he wants to set up an enforcement regime that will ensure sure the companies stick to the conditions.

FCC chair Kevin Martin and commissioner Robert McDowell, both Republicans, favor the merger. Deborah Taylor Tate, the third Republican on the commission, was said to be the wild card, because it was assumed the two Democrats would vote against a merger. Now it appears that, if Adelstein's conditions are met, the vote will pass regardless of Tate's decision.