Karmazin admits it might happen: “They could call me and say ‘Mel, I love your company so much, I want to buy the whole company. [But] they haven’t called, and I don’t suspect they will.” For tax and other reasons, that takeover scenario becomes more likely next March. That is the third anniversary of the deal where Liberty Media’s John Malone played the role of white knight, at a time when Dish's Charlie Ergen was closing in on Sirius through its debt. Instead, Liberty acquired a 40% stake in the satellite radio operator in return for its $530 million investment. Fast-forward nearly three years, and Karmazin says that if Liberty did grow its stake past 49.9%, he would need to have his own role clearly defined. Reuters, covering its own Reuters Global Summit in New York, quotes Karmazin saying "I just could not be a Number 2" executive. He had a taste of working in a subordinate position when he ran Viacom/CBS under Sumner Redstone, and he says he doesn't want that situation again. His current contract expires at the end of 2012.