Satelitte radio battle hots up
p2pnet.net News:- The CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission) recently gave the go-ahead to three groups, including America’s two biggest satellite radio companies, to launch digital subscription radio services in Canada.
The decision opened a pipeline for US radio programs direct to Canada, “with little in return for our country,” said the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting group.
But, “the loudest voices for cancellation or reconsideration have come from Quebec because of the small number of French-language channels on the satellite systems,” says the Globe and Mail. “Under the licences issued to Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. and Sirius Canada Inc., the satellite providers must produce eight original channels in Canada and one francophone channel for every three English-language stations. Most channels will be American.”
Now, lobbying efforts are being stepped up as the federal cabinet, “gears up to decide whether to allow two satellite radio companies to operate in Canada,” says the story.
Montreal MP Denis Coderre is quoted as saying, “It looks like cultural dumping. We’re not asking just to revisit it. We truly need to have it stopped and redo the homework.” And, “My concern is that it is going to fundamentally destroy the Canadian content rules,” Toronto MP Sarmite Bulte said.
But, the Globe and Mail goes on, “some MPs, including many in the so-called ‘auto caucus’ – ridings with car plants and their workers – want the CRTC decision to stand”.
Full-page The Source by Circuit City newspaper ads want the cabinet decision to stand. Otherwise, customers will turn to the illegal “grey market” if the licences are rescinded, the ads say, according to the story.
Meanwhile, heritage minister Liza Frulla and industry minister David Emerson are “consulting with industry and different communities and are preparing a proposal that will go shortly to cabinet committees, and later the full cabinet”.
The story has Frulla saying, “Our mind is pretty much made up, but right now I am obligated to say it is among the three options” and Kevin Shea, Sirius Canada’s ceo, admits, “The fundamental feedback we’re getting is that there is a concern with respect to the overall number of French channels.”
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See:-
go-ahead – Canada tunes in to digital radio, June 17, 2005
little in return – CHUM, Astral, rethink digital radio, June 17, 2005
Globe and Mail – Ottawa to reconsider satellite-radio ruling, August 27, 2005
