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CRTC "approves" satellite radio
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| ShadoWolf |
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...NStory/Business
CRTC "approves" satellite radio
By ROMA LUCIW
Thursday, June 16, 2005 Updated at 4:28 PM EDT
Canada's federal telecommunications regulator has granted three licenses to sell satellite and digital radio in this country, a decision that industry experts predict will lead to upheaval in the industry.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said in a landmark ruling Thursday that all three applicants who applied can have licenses to sell subscription radio in Canada, provided they comply with certain Canadian-content rules.
"These decisions foster the objectives of the Broadcasting Act and balance the interests of Canadian consumers, the radio industry and the music industry," CRTC Chairman Charles Dalfen said in a statement.
The three applicants are Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., a Toronto-based joint venture between entrepreneur John Bitove Jr. and Washington-based XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.; Sirius Canada Inc., a partnership between Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Toronto-based Standard Broadcasting Corp. Ltd., and New York-based Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.; and a joint venture of Toronto-based CHUM Ltd. and Montreal-based Astral Media Inc. that proposes to use terrestrial transmitters instead of satellites.
The CRTC set the following conditions for the satellite providers:
* At least eight original channels produced in Canada. A maximum of nine foreign channels may be offered for each Canadian channel
* At least 85 per cent of the musical selections and spoken word programming broadcast on the Canadian channels must be Canadian
* At least 25 per cent of the Canadian channels must be in the French language
* At least 25 per cent of the musical selections on the Canadian channels must be new Canadian musical selections
* A further 25 per cent of the selections must be by emerging Canadian artists.
In addition, the CRTC ruled that the satellite providers must donate a minimum of 5 per cent of their annual sales to "initiatives for the development of Canadian talent," such as funds that help development both English and French-new musical artists.
The Astral/Corus application has promised to provide the highest level of Canadian music and programming of the three, a key concern for the Canadian regulator. The Astral/Corus station plans to offer 50 channels produced entirely in Canada, 20 per cent of which will be in French language, as well as five channels geared towards the Aboriginal, Chinese, German, Italian and South Asian communities.
There are already thousands of Canadians receiving U.S.-based satellite radio service in Canada. Prior to the release of the CRTC's decision, there had been concern about the amount of Canadian content the U.S.-based satellite companies would provide. Each has proposed to include several Canadian channels among the more than 100 channels they beam across North America.
Most industry players and other observers had expected that licences would be granted to all three of the applicants, but with detailed and possibly restrictive conditions.
Instead of stabilizing the subscription radio scene and preparing it for a smooth launch in Canada, the CRTC decision could end up causing even more turmoil.
With files from Richard Blackwell and Simon Tuck. |
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| Jem_hadar |
We should start to see these stations hopefully by the end of the year!
-jem- |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by Jem_hadar
We should start to see these stations hopefully by the end of the year!
-jem- |
Don't count on it. In fact, Sirius may give up on Canada all together due to the restrictive regulations now in place.
Don't expect any Canadian EDM channels either, also due to the regulations.
The CRTC needs to be reformed. The Lieberals don't want to reform it because they use the media to stay in power. |
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| VERTiG0 |
This is why my dad uses a US PO box as a mailing address, and has XM in his work van.
BTW: The EDM channels on XM suck anyway. |
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| Jayx1 |
There goes the government telling us what we can and cant listen to.
North Korea, China and Cuba are also places whose governments severely restrict content.
Down with the CRTC:whip: :whip: :whip: :whip: |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by VERTiG0
This is why my dad uses a US PO box as a mailing address, and has XM in his work van.
BTW: The EDM channels on XM suck anyway. |
it's a matter of time before the big DJ's go to satellite radio..
Armin perhaps? will we see ASOT on XM or Sirius? it's very possible
edit: not in Canada though |
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| rabbitjoker |
| Damn CanCon requirements ruining yet another opportunity for consumers... |
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| ChemEnhanced |
It is only a matter of time before satellite radio is the norm. It wasn't that long ago that people would not even consider paying for cable television and now almost everyone has it. It wasn't that long ago that people said they would not pay for internet access at home...yet almost everyone has it.
In less then five years every car will have satellite radio access as the norm. They will start you out with a one month trial and then if you want to continue the service it will cost you what ever the going rate is....probably around $12.00 per month.
In less then 10 years I am willing to bet that 80% of the people on this website will have satellite radio and 100% of us will know someone that has it.
The government is so out of date with technology and don't see what is ahead. Go figure...if my grandparents can't see it then why would I expect the government to see it. |
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| malek |
| quote: | Originally posted by VERTiG0
BTW: The EDM channels on XM suck anyway. |
:(
i had some high hopes on getting XM just for those EDM channels :/ |
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| ShadoWolf |
| quote: | Originally posted by malek
:(
i had some high hopes on getting XM just for those EDM channels :/ |
supposely their rap channels (and Sirius' too) are really good
but with the Canadian content (including French language) rules, the CRTC is about to make Roi Heenok a very rich man
Isn't that enough to make you subscribe?
:stongue: |
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| malek |
| quote: | Originally posted by ShadoWolf
supposely their rap channels (and Sirius' too) are really good
but with the Canadian content (including French language) rules, the CRTC is about to make Roi Heenok a very rich man
Isn't that enough to make you subscribe?
:stongue: |
well roi heenok rocks (not) but still makes me laugh alot, worth the 12$ a month or so.
actually i didn't find these regulations very harsh. They're the same as other regulations for regular radio (except the ratios which only make sense to satelite radio). |
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| AdReNaLiNa |
| CRTC makes me really mad sometimes :mad: |
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