Re: [Swprograms] More on Sirius in Canada

[John Figliozzi <jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I work in the telecommunications bureau of the NY State Public  
Service Commission.  This state of affairs in Canada with Sirius just  
makes me laugh when the industries and companies we "regulate"  
complain about the heavy hand of government.  They ought to try to go  
a few rounds with the CRTC and then come back and talk to us.

John Figliozzi

On Aug 30, 2005, at 4:47 PM, Sandy Finlayson wrote:

>
>
>
> Satellite radio players defensive
> Sirius to add more French-language satellite radio service to  
> appease cabinet
> By John Ward
> Canadian Press
>
> http://www.cbcwatch.ca/?q=node/view/1301
>
> OTTAWA - Satellite radio provider Sirius Canada Inc., is scrambling  
> to increase its French-language programming in the hope of staving  
> off a cabinet-ordered review of its license approval.
>
> Heritage Minister Liza Frulla is working on a proposal that will  
> ask her cabinet colleagues to order a review of a CRTC decision  
> that awarded three licences for satellite radio service.
>
> Some Liberal MPs complained that the June decision short-changed  
> francophones.
>
> The cabinet has until Sept. 14 to approve, reject or send the  
> licence decision back to the Canadian Radio-television and  
> Telecommunications Commission for a review.
>
> Kevin Shea, CEO of Sirius, said he hopes his company can address  
> the complaints and avoid a review.
>
> "We're well aware of the fact that Mme. Frulla does have some  
> concerns with respect to the equality of French service, meaning  
> the number of francophone Canadian services," he said Monday.
>
> "What we are busy working at now . . . is to try and see if we can  
> address some of those issues and quickly."
>
> The preferred solution is to beef up French-language offerings, he  
> said.
>
> Other concerns, such as Canadian content and financial commitment  
> were addressed over a lengthy series of CRTC hearings, he added.
>
> The subscription radio licences issued to Sirius Canada Inc., and  
> Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., require the satellite providers to  
> produce eight original channels in Canada and one francophone  
> channel for every three English-language stations. Most channels  
> will be American.
>
> A third licence was issued to a consortium of CHUM Ltd. and Astral  
> Media Inc. They complain that their business model will not work  
> against the Sirius-CSR plan to beam hundreds of channels of radio  
> content from U.S.-owned satellites to Canadian subscribers.
>
> CHUM-Astral launched their own appeal against their competitors.
>
> There was no word if CSR will try to expand its French-language  
> offerings to help appease the cabinet. Company president John  
> Bitove has said a review would delay the introduction of satellite  
> radio for years.
>
> That would hurt automakers General Motors and Daimler-Chrysler,  
> which want to factory-install digital receivers in some 2006 models.
>
> The digital radio decision sparked controversy from the moment the  
> CRTC gave its approval.
>
> The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting enlisted a number of cultural  
> and labour groups, ranging from the Canadian Conference of the Arts  
> to the Canadian Auto Workers, to send a petition to cabinet to set  
> aside the decision. The petition said the Canadian-content rules  
> for the subscription services were well below levels required for  
> conventional broadcasters. The concern was that these broadcasters  
> would demand similar treatment at licence renewal time, watering  
> down Canadian content overall.
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> -------------------------
>
> Seven out of ten Canadians support CRTC in granting licenses to  
> Canadian satellite radio providers
>
> http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/August2005/29/c3898.html
>
>     -- Satisfied with Canadian content requirements --
>
>     TORONTO, Aug. 29 /CNW/ - A recent study commissioned by Sirius  
> Canada
> revealed 76% of Canadians support the Canadian Radio and  
> Telecommunications
> Commission's (CRTC) decision to grant satellite radio licenses to  
> Canadian
> providers.
>     Furthermore, only 21% of Quebecers think the federal cabinet  
> should
> overturn the CRTC decision and not allow the current satellite  
> radio options
> while 69% of Quebecers support the CRTC ruling. In Quebec, there  
> has been some
> recent opposition and a coalition of arts groups has appealed the CRTC
> decision. These appeals are to be reviewed by federal cabinet  
> officials in the
> coming weeks.
>     "One rarely sees this kind of consensus in the country on any  
> topic, said
> Kevin Shea, President and CEO, Sirius Canada. "We were delighted to  
> see that
> Quebecers support satellite radio just as the rest of Canada," he  
> added. "With
> satellite radio, Quebecers will get the opportunity to listen to  
> French radio
> wherever they are in North America."
>     Awareness of satellite radio appears to be increasing among  
> Canadians.
> While a survey last fall reported that 44% of Canadians were aware  
> of the
> service, this survey finds 63% indicating some level of awareness  
> and 36% say
> they have a reasonably high level of awareness of the service.
>
>     Exposure for Canadian Artists
>
>     One of the most compelling factors about the current satellite  
> radio
> proposals that excites most Canadians, including Quebecers, is the  
> exposure
> Canadian artists will get throughout North America. More than 71%  
> of Canadians
> surveyed responded positively to the fact that Canadian artists  
> will now be
> featured on satellite radio throughout Canada and the U.S. to more  
> than
> 6.2 million current subscribers.
>     Furthermore, 69% of Quebecers agree (31% strongly agree) that  
> having four
> commercial-free 100% French radio stations broadcast throughout  
> North America
> will provide Quebec artists with great exposure.
>     In fact, Quebec respondents are more interested in the prospect  
> of having
> Quebec artists heard all over North America than they are about the  
> prospect
> of American English channels threatening Quebec culture (27%  
> strongly agree.)
>     "At a time when Quebec artists such as Gregory Charles or Jonas  
> are
> beginning to receive worldwide attention, but still finding current  
> radio
> formats somewhat restrictive, satellite radio will open the door to  
> a huge
> North American listening audience," said Shea.
>
>     Canadian Content
>
>     Compared to other major policy issues facing the country, the  
> issue of
> Canadian content, even with Quebecers, was not deemed to be a high  
> priority to
> most Canadians. While most Canadians were quite satisfied with the  
> level of
> Canadian content required by the CRTC and do not see satellite  
> radio as any
> threat to Canadian culture, not surprisingly Quebecers would prefer  
> more
> French stations.
>
>     Market Potential
>
>     In terms of market potential, 22% of Canadians said that they  
> would be
> interested in subscribing to a satellite radio service with 21%  
> interest in
> Quebec. But by far the strongest interest comes from younger  
> Canadians, with
> one third of Canadians under the age of 35 interested in becoming  
> subscribers
> to satellite radio.
>
>     Grey Market
>
>     The study also looked at the current "grey market", that is  
> existing
> subscribers and potential of Canadian subscribers to a U.S.  
> offering. While
> only 2% of respondents currently were subscribers, more than 9%  
> knew someone
> who already has a subscription. Furthermore, 12% of Canadians say  
> they would
> be interested in subscribing to the service in the U.S. if  
> satellite radio was
> not licensed in Canada.
>     "We believe that there are currently over 100,000 Canadians  
> already
> subscribing to satellite radio in the U.S.," said Shea. "If 12% of  
> Canadians
> would be interested in joining the grey market through the U.S.,  
> that's close
> to three million Canadians."
>
>     The national study, conducted by Veraxis Research and  
> Communications in
> August of this year, consisted of a sample of 1,200 Canadians,  
> including 500
> in Quebec.
>
>
>
> For further information: Nolan Reeds/Jeff Roman, Edelman Public
> Relations, (416) 979-1120; Kevin Shea, Sirius Canada, (416) 323-5414
>
>
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