OTTAWA – Citing unnamed sources, a report this (Friday) evening from the Canadian Press says the federal cabinet is about to ask the CRTC to rescind its June decision to license two satellite radio providers.
As reported by www.cartt.ca, many cultural groups, as well as traditional radio companies (led by CHUM Ltd. and Astral Media, which together won a competing terrestrial digital radio license), have asked that the decision be set aside.
CHUM has warned that its proposed service probably won’t launch at all if the two satellite providers remain.
On June 16, the CRTC granted satellite radio licenses to Canadian Satellite Radio (a partnership between John Bitove and XM Satellite) and SIRIUS Satellite Canada (a partnership between SIRIUS, Standard Broadcasting and the CBC).
The objectors say that there simply isn’t enough Canadian content planned for the satellite services which, by condition of license, must offer eight channels which are to be nearly all-Canadian. French groups object that the two companies will only offer three channels in that language (although the license conditions call for just two).
Backers say that the grey market will then flood into Canada without the two Canadian companies and that the eight all-Canadian channels will be heard North America-wide, which is great news for Canadian artists, say some of them.
Cabinet has until September 14th to decide what it might do, says the CP report.
