Canadian Satellite TV Can't Offer SatRad Without License Changes

Canadian Satellite television providers' radio plans hit snag
GRANT ROBERTSON, Friday, November 03, 2006

Satellite television providers won't be able to offer satellite radio on their service without first applying for changes to their broadcast licences, which puts a cloud of uncertainty over the strategy.
Bell ExpressVu sought to add satellite radio to its lineup this year, a move that was backed by subscription radio companies Sirius Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio (CSR), which operates the XM Canada franchise.
Sirius and XM, want to expand their audience by putting their signals on new platforms, including cell phones and TV.
However, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. protested the idea, arguing that satellite radio constitutes a new broadcast operation, not merely a change in programming for the satellite TV carriers.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) agreed. In a ruling Friday, the regulator said it will require satellite TV companies to argue for licence amendments if they want to carry the radio feeds.
Satellite TV providers "do not have the authority . . . to distribute the CSR and Sirius programming in the absence of a specific condition of licence allowing such distribution," the regulator said in its ruling....read more: here

11/05/2006 09:02:00 AM

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