At the beginning of hearings that eventually could lead to Canada licensing satellite radio, at least one regulator is not pleased at the amount of Canadian content planned by XM and its partners.
XM and Sirius, with Canadian partners, each plan to offer four channels of Canadian content at first, split between English and French-language programming. Both services offer more than 100 channels overall.
According to the CBC, Joan Pennefather, a commissioner with the Canadian regulatory body, said four channels isn’t enough.
John Bitove, a Canadian partners of XM’s, said technology is changing so quickly that some of the domestic content rules governing Canadian broadcasting may need to be revised. According to the CBC, Bitove said Canadian Satellite Radio plans to expand Canadian content if it receives a license, but as the service becomes more global it’s important to get in on the action now.
Some 50,000 Canadians with U.S. mailing addresses subscribe to U.S. satellite radio, the CBC reports.
Regulator Says Four Canadian Satellite Channels Too Slim
Regulator Says Four Canadian Satellite Channels Too Slim
