Satellite Radio

The CRTC And Satellite Radio: Past And Present

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been the authoritative figure in broadcasting and telecommunications activities for the past four decades.  Established in 1968, the CRTC is regulated by the Canadian Parliament.  Its purpose is to put in force the guidelines according to Canada’s Telecommunications Act and the Broadcasting Act.  The purpose of the Telecommunications Act is maintain reliable telecommunications service and ensure the privacy of media and citizens.  Meanwhile the purpose of the Broadcasting Act is to promote and maintain Canadian culture.  When the issue of satellite radio came knocking a few years ago, the CRTC had to make a decision regarding the new wave of technology and how it would be regulated.

In June 2005, the CRTC granted licensure to two new businesses—Sirius Canada and Canadian XM  Satellite Radio.  The companies were teamed up with their two U.S. counterparts.  The decision was controversial due to the concerns raised by people holding strong beliefs in their national culture.  The concerns centered around a decision by the CRTC to only require 10% of the content aired via satellite radio to be Canadian entertainment.  They fear that Canadian music culture will be diminished as a result of the stipulations.  As the rules currently stand, there must be no less than eight channels produced within the country, and for every nine U.S. channels, there must be at least one Canadian channel.

Sirius Canada and XM Radio Canada are very similar.  Sirius offers 120 live digital channels, while XM offers 130.  Both have a package starting at around $14.99 per month.  Both are free of commercials and offer the best of news talk, music, sports, and entertainment.  Finally, both offer online broadcasting for those who are looking to avoid paying for a Sirius or XM tuner.  The main difference between the two are their exclusive entertainment options.  XM Sports offers the following in sports: major league baseball, PGA, hockey, racing, and college football from the ACC, PAC 10, and the Big Ten.  Other entertainment includes MTV, VH1, E! Entertainment, and Oprah Winfrey.  On the flip side, XM Sports offers three major sports: football, basketball and hockey, as well as other stuff like Discovery, Court TV, A&E, Playboy Radio, Martha Stewart, and the infamous Howard Stern.  Currently, Sirius is outscoring XM in subscribers 3 to 2.

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