Sirius expected to boost French-language satellite service

At least one of Canada's nascent satellite radio companies is expected to boost its French-language content today, to assuage Quebec politicians who want the licences nipped in the bud by the federal cabinet.

Sirius Canada Inc. president Kevin Shea said yesterday the firm will announce in Montreal that it will increase the number of its French stations to four, matching its proposed number of English Canadian stations.

Mr. Shea was speaking after a news conference at a trendy Toronto restaurant, where musicians, retailers and car makers urged the federal cabinet not to reverse the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's decision to license Sirius and Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., both of which will carry a vast majority of U.S. channels.

Lobbying on both sides of the issue is heating up, with Quebec Liberal MPs, and a number of cultural and business groups urging the cabinet to reject the licences or return the issue to the CRTC for reconsideration.

CSR head John Bitove Jr. would not say whether his organization will also boost its French content, but it will announce today the hiring of a major Quebec music personality to handle its French programming.

Musicians at the news conference said that getting exposure in the U.S. through the Canadian-produced satellite channels is crucial.

Franz Schuller, a musician who is also president of Indica Records in Montreal, said getting U.S. airplay is more important than content rules. "[Canadian content] doesn't get us [U.S.] airplay and doesn't help us in our careers," he said.

Among the group's lobbying for a reconsideration of the licences is CHUM Ltd., which got permission to set up a subscription radio network similar to the satellite systems, but using ground-based transmitters. CHUM objects to the relatively low Canadian content requirements imposed on the satellite companies, which must have 10 per cent of their channels Canadian. That breaches the Broadcast Act, and is "an assault on the Canadian content regime," said CHUM's head of regulatory affairs Peter Miller.

Sarmite Bulte, parliamentary secretary to Heritage Minister Liza Frulla, applauded the Sirius offer, but lamented that it's outside the established process. "There's no legislative process that allows them to do this."

Sen. Jim Munson, another Liberal who wants more Canadian content, called the gesture "positive," but said he's not sure if it's enough to change his mind.