Sirius, CSR to boost French satellite content

Sirius Canada Inc. and Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., the two nascent satellite radio companies lobbying to prevent the federal cabinet from killing their licences, yesterday said they will boost the French language content on their systems. Both said they will raise the number of French channels to four from three, so that they will each have an equal number of French and English channels. Sirius and CSR have been under pressure to make changes after Quebec members of the Liberal caucus complained. Some MPs, and business and cultural groups, feel the requirement that 10 per cent of the channels be Canadian is insufficient. A spokesman for Heritage Minister Liza Frulla, who is expected to recommend to cabinet that they return the decision to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for reconsideration, said the minister is listening carefully to "all representations" being made on the issue. Richard Blackwell, Simon Tuck