Canadian Satellite Radio - Service or Content License?

[xmastree]

Does anyone know for certainty how Sirius & XM Canada license their programming? Is/was it service based ie: Sirius Canada buys/licenses the Sirius US service, likewise for XM Canada, or is it content based, ie: Sirius Canada licenses programming, Howard, NFL ect. for broadcast in Canada?

A recent post by one of the mods on siriussoundboard.ca would suggest that there is still exclusivity here in Canada because there are still 2 seperate companies. (Sirius Canada has exclusive rights to Howard, NFL, ect and XM has exclusive rights to NHL ect.) this was given as the reason there won't be a Best of XM/Sirius available to Canadian subs?

Any thoughts?

 

[jwt873]

I've noticed the "Not available in Canada" comment right after the Best Of commercials on Sirius.

Sirius-XM USA is a partner of Sirius Canada... XM Canada is a publicly traded company and Sirius-XM USA owns about 25% of the stock.

I think the main problem with Canadians getting the 'Best Of' package is that it has to get by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission... They regulate what Canadians are allowed to hear.. I don't think there is enough Canadian content in the 'Best Of' package to meet their rules, so it won't be allowed.

 

[xmastree]

I've noticed the "Not available in Canada" comment right after the Best Of commercials on Sirius.

Sirius-XM USA is a partner of Sirius Canada... XM Canada is a publicly traded company and Sirius-XM USA owns about 25% of the stock.

I think the main problem with Canadians getting the 'Best Of' package is that it has to get by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission... They regulate what Canadians are allowed to hear.. I don't think there is enough Canadian content in the 'Best Of' package to meet their rules, so it won't be allowed.

This has always been the problem with Sirius Canada/US, what has me concerned is the comments that are made about exclusive content in Canada. Simply put the folks at Sirius Canada are saying because the 2 companies in Canada have not merge then will not be getting each others content at all because the content is exclusive to one another specifically mentioned were and the NHL.

So either they are confused about how things work up here, or they are aware of whats going on and are unwilling to let customers know what is going on and using the merger an excuse.

Either way its going to interesting to see what happens as the music channels start to merge and change over to the sirius channels. Will XM Canada subscribers get changes these or not?

 

[jwt873]

Have you contacted Sirius or XM Canada to see what their official policy is? (They'll probably stonewall you, but it's worth a try ) I recall when Sirius Canada first came on line, they didn't carry Howard Stern. But I think pressure made them change their minds. This might hold true with the 'Best Of' packages.

If Sirius and XM simulcast the same content on their music channels, they will have to be the same in Canada. There isn't anything the Canadian companies can do to stop it.

Of course, the US subscribers are kind of in limbo too.. Nobody really knows what is going to happen for sure.