FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa – Today's CRTC decision on pay radio runs counter to the Broadcasting Act and Parliament's goal of ensuring Canadian programs are predominant on Canadian airwaves, according to the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.

"The CRTC got it wrong today.  This decision does not reflect the legal requirement that Canadian broadcasters must offer homegrown programs.  Today's decision creates a pipeline for U.S. radio programs direct to Canada, with little in return for our country" says Friends spokesperson Ian Morrison.

The Broadcasting Act states that "each element of the Canadian broadcasting system shall contribute in an appropriate manner to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming", and "each broadcasting undertaking shall make maximum use, and in no case less than predominant use, of Canadian creative and other resources in the creation and presentation of programming, unless the nature of the service provided by the undertaking, such as specialized content or format or the use of languages other than French and English, renders that use impracticable, in which case the undertaking shall make the greatest practicable use of those resources"

It is difficult to see how these broadcasting policies governed the Commission's evaluation of the Sirius Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. applications when today's decision approves:

• 9 foreign radio channels for every Canadian channel
• A minimum of only 8 Canadian channels
• Only modest requirements to fund Canadian programs and talent development

The CBC, a 40% owner of Sirius Radio Canada, is abdicating its special mandate to present Canadian programs.  Sirius was approved for licencing today to deliver 72 pay radio channels, only 8 of which are required to be Canadian.

"If Mr. Rabinovitch had been CBC President when TV technology was first developed, CBC would be broadcasting ABC and CBS with a little more than 1 hour of Canadian programs each day," Morrison said

Friends is predicting today's decision will create a flood of demand from other broadcasters to lower their requirements to fund and play Canadian programs, particularly music.  Currently, Canadian conventional radio stations must play a minimum of 35% Canadian music artists.  Talk formats cannot offer less than 50% Canadian content.

"Today, the CRTC and CBC have attempted to re-write the Broadcasting Act even though the Commons Heritage committee recently endorsed the values and merit of the Act," Morrison said.

Friends welcomes the Commission's decision to licence the all-Canadian CHUM/Astral bid. 

Friends will be meeting other concerned cultural organizations tomorrow to consider next steps concerning today's pay radio decision.

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is an independent, Canada-wide, non-partisan broadcast watchdog organization which is supported by 60,000 households.  Friends' mission is to defend and enhance the quality and quantity of Canadian programming in Canada's audio-visual system. Friends is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party.

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For information:

Jim Thompson 613-447-9592

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