The CRTC will not permit satellite TV provider Bell ExpressVu to offer subscription radio services (like XM or Sirius) on its service without getting Commission approval first. [ruling]
     The CBC complained to the Commission in March that both Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice were said to be readying deals with satellite radio services. The CBC said to do so without specific prior CRTC approval would contravene federal regulations.
     ”The concern is that [the providers] would have done it outside of existing pay audio rules,” Bev Kirshenblatt, CBC’s senior director of regulatory affairs told InsideTheCBC.com. “And because Galaxie is a discretionary service, it would seem likely that either [providers] would drop Galaxie or it could have driven down prices.”
     Under current regulations, both CBC-owned Galaxie and its competitor MaxTrax can carry only music — no talk.
     Bell ExpressVu says it’s disappointed by the decision. “It denied Bell Xpressvu the right to immediately carry out these exciting licenced Canadian services,” said Bell spokesperson Jeff Meerman. “It seems inconsistent of the Commission to permit content to reach Canadians in their vehicles and homes using one form of receiver, but not using a satellite receiver.”
     Sirius Canada, 40% of which is owned by the CBC, opposed the CBC’s original petition. “We’re interested in getting our content out in a different way to a different audience,” Sirius Canada spokesperson Jeff Roman said. He declined to comment on if talks are underway with various providers.
     The door is not closed, though. The CBC says Rogers, Bell, Videotron, and Telus have each asked the commission to amend their licence so they can add such services. The CBC has already intervened in these cases. A CRTC decision is expected within two months.

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	Galaxie Music, Sirius Satellite, The CRTC