Fears over digital piracy and the Americanization of subscription radio in Canada have emerged as the two greatest concerns by interveners in the CRTC’s ongoing licensing procedure. The two proposed satellite subscription services – one by a partnership of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc., Standard Radio Inc. and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. for Canadian Satellite Service (CSS), and the other by XM Satellite Radio and Canadian entrepreneur John Bitove for Canadian Satellite Radio (CSR) – are singled out for their lack of Canadian content. On the other hand, CHUM Subscription Radio Canada (CSRC), a proposed terrestrial-based subscription radio service by CHUM Ltd., and new partner Astral Media, is questioned for its ability to ensure protection of the digital music it will deliver (CCR, July 30/04).

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