Sirius Canada & missing music channels

[dylan_b]

I just received a Sportster 5 for Xmas & I'm loving it so far. I have it on a one year Canadian sub.

Now I'm thinking about picking up a 2nd receiver, the Stiletto SL2. I'm undecided about adding it as a 2nd unit on my Canadian sub., or getting a U.S. lifetime sub. for it.

I like the idea of supporting Sirius Canada, yet I'm interested in the missing music channels available from Sirius U.S. Will Sirius Canada be adding channels 29, 50, 92 & SIR-2 (not really interested in 68). Will they take away Planet Jazz on channel 70 & replace it with Disorder (I prefer Planet Jazz)?

[hugh]

Will Sirius Canada be adding channels 29, 50, 92 & SIR-2 (not really interested in 68)

Those are questions you need to ask them! Isn't Planet Jazz already gone?

[FLACer]

Originally Posted by hugh

Those are questions you need to ask them! Isn't Planet Jazz already gone?

Yes on both accounts.

Planet Jazz was replaced by The Grateful Dead channel, but I'm not sure if the former will be returning to the lineup.

People have been complaining to Sirius Canada about adding channels 29, 50 and 92 (along with the rest of the missing US lineup) for quite a while now but there doesn't seem to be any hurry for them to do so.

As for SIR-2 (The Bridge), that channel is only available online until the Springsteen hijack of channel 10 is completed; when he and The E Street Band finally leave, The Bridge will be returning to the regular satellite lineup back on channel 10.

So...

If you want the channels you mentioned, and at a lower overall cost, then Sirius US is definitely the way to go. (Actually, it's the only way to go. )

[dylan_b]

My mistake, Planet Jazz content is gone but channel 70 still has the name "Planet Jazz" listed as the channel name.

[FLACer]

Originally Posted by dylan_b

My mistake, Planet Jazz content is gone but channel 70 still has the name "Planet Jazz" listed as the channel name.

Hopefully Sirius will correct the channel titles for the channel map in the near future. Since this is done via Sirius US, that's the only way it will be corrected for Sirius Canada cutomers as well. Unfortunately, this task is another one of those things that always seems to get delayed for one reason or another.

[swansongtoo]

Actually both these channels have been available in the past.

When Sirius launched in Decmeber 2006 (was '06 I believe) Rumbon was available in Canada but pulled soon after.

Hot Jamz was available last year in the spring I believe but it too didn't remain available very long. I think it was gone by the fall.

[jwt873]

Sirius Canada would love to offer all the channels, but they are prohibited from doing so by the CRTC. There can only be nine US channels for every Canadian channel..

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/NEWS/RELEA...05/r050616.htm

The Commission placed conditions on the two newly-licensed satellite radio services, designed to ensure the broadcast of Canadian content and to benefit established and new Canadian artists.

The Commission is requiring that the satellite subscription radio licensees offer:

* At least eight original channels produced in Canada. A maximum of nine foreign channels may be offered for each Canadian channel;
* At least 85% of the musical selections and spoken word programming broadcast on the Canadian channels must be Canadian;
* At least 25% of the Canadian channels must be in the French language;
* At least 25% of the musical selections on the Canadian channels must be new Canadian musical selections;
* A further 25% of the selections must be by emerging Canadian artists.

[FLACer]

Originally Posted by swansongtoo

When Sirius launched in Decmeber 2006 (was '06 I believe) Rumbon was available in Canada but pulled soon after.

I don't seem to recall Rumbon ever being offered in the satellite lineup, but it has always been available online. You may indeed be correct though. On the other hand, Universo Latino has always been available through both the satellite and online options.

Originally Posted by swansongtoo

Hot Jamz was available last year in the spring I believe but it too didn't remain available very long. I think it was gone by the fall.

They yanked Hot Jamz from the lineup in February of 2007. I'll never understand why they did this because it's one of their more popular channels.

[dmccorm140]

I just added Hot Jamz to one of my favorites and it got cancelled.

[JJJBBB]

I set my Stiletto 2 for weather from Tampa Clearwater as I am back and forth all the time and it won't show up on my Canadian sub but the Sportster 4 with a US sub shows up. Why would they block a weather channel for pete's sake?

So it's not just music it's also weather and talk as the political channels are blocked as I just realized too.

[jwt873]

The CRTC rules state that Sirius and XM can only have a maximum of nine foreign channels for each Canadian channel. They don't care what the channel content is.

[FLACer]

Originally Posted by jwt873

The CRTC rules state that Sirius and XM can only have a maximum of nine foreign channels for each Canadian channel. They don't care what the channel content is.

Yes, but don't forget that XM Canada allows the US traffic and weather stations on their service and apparently these particular stations do not count towards the 9 to 1 CRTC imposed ratio. Therefore, I have always said that Sirius Canada should put their US equivalents in their lineup as well. It doesn't really matter if you never plan on listening to them in Canada, but if there should come a time when you might have too, the fact that they're available might prove to be invaluable.

[jwt873]

OK.. I see what you mean.. I agree there.. If Sirius Canada can put the US traffic stations online, they should. Many people travel in the US by car.. Especially in the summer.

I have a US Sirius subscription and I've driven to Arizona, Florida and California since I got it. The weather and city traffic reports have come in handy more than once..