Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 13024 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08 2011/05/09 2011/05/10 2011/05/11 2011/05/12 2011/05/13 2011/05/14 2011/05/15 2011/05/16 2011/05/17 2011/05/18 2011/05/19 2011/05/20 2011/05/21 2011/05/22 2011/05/23 2011/05/24 2011/05/25 2011/05/26 2011/05/27

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/05 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/07
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/12
1993/01 1993/10
1994/12
1996/07 1996/11
1997/06 1997/10 1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ASEC AEMR AMGT AR APECO AU AORC AJ AF AFIN AS AM AID ADM AFFAIRS AND APER APEC ALOW ACOA AA ATRN AE ADPM ABLD AINF ASEAN AL AG AO AMED ARF ADANA ADCO AADP AY AORG ABUD AROC AGAO APCS AODE ACABQ AX AMEX AZ ASUP ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ACBAQ AFSI AFSN AC ASIG ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE ASCH AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AIT ANET AGMT ACS AGR AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BM BO BTIO BC BP BE BIDEN BILAT BH BX BF BBSR BT BMGT BWC BN BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CD CV CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CONS CW CM COM COUNTRY CN CY CT CONDOLEEZZA CICTE CYPRUS CBE CDC COUNTER CR CARSON COPUOS CTR CFED CKGR CHR CVR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE COE CARICOM CB CSW CIC CITT CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CAC CL CACS CAPC
DR DJ DHS DAO DCM DOD DA DEFENSE DOMESTIC DO DK DE DPRK DEPT DEA DISENGAGEMENT DOE DTRA DS DEAX
ECON ETTC EFIS ETRD EC EMIN EAGR EAID EU EFIN EUN ECIN EG EWWT EINV ENRG ELAB EPET EN EAIR EUMEM ECPS ELTN EIND EZ EI ER ET EINT EXIM ENIV ECONOMY ERNG ENERG ES EK ELECTIONS EAIDS EFTA EUREM EPA ENGR ETRC EXTERNAL ENVI ELN ECA EFINECONCS EINVEFIN ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ETC ENVR EAP EINN ECONOMIC EXBS ENGY ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN EDU ETRDEINVTINTCS ECIP EFIM EREL EINVETC ECONCS ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FR FI FINR FBI FINANCE FTAA FREEDOM FJ FTA FAO FDA FM FARC FAC FOREIGN FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO FAS
GM GG GERARD GT GA GR GTIP GV GLOBAL GTMO GANGS GH GOV GOI GL GF GCC GAERC GE GZ GAZA GY
HR HO HA HYMPSK HK HUMAN HU HILLARY HI HURI HSTC HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD ISRAELI IRAQI ILC ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN IPR ID ICAO ITRA ICRC INMARSAT IO INTERNAL IIP IRS IEFIN ICJ ICTY IWC IQ IA INTERPOL IEA INR INRB IAHRC ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI INDO IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRA INRO IBET INTELSAT IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JOSEPH JUS JOHN JAMES JOHNNIE
KOMC KNNP KFLO KDEM KSUM KIPR KFLU KPAO KE KCRM KJUS KAWC KZ KSCA KDRG KCOR KGHG KPAL KTIP KMCA KCRS KPKO KOLY KRVC KVPR KG KMDR KWBG KTER KSPR KV KTFN KWMN KFRD KSTH KS KN KISL KGIC KSEP KFIN KTEX KTIA KUNR KCMR KMOC KCIP KTDB KBIO KSTC KICC KCRCM KIRC KSAF KR KSEO KU KIRF KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTBT KCOM KAID KNUP KOCI KPOA KPRV KMFO KENV KMPI KBCT KHLS KNPP KBTS KIDE KPAONZ KNUC KSCI KHDP KPRP KTLA KHIV KCSY KTRD KNAR KWAC KJUST KAWK KACT KVIR KO KHSA KNNPMNUC KPWR KCFE KX KMRS KERG KVRP KNDP KRCM KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KREL KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRAD KBTR KGIT KGCC KICA KHUM KSEC KPIN KESS KDEV KPIR KWWMN KOM KWNM KRFD KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KREC KIFR KSAC KWMNCS KPAK KOMS KRIM KDDG KCGC KPAI KFSC KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LI LG LH LTTE LAB LO LT LA LU LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE ML MR MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MO MTCR MIL MAPP MZ MP MG MAR MD MU MA MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MAS MT MCC MIK MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MEPP MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MI MQADHAFI MPOS MPS MC
NZ NATO NI NO NG NL NU NPT NS NSF NSSP NA NATIONAL NDP NR NP NIPP NE NGO NZUS NH NSG NAFTA NC NEW NRR NT NASA NAR NK NATOPREL NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG
OTRA OECD OVIP OREP OPRC ODC OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OIIP OPAD OPCW OEXC ODIP OFDP OIE OFFICIALS OHUM OSCI OTR OMIG OSAC OBSP OFDA OVP ON OCII OES OCS OIC
PGOV PREL PARM PINR PHUM PM PREF PTER PK PINS PBIO PHSA PE PBTS PL POL PAK POV PGOF PAS PCI PA PALESTINIAN PTE POLITICS PROP PMIL PREO POLITICAL PAIGH PO PROG PJUS PARMS PSI PRAM PTERE PG PDOV PAO POLICY PRGOV PORG PP PS PKFK PSOE PEPR PPA PINT PMAR PRELP PREFA PNG PFOR PUNE PGOVLO PHUMBA PNAT POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PDEM PECON PY PLN PHUH PF PHUS PTBS PU PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PINL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR PROV
QA
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL ROBERT RICE RM RO REGION ROOD RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SY SO SP SU SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SG SW SR SYRIA SEN SC SCRS SWE SF SNARIZ SARS SL SAARC STEINBERG SN SAN ST SIPDIS SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SANC SHI SEVN SHUM SK SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TF TC TN TW TT TL TV TS TK TERRORISM TD TP TO TRSY TURKEY TZ TINT TFIN TAGS TR TBID THPY
UK UNSC UNGA UN US USTR UZ USEU UV UG UP UNAUS UNMIK UNHRC UNEP UY UNHCR UNESCO USUN USPS UNCHR USAID USNC USOAS UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNDP UNODC UNCHS UNFICYP UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNICEF UNCHC UNCSD UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VE VM VT VZ VTEG VTIZ VTPREL VENZ VAT VC VI VN
WHTI WIPO WTRO WTO WHO WMD WBG WS WI WZ WWARD WHA WITH WTRQ WEU WMO WA WFP WB
XA XR XW XX XK XL XM XS XF XG XT XH XY XV XB XU XD XC XZ XE XQ XI XTAG
YI YM YMCS YE
ZU ZI ZP ZR ZL ZOELLICK ZF ZJ ZB ZO ZEALAND ZN ZA ZK ZANU

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 05OTTAWA2745, SUBSCRIPTION RADIO:

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05OTTAWA2745.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05OTTAWA2745 | 2005-09-13 14:36 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Ottawa

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

    131436Z Sep 05

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002745

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE

    PASS USTR FOR CLUNE, BALASSA, BURCKY AND SCHNARE

    STATE FOR EB/CIP, EB/DCT AND WHA/CAN

    DOC FOR ITA/MAC -- OFFICE OF NAFTA

    FCC FOR INTERNATIONAL BUREAU

    PARIS FOR USMISSION UNESCO

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: ECPS ETRD CA
    SUBJECT:  SUBSCRIPTION RADIO:
         CANADA ALLOWS LICENSE DECISION TO STAND

    REF: (A) OTTAWA 2620  (B) OTTAWA 1865

    ¶1.   (U) Sensitive, but unclassified.  Not for distribution
    outside USG channels.

    ¶2.   (U) SUMMARY/INTRODUCTION:  On September 9, after
    furious lobbying from both sides, the GOC decided not to
    remand a regulatory licensing decision for subscription
    radio (ref B outlines the June decision by the broadcast
    regulator).  This allows U.S.-based XM and Sirius to extend
    their services into Canada in coming months, albeit with
    further concessions on French-language content and Canadian
    programming.  This episode may augur changes on the
    bilateral "cultural policy" front, which has been quiescent
    in recent years.  In particular, technological changes
    continue to make the regulation of content more difficult,
    which is threatening to Canada's cultural-nationalist
    groups.  END SUMMARY/INTRODUCTION

    ¶3.   (U) After a week of indecision, during which the full
    Cabinet and an ad hoc committee both failed to resolve this
    issue, the government's operations committee decided on
    September 9 not/not to send the licensing decision back to
    the regulator, the Canadian Radio-Television and
    Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), for reconsideration.
    With the expiry of a 90-day review window, the CRTC
    licensing decision issued in early June now stands.  That
    decision allowed Canadian versions of both XM and Sirius
    satellite radio to operate in Canada, provided that (like
    all licensed broadcasters in Canada) they met specific
    Canadian-content and French-language-content requirements
    (on the order of 10 percent and 2.5 percent of programming
    respectively).  The CRTC also licensed one Canadian-based
    subscription radio service which, given a lack of satellite
    orbital slots, will be broadcast from terrestrial stations
    in major urban centers rather than by satellite.  All three
    services were expected to begin operation by the end of
    ¶2005.

    ¶4. (U) The two major Canadian media firms which jointly own
    the Canadian licensee - Montreal's Astral and Toronto's CHUM
    - protested the June decision on grounds that the presence
    of XM and Sirius would make their business model non-viable.
    They were joined by advocates for "Canadian culture" and
    French-language content (ref A), who were concerned that the
    effect of the licenses would be to put downward pressure on
    Canadian content regulations more generally (Canadian
    content in conventional broadcasting is regulated at 20 to
    35 percent).  In combination, these groups persuaded
    Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla to bring the CRTC's
    decision to the Cabinet table for review - an option which
    is rarely exercised.

    ¶5. (U) Much lobbying ensued, including full-page newspaper
    ads from various creative and business groups, and the issue
    drew far more attention in the past two weeks than during
    the licensing hearings.  A decision to remand the matter
    back to the regulator might have led to further public
    hearings and would certainly have been costly to XM and
    Sirius, their Canadian partners, and equipment suppliers
    (notably automakers).  To forestall this, the two satellite-
    radio groups offered to increase their French language and
    Canadian content somewhat beyond the terms required by the
    June decision.  Still, the matter remained unresolved in
    Cabinet for a week before the operations committee decided
    on September 9 to accept the new content offers and
    otherwise let the CRTC's original decision stand.

    ANALYSIS
    --------

    ¶6.    (SBU) Canada exempted "cultural industries" from
    NAFTA.  The culture/media sector saw some difficult
    bilateral issues during the 1980's-1990's but, apart from
    different views on the current development within UNESCO of
    a "cultural diversity" treaty, bilaterally it has been
    quiescent since 1999.  In our view, the recent satellite
    radio licensing episode highlights several developing
    threats to the status quo in Canada's "cultural policy"
    regime:
    -- THE MINISTRY:  Canadian Heritage Minister Frulla did not
    resolve this issue before it reached the Cabinet table.
    This prompts suggestions that she (like some previous
    Ministers in this portfolio) is too close to "creative"
    interests, hampering the government's ability to make good
    policy compromises in this and other areas.  The same
    problem arguably contributes to the GOC's difficulties in
    updating Canada's copyright law, as well as its
    telecommunications policy regime (delays in both areas have
    been frustrating to U.S. interests).  Observers say this
    must be resolved, and that the obvious solution is to re-
    create the "Department of Communications," which, prior to
    1993, combined functions since divided between the Heritage
    and Industry departments.  This would force these issues to
    be resolved within a single department and make them less
    prone to spill into Cabinet or Parliament.  On the whole, we
    believe that with good leadership, such a reform could help
    resolve longstanding problems.

    -- THE REGULATORY PROCESS:  For U.S.-origin broadcast
    content, such as cable channels, pay-TV channels, or XM and
    Sirius, the Canadian regulatory regime is already
    exceptionally restrictive.  At least until now, however, it
    was entirely administered by the CRTC, limiting the scope
    for politicizing decisions.  Frulla's referral of the
    subscription radio matter to Cabinet not only loosened this
    containment, but also quickly drew concessions from the
    licensees.  We see this as an unfortunate precedent, one
    which is likely to encourage further politicization of the
    telecom/broadcast regulatory process.

    -- THE CONTINENTAL AIRWAVES:  The technology on which
    satellite radio is based, like the Internet, makes the
    entire North American continent a single radio market, and
    this could profoundly change the rules of the "Canadian-
    content" game (not to mention the effort to protect the
    French language in North America).  Such change threatens
    various entrenched interests in Canada's cultural
    nationalist community who benefit from the current "cultural
    policy" regime.  During the hearing process which led to
    licensing, both Canadian Satellite Radio Inc. (the
    partnership representing XM) and Sirius Canada Inc. clearly
    felt pressure to increase the level of "Canadian content,"
    not only on Canadian- and non-Canadian music channels
    offered to Canadians, but even on their U.S. services.
    According to the CRTC's introduction to the decision (para.
    47), "although neither CSR nor Sirius Canada could commit
    its US partner to broadcast a minimum level of Canadian
    content on the U.S. channels, both applicants proposed to
    employ a "Canadian ambassador" who would actively seek out
    and champion Canadian musical selections, and encourage the
    program directors of the U.S. satellite services to include
    Canadian selections on their playlists."  To our knowledge,
    this is the first instance of Canadian regulatory or
    legislative instruments/processes being contemplated to
    directly influence the content of media/entertainment
    offered to Americans by Americans (as opposed to merely
    promoting diffusion of Canadian products/services), but it
    may not be the last.

    WILKINS

`