Sirus Canada CBC Pratt confirm's launch

CBC satellite set to soar
By adrian mack
Publish Date: 24-Nov-2005


Preparations for the launch of CBC Radio 3’s satellite radio station continue, with director Steve Pratt confirming that broadcasting will begin “within two weeks”. The 24-hour service—one out of a hundred that will be available through the SIRIUS network—will focus almost exclusively on independent Canadian music, and should give further momentum to a community already ignited by the international triumphs of acts like the Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. “I don’t think it’s the case that all of a sudden, there’s magically a ton of amazing music being made in Canada,” Pratt told the Straight. “I think it’s the case that technology has allowed more people to discover it easily and share it.” To that end, the innovative group behind CBC Radio 3—which previously piggybacked on CBC Radio Two for 30 hours a week, as well as maintaining a cutting-edge web presence—has already extended into other forms of new media. “For us, it’s been the podcasts,” Pratt said. “It’s unbelievable. I think there’s been something like three-quarters of a million downloads since June. And almost 50 percent of them are from outside of Canada.” The move into the subscriber-based satellite radio market brings Pratt and company one step closer to their original ambitions. “We’ve been hoping to have a 24-hour radio station at Radio 3 since 1999,” he noted. The commercial-free format also allows for some nifty and attractive programming. “Chris Murphy and Jay Ferguson from Sloan—they’re doing a weekend show for us, from Toronto,” Pratt revealed, almost giddily. “They were out here last week taping their first show. We’re not really going for the guys named Buzz or Catfish or whatever, with the big, deep voices—we want people who really know their music and are passionate about it.” For updates, including a firm kickoff date, visit www.cbcradio3.com/.