ARTISTS' COMMENTS FROM SEPTEMBER 6 MEDIA CONFERENCE ON SATELLITE RADIO Broadcaster Magazine Artists don't want the dial turned back on satellite!
The following is what some of the artists attending, yesterday's Media Conference, in Ottawa, said about satellite radio and what it means for both established and emerging Canadian musicians:
Gord Sinclair, The Tragically Hip "Young and developing talents, more eclectic, less mainstream performers, older more established artists in every genre all stand to benefit immensely from the exposure. In an industry that has seen a lot of upheaval recently, the emergence of satellite radio really represents a big step forwards towards a positive future. Nowhere is this more apparent than in satellite radio's commitment to provide significant funding over the long term for the development of Canadian talent."
John McDermott, Canadian tenor "Satellite radio will expose to this country and to the world artists that will never have that opportunity. When licences for satellite radio were approved, independent artists as well as established Canadian artists felt they'd just won the lottery... It meant one thing, one critical possibility: I will finally get airplay. I'll be heard by the nation, and now will have an opportunity to grow outside of Canada.
"Independent artists also feel that this is the break they've been waiting for. Now that it's this close, and within their grasp, I'm asking the Heritage minister and I charge the Cabinet, please do the right thing, approve this decision and in doing so, send a message to independent artists and communities across the country from coast-to-coast: you support them, you want to see them succeed, satellite radio is not only an option, it's a necessity and it is dearly needed now."
Colin Linden, Canadian musician and producer "The current CanCon regulations tend to help a limited number of well-known mainstream artists. It's clear that satellite radio with is wide diversity of formats will make a significant difference. Niche formats like roots, folk, blues, jazz – basically all the kinds of music I like – will finally be given the wider audience they deserve. When you talk about Canadian culture, that's a significant contribution... I credit the satellite technology with increasing our fanbase across the U.S. and giving us at least a fighting chance of having our music seep in to the collective roots music consciousness."
Ben Miner, Canadian comedian "I need an opportunity. I need a break. This is one thing that could really provide me with that…No one knows who I am. They stare, but not for the good reasons. And that's what we need satellite radio for, to provide a good reason for people to stare at me…I think it's a worthwhile endeavor 'cause there's a lot of funny guys I know that have to struggle and starve for this."
Mark Breslin, Comedian and founder of Yuk Yuk's Canada "Canadian Satellite Radio represents the most important new broadcasting development for Canadian comedy in many years. Our comedians will finally be given the voice that they deserve. This in turn affords our comedians increased touring opportunities, and CD sales…Right now there is almost no Canadian comedy on local radio stations…Canadian comedians need your support to grow without leaving their own home country, Canada."
Mike Levine, rock band Triumph "Would satellite radio help Triumph in our early days? I think so… As a matter of fact, just lately in the last year so since XM and Sirius in the States have built out, there are roughly three or four million subscribers between them, we've noticed a pretty serious spike in our record sales in America, as well as airplay on traditional radio stations. Now why is that? Well, we're played on maybe five different channels that are supplied by XM and Sirius. I certainly would expect, should this license be upheld, in Canada that the same thing would happen. Not only for Triumph but for other Canadian artists as well: new artists and old artists like me.
"The problem is that if Cabinet doesn't uphold this decision, I think it's a losing situation for everybody. The consumers lose, the artists lose, there are a couple of industries that are going to lose too."
David Gogo, Blues artist "This opportunity of satellite radio is just going to be so good for all genres of specialty music… If you get someone, a young kid, that's heard blues for the first time simply because they've had the chance through satellite radio, and they're going to come to the blues club, not only will it help the artists because you're making money off how many people show up, but you're helping the venue – it's just good for everyone. "
"All I ask is for the opportunity to be heard and the opportunity for people to hear myself and artists like that…I want to go forward, and not only is the exposure in this country going to be amazing, but the exposure in the states. That's exactly what Canadian artists need. "
Jamie Urie, Stone Melodies "As you all know, promotion, publicity and increasing a fanbase is crucial to independent artists in Canada…Canadian Satellite Radio available over North America will give emerging independent artists more exposure, it'll offer musical variety to listeners, and promote our amazing Canadian culture. Let's take the next step."
Sean Takacs, Stone Melodies "Today we have the responsibility to unite and support what is rightfully the most favourable advancement for independent artists in the last 60 years. Digital satellite radio not only offers its subscribers unparalleled market coverage across Canada but will also have a lasting effect on Canadian listenership worldwide."
"Consumers should have the right to purchase the variety of music that digital satellite has to offers and aspiring Canadian artists like Stone Melodies should have the support of our federal government to provide Canadians with this readily accessible service."
"We support the rights of independent musicians and the CRTC's decision on Canadian satellite radio. We trust that our federal government will change their position and give Canadian listeners what they rightfully deserve and that's a choice."
Mr. Franz Schuller – musician, part of the band Grim Skunk and also president of a Quebec music label Indica Records. "Now I fail to understand the logic of stopping satellite radio…It will create a boom of creativity within the artistic community which is right now silenced – it's just not heard – it's out there but no one's getting a chance to hear it. And the artists and producers within the industry, especially in the independent market, are dying from it. We have really no hope."
"..as a member of SOCAN and ADISQ and a bunch of the other people who are lobbying the government to turn down this application. I don't agree with their position,…and they're claiming to speak on behalf of the artists. I was never asked as a member my opinion on satellite radio…I think this is irresponsible behavior and quite frankly I challenge all of you to go out there and ask the artists, go ask the artistic community in this country, francophone, anglophone, anywhere and ask them whether the artists support satellite radio right now and I know what you're going to hear – you're going to hear the artists support it. The politicians need to listen to the artists, not the unions."
Mr. Bob Segarini, music legend in Canada "Satellite radio may not be the future of radio as we know it but it is the future of the music and the artists who produce it. For the listener, the excitement of hearing new and different songs and acts… It can renew old careers, hopefully, and spark new ones and it can bring back the listeners who tuned out because they wanted the music they're now being denied."
"More Canadian songs and more Canadian artists; all being heard by more people. How can a government body who has promised to expose more Canadian talent both to this country and the entire world act counter to everything it has said it has ever stood for? As an artist, a music lover and a fan of radio I hope they realize what an incredible mistake it would to strike a blow against the very people they say they represent. Canadian artists do not need rules and regulations, they need air time and that is exactly what satellite radio promises."
Gregg Terrance, president of Indie Pool "…well over 20,000 Canadian independent bands support this decision. 20,000 Canadian independent bands cannot be wrong in our view.
"Radio does not take a chance on independent emerging artists. They simply can't because they have to answer to advertisers instead of answering to subscribers. Subscribers demand variety. They demand something different to what they're getting on their local radio station. Therefore, the mentality of being a subscriber-based broadcaster is conducive to being an independent recording artist."
"In our view, today, satellite radio is already in Canada. It's already being broadcast here…The early adopters are already all over this thing. If we choose to not license it, there will be no Canadian channels, there will be no Canadian content, there will be no control over decency…There will be no money for Canadian artists, there will be no revenue paid in Canada, there will be no tax dollars for the Canadian government …it has been abundantly clear for over a year, that satellite radio needs to be licensed in Canada. It needs to be controlled; it needs to be part of Canadian culture and not part of some grey market strategy." |