Sirius Canada leads in subs without Stern
Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:03 AM EST
By Etan Vlessing
TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - Even though it launched in Canada without Howard Stern last month, Sirius Canada has an early advantage over rival XM Canada, according to a new study issued Tuesday.
Ottawa-based consultant Decima Research Inc. said media attention surrounding the controversial talk-show host's January 9 debut on U.S.-based Sirius Satellite Radio gave Sirius' Canadian clone a leg up in brand awareness.
A recent poll by Decima revealed that, among those likely to buy a satellite radio in 2006, 27% said they were leaning toward Sirius Canada, compared with 12% for XM Canada.
"Howard Stern is a master at creating buzz and publicity," said Mario Mota, Decima's vp broadcast and media research.
The downside is that an estimated 60,000 Canadians have purchased unregulated U.S. satellite radio receivers to listen to Howard Stern's new digital radio show.
That has forced Sirius Canada and Canadian Satellite Radio Inc., operator of XM Network's Canadian digital radio service, to attempt to convert those gray-market listeners to Canadian subscriptions.
The good news for Sirius and XM is the Decima poll found their Canadian clones are widely known among Canadian consumers, with 77% of those polled saying they are aware of satellite radio.
"The potential for Canada's satellite radio providers to establish a loyal customer base is no longer a question of if, but when," Mota said.
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