Simsub question...

[McDeath]

Okay this gets brought-up on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis, but please answer this. I'm not whining, I just want some straight-forward answers.

I think I know why we have Simsubing (if I'm wrong please correct me), the CRTC basically says if a Canadian channel has broadcast rights for a program showing on an American station, they are allowed to broadcast their signal over that channel.

2 things:
1). I have an EVU system and it is always simsub'ed (except for channel 299, but that is hardly ever on anymore). But my co-worker has a *Choice, and they always have at lease 1 set of locals that is never simsub'ed. This is extremly frustrating during the Superbowl. Now if simsub'ing is law laid down by the CRTC, how come *Choice doesn't follow the rules?

2). What exactly is wrong with not simsub'ing US stations? I live in Kamloops BC, seeing an add for a car dealer in Nova Scotia is no different than seeing an add for a car dealer in Detroit for me. How does simsib'ing help me in this case? If I want to watch US commercials why can't I have the choice to watch them? If I want to watch Canadian commercials, I can always watch Global?

Now I know this may be beating a dead horse, but please enlighting me.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I agree totally McDeath
But the reason why we dont see US commercials...
is because canadian TV cant stand on its own without Govt forcing it down our throats.....

I thought this was a free society... If a DTH company gives me the option to watch US or canadian.. is it not my choice as to what I watch or is it the Govt....

Should be my choice.. but its not....

[Shadedmuse]

SC simsubs happend depending on your location, and EVU is done from T.O with a one sixe fits all Simsubs, that is why I went with SC to avoid the one size fits all Simsub, Why should I get T.O simsubs when I live in Calgary, it is better to have a Calgary simsub then a T.O simsub, because of timezone diffrence between Calgary and Washington State their is less Simsubs, Now if we had Great Falls Nets on SC then we would see more simsubs in Calgary.

I just gave Calgary stations an idea for more simsubbing. DOH!!!!!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Simulcasting only happens if a broadcaster makes a request of a cable (or DTH provider) to cover the US signal with the Canadian channel. If no request is made then there is no simulcast over that US channel and as far as cable companies are concerned that's OK with them.
Why, because during high profile programming such as the Super Bowl for example people get upset with the simulcast and call their cable company to complain, this makes for some very pissed off customers which the cable operators do not like to have. However if requested to block the US signal with a Canadian service, they have no choice but to do so as required by the CTRC. They do not like to do this and most importantly THEY DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY DOING THIS!

So we all may bitch and complain about simulcasting, but the real culprit is the Canadian broadcaster trying to protect their investment, not the cable (and DTH providers) who if they could would us offer many more channel options if not for the CRTC.

[Ross]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

<font color=blue> Okay this gets brought-up on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis, but please answer this. I'm not whining, I just want some straight-forward answers.

I think I know why we have Simsubing (if I'm wrong please correct me), the CRTC basically says if a Canadian channel has broadcast rights for a program showing on an American station, they are allowed to broadcast their signal over that channel. </font color=blue>

<hr></blockquote>

You are correct. It still ticks me off that someone else's hand is on my remote control. My beef is not with the commericals, it is with the substitution of a sometimes poorer quality picture AND (this is the biggest one) when the start and stop times of the substituted channel do not match the times of the US channel. Last minute US or Cdn schedule changes that don't make it to "big brother" resulting in a show being unavailable to me because the wrong show is "overwritten".

When it comes to commercials of a local or regional nature, I don't know the difference between watching a commericial on a Seattle station and a commercial for a Hamilton, ON station. Both are out-of-market ads for businesses that I can't patronize due to distance.

[LoboTiger]

I have a question regarding all of this. Since many of the shows that I watch happen to be shown both on the Canadian station (say Global) and on the U.S. station (Fox, UPN, ABC, CBS, etc) at the same time, I usually have a case where simsubbing takes place. This obviously pisses me off but I wonder, what's the point of me having both of the U.S channels' feeds if I can get the exact same show on the Canadian channels at a later time? Perfect example is Dark Angel on Friday nights. It shows on Fox/Global at 8:00PM in Toronto but I can also catch it at 11:00PM on both Fox (Seattle) and Global (Vancouver). So what's the point of the U.S. West coast feed in this case?

[Angelfish]

This is the reason I don't get the Networks package with Bell. Most US programs are on a Canadian channel and sometimes ch 299 has something else to watch ie PBS stuff.

[jconnor]

The value of the "U.S. Nets" on BEV is something that I question quite often. The "super 7" package is the main reason that I still have them, a) there isn't anything else that I want and 2) I sometimes want to watch CITY-TV (although not nearly as much as I used to)

[QualityIsJobOne]

I hate those often botched sim-subs....however, I do enjoy the US nets &amp; won't give them up.

[MeSat]

----------
"I think I know why we have Simsubing (if I'm wrong please correct me),
the CRTC basically says if a Canadian channel has broadcast rights for a
program showing on an American station, they are allowed to broadcast
their signal over that channel."
-----

This is true, the information on the CRTC site states that the restriction is on the local viewing area of the station making the request. For a time, SC was doing simsub's over some of the channels with a TO feed. I went to the CRTC site to look at the details of simsubing. I then filed a complaint with the CRTC, especially since the programming in one case was not even the same program.

This happened some time ago and I have not seen any simsubbing since. It gives me the flexiblity to watch what I want and avoid some of the local commercials.

Look at the details on the CRTC site and file a complaint if you feel that you are justified. I feel that this is one area where the CRTC is a good idea. Filing a complaint will provide you an answer from EV on why they are doing it one way and SC is doing it another way.