Just be thankful you don't have to deal with U.S. syndex rules where they would just black out the station that isn't in the local viewing area.  Wouldn't that make for a pleasant surprise when you come home to watch the show you thought you PVRd.

But I do agree that there's nothing more annoying than sloppy simsub but the problem is that it's the BDU that does the work, not the broadcaster.  Fining them for infractions is really the only answer.

As an aside, I've been doing some work lately with a large multi-national resturant chain that advertises in both U.S. and Canada.  One of the biggest issues the Canadian operation has is dealing with people who can't get the item they saw advertised on TV -- from an American ad.  It amazes me how many people don't really twig to the difference.  They just blindly watch what's in front of them.  But I digress. 

 

ig wrote:

I can honestly understand where the Canadian broadcasters are coming from.  If they pay the Canadian rights for a program broadcast in this country, then they deserve to control the Canadian eyes that can see it.    The prime time stuff isn't cheap, and if you must water down your audience because in Toronto someone might watch the show on CTV while others can watch the same show on CBS, but with US Spots, then to be honest, why bother.

There needs to be some type of firewall in place to protect the broadcaster.

As someone who made a pretty good living (if you call that "living!") in the industry, I see simsub's value. But in my other role as average viewer, it drives me insane. Still, it's not as bad as it used to be, when Canadian stations were allowed to show more commercials in an hour than they are now (or maybe it was the States that changed.) I can't tell you how well I remember watching a show and seeing the blatant editing, done with all the subtlety of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, absolutely destroying American shows seen on Great White North outlets, all to get in a few more spots. I guess that's never left me and why I still hate it so much.

The other thing simsub has done is forced almost all Canadian networks to show the same show at the same time as their Uncle Sam counterparts, in order to get the simsub benefit. If that practice was removed, Canadian broadcasters would have much more freedom to arrange their schedules, without having to be slavishly following what happens in boardrooms in New York or L.A.

Those of us old enough can recall when local stations here would pre-release American shows, sometimes a day or two earlier or with even half an hour or so difference. In those pre-VCR/DVR days, it meant you didn't have to choose between two favourites shows on at the same time. Technology has obviated that problem, of course, but it's another consequence of simsub that Canadian operators no longer completely control their own schedules.  

Still, folks like me do have one solution. There's no substitution for an old fashioned Over The Air TV antenna, simultaneous or not. Problem solved and no cable/sat fees going to Rogers or Bell as a big bonus.   

Last edited by RadioActive (July 23, 2015 3:07 pm)

ig wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

 Still, folks like me do have one solution. There's no substitution for an old fashioned Over The Air TV antenna, simultaneous or not. Problem solved and no cable/sat fees going to Rogers or Bell as a big bonus.   

Isn't that a dangerous place to stand though?  What happens if you move a bit further north where you have no access to the border stations, and now, relying on off-air, and understanding that Canadian stations aren't picking up the US shows because they can't get value for their money, you end up watching "Numismatics Unlimited" because the local CBC outlet can't get anything better.

The catch is obviously that the BDU would continue to reap the benefits since you can watch via satellite, but the local broadcast outlet should just shrug and give up.

It's easy to say you'll take option 2 when there's more than one option.  
 

In my case, I have no need and plans to move farther north, so I suppose I don't have to worry about it, as long as OTA exists in the States. But I admit I do feel sorry for those who can't get the border signals off air. Although with so much available online and so many going there, along with DVR and its skippable commercial capability, the truth is, simsub will begin to matter a lot less as we head towards the future. That may not be good for Canuck broadcasters, but it is a fact of life they'll have to get used to and learn to cope with - or else, sadly, cease to exist.