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Shaw Direct Simsub discussion

127K views 401 replies 92 participants last post by  NovaMan 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Shaw recently bought Canwest Global, and now they are simsubbing Global HD overtop of American HD channels, even in areas where they never used to! Shaw Direct does all their simsubs via the postal code of your receiver, and we still live outside the 75 km radius of the nearest Global HD OTA transmitter, so we here shouldn't be subjected to Global HD simsubs. It seems like they are just doing it with Global as well, because other Canadian networks like CTV aren't doing simsubs. Can they just change their ways because they now own Global? Where is our right as a consumer for them to follow the CRTC's policies?
 
#326 ·
Please explain the failure. Shaw Direct is providing the US networks to their paying subscribers. If a network affiliate chooses to preempt the network programming for a local event such as the Detroit Lions game, is SD not obligated to provide the ABC network program? Separate from that question, SD could not allow the ESPN telecast with ESPN commercials to be shown when TSN has the rights to show the game here in Canada.
 
#327 ·
Please explain the failure.
I believe that I already have. But if I am mistaken, I will be glad to learn something new from your further responses or from others.

Shaw Direct is providing the US networks to their paying subscribers. If a network affiliate chooses to preempt the network programming for a local event such as the Detroit Lions game, is SD not obligated to provide the ABC network program?
1. The US feeds they are providing are for specific stations. The CRTC approve the carriage of specific stations on Canadian BDU's.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/satlist.htm
2. The local program is the one that Shaw Direct advertized on their program guide.
3. If SD are obligated to show a generic east coast feed please provide the reference for the obligation.
4. SD were providing the ABC network programming on the mandatory carriage OTA Canadian network, so no paying subscribers could possibly be missing out.
5. What is the ABC east generic feed and where can it be found?


Separate from that question, SD could not allow the ESPN telecast with ESPN commercials to be shown when TSN has the rights to show the game here in Canada.
1. If a simsub were to be imposed then, it logically follows that, TSN 1/3/4/5 HD is what should have been competently simsubbed over ABC Detroit.
2. Eventually SD did show the NFL on ABC Detroit, and carried the raw feed from ABC Detroit without TSN commercials. It would seem that Canadian NFL commercial rights protection was therefore not the rationale.

I remain convinced it was simple incompetence, as per my original post.
 
#328 ·
I've seen this happen on Rogers, whereby the local NBC affiliate was showing some special programming, instead of regularly scheduled syndicated programming at 7:00 pm one evening, and it should not have been simsubbed, but it was. I wrote into the CRTC and Rogers admitted their mistake.
 
#333 ·
Obed - please report this simsub error to CRTC.

As Obed states, this is a clear-cut simsub error on the part of Shaw Direct. City TV would have sent out an automatic notification for the substitution to all providers for all ABC stations, and Shaw didn't review it and override it which they should have done in this case where ABC Detroit deviated from network programming. Presumably someone at Shaw Direct noticed (either on their own or from a customer complaint call that actually went through the proper escalation channels), and eventually stopped the simsub.

The CRTC does in fact have a complaint mechanism for this, and, if the complaint is properly made, it will be recorded. Complaints should be clear, concise and free of rants.
EG. Time of day, provider, US network (channel number), program, show that was being simsubbed over it, if/when the improper simsub ended.

Here is some interesting reading of a discussion at the CRTC about this very topic, just last week:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/transcripts/2014/tb0910.html
Paragraphs 4337-4354.
 
#334 ·
Interesting.

So Kevin Crull, President of Bell Media, states that he will personally help ensure that simsub mistakes do not continue to happen. Is Mr. Crull himself going to sit in the control room of Shaw Direct (or Rogers, Bell), including on weekends for live sports, making certain that no mistakes happen during overruns? Are you kidding me. And the CRTC just kind of takes his word for it too! These mistakes have been happening for a very long time, and are going to continue to happen. Just look at the Super Bowl with a key played missed last year.
 
#335 ·
That Super Bowl play was not a simulcast error, it was a referee error on the field. They let the clock go to the 2 minute warning, but it should have been stopped with 2:02 left. They break was called BY THE CONTROL ROOM and every network carrying the feed (CTV has a truck feed and was getting the same cues and a clean feed) so everyone missed the play.

Everyone. Missed. The. Play.
 
#336 ·
Living in rural Newfoundland and getting CITY TV Simsub on ABC East CH 59 I am hundreds of miles from the nearest tv station and theres not even a tv transmitter in my community.

There isn't even a City tv station in Newfoundland.

Is there a link someplace where I can see how sim subbing is suppose to work?
I know its different from Bell tv.

I had no sim subs til tonight.
 
#339 ·
Bad simsub situation this morning. Tried to watch the America's Thanksgiving Parade from Detroit on NBC and Shaw simsubbed a Rachael episode over it from Global Halifax.
Do the folks at Shaw not realize that most programming in the US is preempted today because of American Thanksgiving.

This is one (of many) reasons why I hate simsubbing.
 
#349 ·
Here is the way that simsubs work:

Global TV sends a request at least 4 days in advance to simsub NBC Detroit with the same program on the local Global station to all the BDUs that carry NBC Detroit. The BDUs must follow the simsub. So the original fault is with Global.
A licensee may discontinue a deletion and substitution if the deleted and substituted programming services are not, or are no longer, comparable and broadcast simultaneously.
Here is the new CRTC policy that explains how simsubs work, with new penalties effective Dec. 1, 2015.

Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-513
 
#351 ·
Thanks Dr.Dave for the link.

These sections specify that the substitution would not be in the public interest ... where the signal to be substituted does not contain the same subsidiary signals as the signal being substituted.
The Detroit parade aired only by the local Detroit channel is not the same as the NBC network program so it is not in the public interest to simsub the Canadian channel airing the NBC program.

:nerd
 
#353 ·
I'm in a rural area and until last week, using a DVR530. I've had no simsubbing. I've now changed to a DVR630, as the 530 failed last week. Will I be stuck with simsubbing now?
 
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