In February 2015, Bell Media wrote to the CRTC requesting private meetings with some or all of the commissioners to discuss their decision to eliminate simultaneous substitution on Super Bowl commercials.
The decision means that, starting in 2017, Canadians will be able to view American-based commercials on U.S. television stations carried by the country’s cable and other systems.
(Canadians will still be able to watch the Canadian telecast, including Canadian commercials, on Canadian channels.)
Bell was upset that, as owner of the Canadian broadcast rights to the Super Bowl through CTV, it would no longer be allowed by the regulator to substitute Canadian commercials in place of the American advertisements.
In response to its request, the media company received a stern letter of rebuff from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The regulator replied that its decision was the result of a public process still ongoing and that it would be inappropriate for commissioners to hold private meetings with Bell to discuss the decision…
Canadian Lawyer Mag – Sheldon Gordon – February 27, 2017.
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