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Programming FAQ's
Q: Why was my 'soap' pre-empted?
A: When a soap opera (or any program) finds a home on our schedule, we hope, just like you, it can air uninterrupted during the course of the year. The most common 'soap' pre-emptions are due to special U.S. network news or sports programming. In these cases, viewers are generally not missing an episode – there are just fewer episodes produced that week to watch. Less likely, the Canadian networks may occasionally request that we 'clear time' for programs of national interest. Generally, the circumstances are beyond our control.
Q: Why aren’t you running my favourite program anymore?
A: In some cases, the show is no longer available for air in our market or production has simply stopped. When we’ve decided not to air a program that is still available, it is simply a business decision certainly not intended to upset our viewers. Our challenge is to generate a program schedule that appeals to the widest possible tastes, while staying within the constraints and requirements of the regulations and agreements we must maintain. While we know we can’t please everyone, we welcome your programming comments and concerns at pbentz@dougallmedia.com
Q: Why am I sometimes not able to see the hockey game I want to see?
A: An organization such as the NHL has exclusive program rights with broadcasters that determine which game will be broadcast in which markets across the country. The right to broadcast specific events in particular markets depends on contractual agreements between the event owner/organizers and broadcasters. Here in Thunder Bay, the CBC would determine which game could be seen in our home market.
Q: Why are programs 'simulcast' or substituted over top an American signal airing the same program?
A: Known as 'signal substitution', the insertion of a local or regional Canadian TV signal on top of a more distant station showing the same program at the same time has long been a requirement of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Designed to protect the domestic broadcasting industry, a local station such as ours would not be able to survive financially if it had to 'share' its audience with other stations coming into the market via cable companies or other BDU’s (broadcast distribution undertakings). Furthermore, local stations purchase programming from larger producers or networks in order to have exclusive distribution rights in their home market.
Q: Why can’t we see the American commercials during the telecast of the Superbowl each year?
A: Rest assured that this situation is a cross-Canada one. The Superbowl, like any program acquired or aired by a television station, is subject to the regulations of the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) which requires programming and distribution services to coordinate 'signal substitution' (see previous FAQ). We purchase the Superbowl and, as such, purchase exclusivity in our market.
Q: Where can I get accurate listings of what’s airing on CKPR-TV?
A: The TV Listings section of this website can provide you with up-to-date program listings for TB Television/CKPR.
Q: How are you regulated as a broadcaster?
A: Broadcasters are federally regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
Q: Why do commercials sometimes sound louder than the programs they’re in?
A: Proper sound levels are a major concern to broadcasters both on a national and local level, with strict adherence to regulations set by Industry Canada. 'Audio compression' is the most frequent cause of complaint, where a commercial’s sound track is recorded at a constant and maximum loudness level. Advertisers take advantage of this opportunity and compress their audio as much as possible, so when such a commercial airs within a program that features a relatively normal range of sounds, the contrast can be intrusive. Broadcasters can only control the overall audio level and do not have the facility to undo or reduce any compression.
Q: Why do you air so much Canadian programming?
A: The (CRTC) Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s Broadcasting Act has ensured that broadcasters adhere to a certain level of Canadian content programming. The Act ensures that not only Canadian artists and stories have access to a Canadian audience, but that thousands of Canadian jobs related to the entertainment and broadcast industries are protected.
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