Canadian Spike TV Feed should be Illegal

[numba1killa]

Ever watch the Spike TV feed when Spike TV puts on a program or movie that is not authorized for viewing in Canada? Well if you have, you would know that when you are watching it, there are no commercials! Good news right? NO. Its CSI, Powerblock, Auction Hunters, 1000 Ways to Die and a spike bump with things exploding and a girl rubbing her breasts etc ... repeated at nausea.

How can this be presentable? How can the CRTC this channel to operate with this garbage? Why can't there be actual commercials on during that time? Shouldn't, (where ever this feed comes from) have commercials ready so that they can advertise rather then make people turn off the station, because of the length of commercials or lack there of? Like I could barely watch for 4 minutes and they repeated the same Powerblock ad 3 times. THREE TIMES!

This needs to stop. NOW.

[InMontreal]

Spike TV is american, as you pointed out.

During regular programming as a specialty channel, they have national commercials, and they allow cable operators to insert local/state commercials, make money by distributing the channel which translates in lower subscriber revenue fees.

In Canada, specialty broadcasters didn't want canadian advertisement money to exile to american broadcasters or go want them to pay the local cable company for advertisement insertion in american feeds. So, that's why you see US national advertisements followed by Shaw Direct/Shaw Cable promos.

So, when Spike turns on the "canadian feed", the US national advertisements may not be suitable for Canadian audiences, and they can't sell canadian advertisements, so... they operate the channel just like a Shaw Media specialty: repetitive promos.

[Mayhem]

Ever watch the Spike TV feed when Spike TV puts on a program or movie that is not authorized for viewing in Canada?

I believe Spike TV is the only U.S. channel with two different feeds (one for Canada & U.S), its not to about programming, more about the movies they air. I believe most films they air are part of the very fractured MGM library and Lion Gates Films who have a different copyright holder in Canada (Maple Pictures). Its why they have different feeds and AMC, A&E, Peach Tree don't.

1000 Ways to Die and a spike bump with things exploding and a girl rubbing her breasts

That's pretty much makes up most of the channels original programming on its U.S. feeds. That and Manswers

How can this be presentable? How can the CRTC this channel to operate with this garbage? Why can't there be actual commercials on during that time? Shouldn't, (where ever this feed comes from) have commercials ready so that they can advertise rather then make people turn off the station, because of the length of commercials or lack there of? Like I could barely watch for 4 minutes and they repeated the same Powerblock ad 3 times. THREE TIMES!

This needs to stop. NOW.

Canada specialty broadcasters (especially Bell, Shaw, Astral and Corus) benefit having U.S. specialty channels on the Canadian system, as Steve Faguy(fagstein) pointed out in his blog about the Bell-Astral deal, the CRTC determines how many specialty channels one can own by their total viewing share. So in theory, Bell can own 100% of the Canadian specialty channel market, as long as the viewing share on U.S. specialty channels are 67%.

So if SpikeTV and other, just as useless channels, like TLC, A&E and PeachTree leave, then the viewing share increases forcing Bell, Shaw, Astral and Corus force to sell well paid specialty channels to keep below the 45% market limit.

During regular programming as a specialty channel, they have national commercials, and they allow cable operators to insert local/state commercials, make money by distributing the channel which translates in lower subscriber revenue fees.

BDU's in Canada are the only ones who overlay advertisements on American specialty channels since U.S. channels don't care.

However, BDU's are not allowed (at the moment) to sell general advertisements. They can promote their own product offerings or to help promote a Canadian specialty channel, like SuperChannel and PSA's. Nothing else.

[ottawasnowdog]

I would not call Tln and A&E useless both to air a fair amount of 1st run shows.

[Mayhem]

I would not call Tln and A&E useless both to air a fair amount of 1st run shows.

Subjective in this case. But I said TLC, not TLN (Which is Canadian owned).

[numba1killa]

I don't think TLC and A&E ever do this, I think they are dedicated American feeds ...

[Mayhem]

I don't think TLC and A&E ever do this, I think they are dedicated American feeds ...

AMC doesn't either.

[numba1killa]

Ones that I know either black out or show alternative programing is TCM and Spike, and maybe a few others that I'm leaving out. Unless its just TCM and Spike lol ...

[SirCalgary]

Spike does run an alternate feed - despite seeing the same promo it's not like they really care, it just has to run and time out).

So does TCM (SD anyways)

I think A&E does or has previously - TLC definitely does (whenever they would present an episode of Dateline on the American feed, alternate programming would appear).

[Mayhem]

Unless its just TCM and Spike lol ...

So does TCM (SD anyways)

TCM makes sense, seeing they air most of the (pre-1986) MGM Library.

[Donovan's Monkey]

Ones that I know either black out or show alternative programing is TCM and Spike, and maybe a few others that I'm leaving out. Unless its just TCM and Spike lol ...

The NFL Network has had alternate programming in Canada during its Thursday night regular season games (and presumably will continue to do so if these games are on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada) and I believe also did it in previous years when they aired some CFL games that were on TSN in Canada. NFL Network stopped carrying CFL games in 2012 and the CFL instead worked out a deal with NBC Sports Network and ESPN3 in the U.S.
http://www.nflgridirongab.com/2012/0...ports-network/

SpeedTV is blacked out in Canada during its live coverage of Formula One qualifying and races that are on TSN, although reruns and the second Friday practice session are allowed to air in Canada on SpeedTV. Champ Car races were also blacked out at one time for similar reasons when that series still existed. I remember that because Speed once screwed up and mistakenly blacked out their signal a couple of hours early during a live Grand-Am series sportscar race from Alabama, which had me and other people calling Rogers after incorrectly assuming it must have been a Rogers error.

I'll add that both of these U.S. channels are best watched with a remote in your hand, as their ads and promos, both their own or the ones inserted by Canadian BDUs, are very repetitive.

When I saw the title of this thread, I assumed it would be about SpikeTV, formerly The Nashville Network and another name I've forgotten, being allowed to completely change their programming format with no consequences to their availability in Canada, unlike Canadian channels that (supposedly) would not be allowed to do so as easily.

[Test Pattern]

I think Canada should get rid of Spike altogether...The network sucks anyways!!! Life was better when it was TNN when it ahd the Dukes of Hazzard, Matt Houston and otherwise...now it's all just all Crapolla!!!

[numba1killa]

I like the way Spike is, TNN is coming back I heard .. so that is good news. Not sure if it will make it to Canada tho

[EthelWise]

I try not but due to busy schedule I was not able to watch and some problems so I check in the internet about streaming then I have Netflix with Blockless Channels. Then, I enjoy watching all my favorite shows.