American channels keep switching to Canadian

[StegoRex]

Anyone else with the American channels (NBC, CBS, ABC, etc.) bothered by the broadcast continually switching to the Canadian stations? Usually it would do this during commercials, but not it's frequently happening during programs. Which is annoying because if it's the same program there is a time delay or the Canadian station is broadcasting something else. So what you are watching keeps cutting out or time skipping forward and back.

[dks · Accepted solution]

This is normal and is a requirement of the CRTC. The practice, called “sim sub” or simultaneous substitution, requires Canadian Broadcast Distribution Units or BDUs like Bell and other providers, to substitute Canadian broadcast signals, including commercials, into their non-Canadian programming. It has been in place for decades. That you see it being out of synch is not unusual. There is a good Wikipedia article on the practice if you want a deeper dive. And no, it can’t be fixed or changed. 

[StegoRex]

yes normally that happens during the commercial breaks which is fine, but it started this week happening during the programming, which makes it feel like something is wrong.

[dks]

If you check the Wiki, it is explained. I have not noticed it on Bell Satellite TV. Is this on Fibe TV? 

[StegoRex]

It's on Fibe, and it switches for like 2 second intervals during program broadcast so it makes watching programs on the American networks unwatchable. I called Bell this morning and I was not the only one with the issue, especially after a broadcast like SNL last night. They are apparently working on it.

[dks]

Good to hear. With multiple TV services, being specific always helps. 

[Hammyhamster2007]

It happened today as well (Sunday April 12, 2026) during the showing of Marshalls on CBS-E, the Global feed was not removed and continued on over the showing of as Stated Marshalls.

Smarten up and watch your timing.

Hoping it doesn't happen at 9PM as well! 

[WelshTerrier · Accepted solution]

Good Day & Welcome.

I can only assume that this decision to pre-empt Marshalls was by made by the CBS network yesterday. CBS owns the rights to Marshals. CBS also holds the television rights to THE Masters. This is likely the reason for programming change.

Canadian broadcast networks such as CTV, Global, CTV 2, and Citytv often rely heavily on American programs. Their programming schedules are often effectively dictated by the schedules of corresponding United States network broadcasters. 

if a U.S. broadcaster moves a series to a new time slot, the Canadian broadcaster that holds domestic rights to carry first-run episodes of that program would need to move its broadcast to correspond with the new time slot if it wished to exercise its simultaneous substitution rights.

Simultaneous substitution (signal substitution) is a practice mandated by the CRTC.

Unfortunately, there is little that can be done to change this.

Take care.

[Hammyhamster2007]

No, Bell did not switch off the Simulcast on time. This happened with Seth Meyers last night again! Due to lack of STAFF, the Computer which handles the SImulcast was/is not programmed correctly. 

[dks]

Thank you for reporting the problem. SimSub is normally an automated system, without a manual interaction, I believe. Any issues appear to be handled by the CRTC with the Broadcast Distribution Unit. You might direct your concern there.