Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
www.crtc.gc.ca
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TV blackouts and blocked TV programs or sports events
Sometimes it’s necessary for a cable company or other distributor to block the delivery of a particular TV program to your home. This is referred to as a blackout.
Sports blackouts
The reason for a sports blackout is that broadcasters buy the rights to show games or sports events in their areas. If they don’t have the rights to air certain games in that area, these games or events will be blacked out.
The CRTC doesn’t regulate contracts related to program rights and isn’t involved in the decision to black out a particular sports event.
If you want more information, contact your broadcaster or the sports organization itself, such as the NHL.
Program blackouts
Other programs are sometimes also blacked out. This can be for the same reasons as for sports blackouts. For example, if a non-Canadian service such as Speed Channel doesn’t have the Canadian rights to air a program, it can’t air the show in Canada. So it may ask your distributor – such as a cable company – to black out the program.
There are other reasons for program blackouts – for example, to comply with court orders or the Canada Elections Act.
Program blackouts are rare, but they do happen.
