OTTAWA — Several broadcasts on Super Channel’s suite of channels violated the pay-TV codes for airing violence, sexuality and coarse language before 9 p.m., said the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) in a decision released today.
A complaint from a viewer dating back to November 2019 identified numerous broadcasts on Super Channel Vault, Super Channel Fuse and GINX eSports TV Canada which the complainant said contained violence, sexuality or coarse language before 9 p.m. The broadcasts included the horror movies Friday the 13th: Part VII – The New Blood, Saw 3D: The Final Chapter, Pet Sematary (1989 version) and A Cure for Wellness, the thriller Zero Dark Thirty, and three video game information programs The First Hour, Squad, and GINX Plays.
In its response to the complaint, Super Channel pointed out it is a pay-TV service, but acknowledged there had been some oversights in its scheduling practices.
The CBSC examined the broadcasts under the Industry Code of Programming Standards and Practices governing Pay, Pay-Per-View and Video-on-Demand Services and The Pay Television and Pay-Per-View Programming Code regarding Violence. Although the CBSC notes in its decision that the pay-TV codes give more latitude to pay-TV services to program material intended for mature audiences, the codes still set out the same “watershed” period of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the airing of mature content, the CBSC says.
The CBSC found all of the examined broadcasts aired before 9 p.m. and contained one or more of the elements of violence, sexuality or coarse language intended for adult audiences, which violated the pay-TV codes.
In addition, the CBSC panel found Super Channel was in breach of its responsibilities of CBSC participation for failing to provide official and complete recordings of three of the challenged broadcasts.
Each of Super Channel Vault, Super Channel Fuse and GINX eSports TV Canada are now required to announce the CBSC’s decision regarding their respective broadcasts that violated the pay-TV codes, once during prime time within three days following the release of this decision, and within seven days following the release of this decision, once more during the time period in which each code-violating broadcast occurred, but not all on the same day; within the 14 days following the broadcasts of the announcements, to provide written confirmation of the airing of the statements to the complainant who filed the Ruling Request; and at that time, to provide the CBSC with a copy of that written confirmation and with air check copies of the broadcasts of the announcements which must be made by Super Channel Vault, Super Channel Fuse and GINX eSports TV Canada.
