I was puzzled by a letter in your Friday, Jan. 29 edition regarding the perceived unsuitability of a TV advertisement for MTV seen by the writer during a CTV news broadcast at 7:14 p.m. Part of my puzzlement was about why the writer would complain to your paper, which has local circulation, about a TV program which originates in Toronto. The writer seems to be unaware that the news program which they were watching was CTV’s national news channel which is shown live from Toronto where the local time was 10:14 p.m. and thus the restrictions on content, and presumably also on advertising, during prime time do not apply!
This calls into question the whole area of who is responsible for ensuring that the programs which they watch are suitable for those watching. The ability to view in B.C. a program which is “live” in Toronto or even further east makes the application of the time-based content rules impossible due to the three or more hour time zone difference between the zone of origin and the zone of viewing.
In my opinion it is the responsibility of the viewer, or the parent of the viewer, to ensure that only suitable programming is shown when children are watching, and in doing so to be aware of the restrictions which apply in the time zone where the program is originating.
Graham Jones
Chemainus