OTTAWA - Bell Canada has been unable to block a regulator's decision to ban the substitution of Canadian TV feeds and ads during Super Bowl broadcasts, at least this year.
The owner of CTV and TSN asked for a stay of the CRTC's ban during Bell's appeal at the Supreme Court of Canada.
A Supreme Court judge ruled on Jan. 24 that he was granting Bell's request for leave to appeal -- but without staying the regulator's ban during the process.
Bell Media vice-president Scott Henderson says the company will pursue every option to have the CRTC's ban reversed for the Super Bowl in 2019 and beyond.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced the ban in 2015 after hearing many viewers wanted to see the American ads -- considered by many to be part of Super Bowl's entertainment.
Prior to the ban, Bell could substitute its Canadian feeds of the Super Bowl on U.S. channels carrying the game.
BNN is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE.
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