In theory, tobacco promotion disappeared from Canada's tv screens in 1972, when the tobacco companies voluntarily withdrew from television and radio advertising.

The reality is very different. Sponsored events (and advertisements for the events) have kept tobacco brands alive on Canadian screens.

We used our stop-watch on the broadcasts of some of Canada's premiere sports events. Here's what we found:

• Tobacco logos were visible for more than a third of programming time for major sports events.

• Tennis events were the most likely to provide wide exposure of tobacco logos (even more than autoracing). Golf events were least likely.

• Canadian networks - including the publicly-funded Canadian Broadcast Corporation, assisted in the broadcast of tobacco logos with 'on-screen banners' and scorecards during the event.

• Tobacco logos were on-air longer than all other commercials combined during these sports broadcasts.

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Logo-Watch Score-Card