June 29, 2005
OTTAWA-GATINEAU -- The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) has released its sixth annual Broadcasting Policy Monitoring
Report. This report assesses the impact of its regulations, policies and
decisions on the Canadian broadcasting industry, in light of the objectives of
the Broadcasting Act. Beginning this year, publication has been moved up
several months so that data contained in the report will be available to the
Canadian public and the regulated industries on a more timely basis.
The report deals with the radio, television, and broadcast distribution
sectors, as well as social issues and the Internet.
Radio
Canadians have access to 1,158 radio services, of which 867 are in English,
253 are in French, and 38 are in third languages.
In 2004, Canadians listened to radio an average of 19.5 hours per week,
which represents the same number of hours as in 2003.
Revenues for Canadian private radio stations exceeded $1.2 billion in 2004,
and profits before interest and tax came in at $224 million.
Since the adoption of the CRTCs commercial radio policy in 1998, Canadian
radio stations have spent more than $156 million on Canadian talent
development.
Television
Canadians have access to 511 English-language television services, 115
French-language services, and 53 third-language services, for a total of 679
television services.
The report reviews for the first time the viewing to Canadian programs over
the entire broadcast year using metered data. According to BBM metered data for
the 2003-2004 broadcast year, dramas and comedies remain the most popular
television programs, capturing 43% of all television viewing. According to the
same source, English-language Canadian dramas and comedies broadcast by private
conventional English-language Canadian stations capture 10% of the viewing to
all drama and comedy programs on those stations. In comparison, Canadian drama
and comedy programs broadcast by the CBC account for 43% of the viewing to the
genre on CBC stations, and Canadian pay and specialty services capture 30% of
the viewing to the genre on those services. For Francophone services, Canadian
drama and comedy programs broadcast by private conventional stations garner 23%
of the viewing to the genre on those stations as compared to 66% for the SRC
and 37% for Canadian specialty and pay services.
Total 2004 revenues of English-language specialty, pay and pay-per-view
services of nearly $1.7 billion equalled those of English-language private
conventional stations for the first time. French-language private conventional
stations had revenues of $422 million, while those for French-language pay,
pay-per-view and specialty services totalled $363 million in 2004.
In 2004, Canadians watched television for 25.8 hours every week on average,
according to Nielsen Media Research, or for 21.4 hours according to BBM. For
both, this represents a decrease of approximately 20 minutes from the preceding
year.
Audience share for Canadian stations compared with non-Canadian stations
increased between 1993 and 2004. In Quebec, this audience share rose from 88.3%
in 1993 to 90.1% in 2004, and in the other Canadian provinces, it went from
67.3% to 71.9%.
Since the adoption of the CRTCs television policy in 1999, tangible
benefits to the Canadian broadcasting system flowing from television ownership
transfers have totalled $543.1 million.
Broadcast distribution
In Canada, there are currently 2,003 broadcast distribution undertakings
(BDUs), of which 1,960 are cable companies, two are Direct-to-Home (DTH)
satellite distribution undertakings, 29 are multipoint distribution systems
(MDS) and 12 are subscription television systems (STV).
In 2004, class 1 cable accounted for 74.1% of basic service subscriptions,
DTH for 25.5%, and MDS and STS combined for 0.4%.
The number of digital service subscribers at the end of September 2004
totalled 4,450,600, an increase of 24% over the end of June 2003. Of that
total, 46% subscribed to digital cable, and 52% to DTH services.
Revenues for class 1 cable undertakings were $4.6 billion in 2004, compared
with $4.2 billion the previous year. Combined revenues for DTH, MDS and STV
totalled $1.4 billion in 2004, up from $1.2 billion in 2003.
BDUs contributed $152 million to the Canadian Television Fund and other
independent production funds in 2004. Class 1 cable undertakings contributed an
additional $74 million to the operation of community channels in 2004.
Internet
In December 2004, 71% of Canadian households had a computer, 3 % more than
in 2003. As in 2003, 76% of Canadians had access to the Internet at home, work
or elsewhere.
There was a marked increase in the subscription rate to high speed
Internet, from 50% in March 2003 to 63% in December 2004.
The Commission welcomes suggestions from interested parties for improving
future editions of its annual report. You may mail your comments to the Secretary
General, CRTC, Ottawa, K1A 0N2, or e-mail them to
info@crtc.gc.ca.
The CRTC
The CRTC is an independent, public authority which was established to sustain
and promote Canadian culture and achieve key social and economic objectives by
regulating and supervising Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications in the
public interest. As an expert tribunal it takes into account the wants and needs
of Canadian citizens, industries and various interest groups. The CRTC is
governed by the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act and
reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Reference document: Broadcasting Policy Monitoring Report 2005 [.htm]
[.pdf]
- 30 -
Media Relations:
MediaRelations@crtc.gc.ca, Tel: (819) 997-9403, Fax: (819) 997-4245
General Inquiries:
Tel: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), eMail:
info@crtc.gc.ca
TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-2782
Copies of todays documents are available through our Internet site (http://www.crtc.gc.ca)
or by contacting the documentation centre of any CRTC office. These documents
are available in alternative format upon request.
City
Telephone
TDD
Fax
Edmonton
Dartmouth
Montreal
Ottawa-Gatineau
Regina
Toronto
Vancouver
Winnipeg
(780) 495-3224
(902) 426-7997
(514) 283-6607
(819) 997-2429
(306) 780-3422
(416) 952-9096
(604) 666-2111
(204) 983-6306
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(604) 666-0778
(204) 983-8274
(819) 994-0218
(902) 426-2721
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(604) 666-8322
(204) 983-6317
