The Canadian Association of Broadcasters, holding its annual convention this week in Quebec City, released a poll this afternoon guaging attitudes Canadians have about media. Of some note: Many Canadians would support their tax dollars going to support Canadian broadcasting and many erroneously believe that newspapers received financial support from federal government grants.
A press release with all the survey details is here but here's some interesting excerpts:
- Not surprisingly, Canadians expect news from Canadian local daily newspapers and national
newspapers specifically. However, Canadian newspapers do more than keep Canadians informed. Under the layer of articles, pictures and commentaries lay important societal benefits. A strong majority of Canadians feel that their newspapers play an important role in terms of keeping their government accountable, promoting a sense of community, of national pride and of unity, and promoting Canadian athletes and history.- Despite this increase in use of Canadian media, Canadians agree that the Canadian media is faced with a number of significant challenges. Not only do they agree that the volume of foreign media is threatening to overwhelm Canadian voices in Canadian media but they also feel that the reliance on such foreign media is likely to increase due to declines in funding for Canadian content.
- Canadian content is so important to Canadians that 7 in 10 would accept that a greater proportion of tax dollars be used to ensure that Canadian content is available to Canadians for many years to come. As for maintaining or improving the quality and accessibility of the programming
Canadians have come to expect from Canadian radio and television broadcasters, fully 82% of Canadians believe the government should dedicate the same or more funds and resources to broadcasting in Canada.- Although Canadian local dailies and national dailies do not depend at all on federal funds, it is nonetheless interesting that the Canadian public is not very well informed on this matter. Fully twothirds of Canadians think that daily newspapers some federal funding.
- “Fully two-thirds of Canadians consider at least some newspaper advertising informative while 80% consider the advertising found in newspapers at least somewhat acceptable. Acceptability of advertising in newspapers does change noticeably once respondents are informed that newspapers do not depend on government funds to operate.”