CBC’s commercial-free broadcast of The Tragically Hip’s farewell concert on Aug. 20 is proving to be a feather in its (fifty-mission) cap, according to a new study from the Toronto office of international research firm IMI.
IMI conducted an online survey of more than 750 Canadians 13+ between Aug. 21 and 22 to identify both the reach and impact of the Hip’s final show, as well as its impact on the hearts and minds of Canadians.
Nearly one-third of Canadians watched at least part of the Aug. 20 concert, with an average audience of 4.04 million people tuning into the CBC telecast or the event’s live-stream.
IMI’s research found 4.1 million Canadians felt more favourable towards CBC in the wake of the concert, with 5.8 million people saying they appreciate the public broadcaster more than ever and 6.9 million agreeing it is a great broadcaster.
In addition, 7.1 million Canadians say they support their tax dollars funding CBC, and 10 million say it is an important part of Canada. According to IMI, two-thirds of Canadians 13+ currently have a positive attitude towards CBC.
Canadian celebrities including sitcom star Will Arnett, former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page and former Kids in the Hall and NewsRadio star Dave Foley also lauded the CBC’s commercial-free broadcast, with Page writing “This is what the CBC is for. Thank you for connecting us all.”
The Tragically Hip garnered an estimated 490,696 mentions on social media from Aug. 19-23, with CBC attracting more than 89,000 mentions during the four-day span.
IMI’s research also found 3.4 million Canadians recorded the Hip’s final show, while 4.9 million watched the concert outside the home (either at a friend’s house, a bar or viewing event).
The research also found 3.8 million Canadians watched part of the telecast again, while 2.8 million people streamed Tragically Hip music and 2.1 million followed or shared Hip-related content via social in the days after the concert.
An estimated 4.7 million Canadians admitted to shedding a tear about the final show, brought about by lead singer Gord Downie’s terminal cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
