Even though Canadians are watching slightly less traditional TV, the increased use of digital platforms actually led to a “modest” increase in weekly viewing hours, according to the CRTC’s new Communications Monitoring Report: 2014.
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Not surprisingly, the greatest declines for traditional TV watching came in the younger demographics. Teens 12-17 watched 21 hours of TV a week last year, a 7.5% decline from the previous year, while weekly viewing for the 18-34 demographic fell 3.9% – from 22.8 hours to 21.9 hours.
TV viewing among 55+ audiences held relatively steady at 38.6 hours, while viewing among the 25-54 demo fell slightly, 1.6%, from 25 hours per week in 2011-12 to 24.6 hours last season.
The report notes that adult Canadians watched approximately 1.9 hours of TV content over the internet last year, up from 1.3 hours in 2012. Much of this growth was attributable to Netflix, which saw adoption among English speakers grow to 29% from 21% the previous year, and adoption among French speakers increase from 5% to 7%.
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Combined TV and radio revenues increased 1.3% to $17.1 billion, with the broadcast industry investing $2.7 billion in the creation of new TV content and $52 million in the creation of new audio content.
The five largest broadcast companies – BCE, Cogeco, Quebecor, Rogers and Shaw (including Corus) – and their affiliates accounted for 85% of all broadcast revenues in 2013, up from 81% in 2013.
The next five largest groups – Bragg, the CBC, Newcap, Saskatchewan Telecommunications and Telus – accounted for just 7% of all broadcast revenues last year, down from 11% in 2012. The remaining 179 groups/entities accounted for 8% of total revenues, consistent with previous years.
The five largest commercial TV broadcasters accounted for a combined 74% of all commercial TV revenues, with BCE alone accounting for one-third. Its revenue equaled the combined total for its next three rivals – Shaw (13%), Rogers (11%) and CBC (9%).
Advertising revenues for all TV services – including CBC/SRC, private conventional, specialty, pay PPV and video-on-demand – fell slightly last year, from $3.5 to $3.4 billion.
The report found that 93% of Canadians watch TV in a typical month, while 64% of Canadians watch any type of YouTube video and 41% watch internet TV. Nearly one third (30%) of Canadians said they watched an entire 30 or 60-minute TV show online, and the same number said they watched an entire movie online.
AM radio’s declining fortunes
Canada boasted 1,174 radio and audio services in 2013, a 1.6% increase from 2012.
Total revenues for these services increased negligibly, 0.1%, to $1.62 billion. However, that total masks a 3.8% decline for the country’s 133 AM services (including a precipitous 22.6% drop for the eight French AM services).
The country’s 587 FM services accounted for 82% of all private commercial radio revenue, approximately $1.32 billion.
Half of all Canadians – and 53% of Anglophones – now stream music videos on YouTube, while 18% stream a personalized online service and 20% stream existing AM/FM stations.
Satellite radio subscriptions have grown steadily over the years, almost doubling since 2008. Approximately 15% of Canadians, including 17% of Anglophones, now subscribe to one of these services. Adoption of satellite services among Francophones, meanwhile, has remained unchanged at 7% for the past three years.
In Numeris Canada’s diary markets, CBC Radio One accounted for 13% of all tuning, just ahead of adult contemporary (12%) and hot adult contemporary (11%). Adult contemporary was the most listened-to format among English stations in PPM markets, accounting for 14% of all tuning.
