Report on Canadian Media Reveals Worrisome Trends

The number of full-time journalists in Canada fell by 1,500 last year to 10,900 – this according to a new study by Globe Media and Internet Research project. The study examines the scale, scope and structure of network media in Canada.  It delves into which media are growing/declining in size and whether these medias are becoming more diversified or more centralized. This project was led by Professor Dwayne Winseck, from Carleton University School of Journalism and Communications.

Centralization within Canadian media was a key theme in this report. Bell Canada maintained their position atop the network media economy, by taking in 23% of the total industry revenue ($24.9 billion). Not surprisingly, Rogers is right behind them with 18.7% of the market share, worth $20.2 billion. Their market share was boosted by the $26 billion acquisition of Shaw – which hit the record books as the 6th largest takeover in Canadian history. The three big tech giants in Canada (Google, Amazon and Meta) controlled a whopping 89% of the $16.6 billion online advertising market in Canada. The theme which boils down from this data – Canadians should be aware of the decreasing number of voices within their media circles.

The report also details that the Canadian newspaper industry has seen the biggest revenue hit of any traditional media source. Newspaper revenue peaked at $4.7 billion in 2008. It was estimated at just $1.7 billion in 2023 – a decline of over 60%. While that has been offset by increases to digital media revenue, the loss of professional, full-time journalists is correlated to this decline in newspapers.

With a reduced number of full-time journalists, consolidation of advertising markets and traditional media revenues shrinking, Canadians should take note of an evolving industry. Our support for professional journalism is more crucial than ever!