A majority of Canadians want to see more promotion of Canadian content

As part of National Canadian Film Day, Telefilm Canada is sharing a new study on Canadian audiences, which reveals that an overwhelming majority of Canadians would like to see more promotion of Canadian content. Commissioned by Telefilm, the study was carried out by Leger.

“As we look to the future, we know the success of the industry relies heavily on where homegrown content can be discovered and made available, both at home and at their local cinemas,” said Christa Dickenson, Executive Director & CEO, Telefilm Canada. “That is why Telefilm has launched the See It All platform and secured innovative partnerships with Apple, CBC Gem, Crave and others to make it easier for Canadians to find and watch their own content. And it’s also why we’ve partnered with the MADE | NOUS Seek More campaign to inspire Canadians to seek more content and creators from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Canadians want to see more of themselves onscreen – and the good news is Canadian creators are in a unique position to deliver just that.”

Highlights of the study

• The story prevails over all other selection criteria for Canadians when choosing content.
• On average, one-quarter (24%) of Canadians’ at-home viewing time is devoted to Canadian/Québec content.
• Three-quarters of Canadians agree that additional efforts should be made to promote Canadian/Québec content both inside and outside Canada. Similarly, almost seven out of 10 Canadians believe that Canadian/Québec content is not sufficiently promoted.
• A majority (56%) agree that Canadian/Québec content is easy to find. Greater promotion could increase visibility and thus provide easier access to Canadian/Québec content.
• More than three in 10 Canadians (31 %) do not believe it is easy to access Canadian and Quebec content.
• Canadians who are most likely to have difficulty finding Canadian and Quebec content include residents of Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, youth aged 18-34 and Canadians from Racialized communities.
• Canadians from Racialized communities are significantly more likely to think that minority groups should occupy more space on the screen (60% vs. 49%), that they do not feel adequately represented in Canadian/Québec content (45% vs. 34%) and are significantly less likely to think that content is made for people like them (40% vs. 47%).
• Racialized communities represent the subgroup of the population that watches the least Canadian/Quebec audiovisual content.

Methodology
A web-based survey was conducted between October 23 and November 6, 2020, among Canadians 18 years of age and older, who speak English or French. To ensure a more accurate representation of the population’s opinion, a sample of nearly 100 Canadians aged 13 to 17 were also surveyed. In total, 1,875 respondents completed the full questionnaire.

About Telefilm Canada
Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent at home and around the world. Telefilm also makes recommendations regarding the certification of audiovisual treaty coproductions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Launched in 2012, the Talent Fund raises private donations to principally support emerging talent. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada and on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

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Media contact:

Joyce Richards
Advisor, Public Relations – English Market
Telefilm Canada
647-475-4903
joyce.richards@telefilm.ca