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Majority of Canadians get their news from mainstream sources, poll shows

Majority of Canadians get their news from mainstream sources, poll shows

September 28, 2022

A new Maru Public Opinion survey released today finds that mainstream media sources still dominate where Canadians who follow the news (86%) get their daily fill—but not surprisingly, of the twenty-three daily consulted news sources measured, their utilization varies significantly by age group.

The results and accompanying charts were made available to coincide with World News Day 2022, a global campaign to amplify the power and impact of fact-based journalism.

Canadian News Consumption

TORONTO, September 28, 2022—A new Maru Public Opinion survey released today finds that mainstream media sources still dominate where Canadians who follow the news (86%) get their daily fill—but not surprisingly, of the twenty-three daily consulted news sources measured, their utilization varies significantly by age group.

The results and accompanying charts were made available to coincide with World News Day 2022, a global campaign to amplify the power and impact of fact-based journalism.

The study found that of those Canadians who consult the news daily, their top news sources in ranked order are: a regular newscast on a TV station for either evening or late broadcast (45%), followed by a newspaper website (29%), a TV news website (29%), a TV station dedicated to only business news and information (29%), social media sites like Facebook or Instagram (26%), and radio news broadcasts (24%). In comparison, Twitter (14%) ranked eleventh of twenty-three daily consulted news sources.

Of those who follow the news by age group, the top-ranked news sources consulted daily are:

Aged 18-34Aged 35-54Aged 55+
Consume news daily82%82%93%
Social media like Facebook or Instagram35% 27%
TV news website30% 32% 26%
Newspaper website24%35%29%
Twitter23%
Regular newscast on a TV station for either evening or late broadcast21% 36%67%
Tik Tok20%
News Alerts like Google or financial/stocks17%17%
TV station dedicated to only business news and information29%39%
Radio news broadcasts22%32%
Daily newspaper you would normally pay for or subscribe to29%
Community newspapers26%

News consumption segments of the population

The study also identified four distinct “Newsie” segments among Canadians based on their self-reported daily news consumption habits:

Hyper Newsie (16%): they check the news all the time and depend on numerous sources to get it ranging from newspapers, radio, talk news, and news sites to news aggregators, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Moderate Newsie (35%): they check on the news a few times a day when they need to or are interested and depend on a few sources to get it ranging from newspapers to radio, media new sites, and Facebook.

Casual Newsie (35%): they check on the news once and a while from some regular sources and at times that they pretty much stick to.

Non-Newsie (14%): they don’t seek out or care much about the news unless it’s something that’s big or affects them directly.

The most intense (Hyper 16%) news consumers in Canada reside in Quebec (30%), followed by those living in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (17%), Alberta (12%) and Ontario (12%), Alberta (11%) and British Columbia (11%). Demographically, they are most likely to be men (21%) as opposed to women (12%) and those aged 18-34 (20%) compared to their middle-aged (35-54, 14% ) and older (55+, 16% ) counterparts.

The majority of Canadians who are most likely to consume the news (Hyper/Moderate 51%) daily by far hail from the province of Quebec (71%), followed by those living in Manitoba / Saskatchewan / British Columbia (48%), Ontario (45%), Alberta (43%), and Atlantic Canada (40%). Demographically, they are most likely to be men (57%) as opposed to women (46%), and those who are the oldest Canadians (55+, 58%) followed by their middle-aged (48%) and younger (18-34, 47%) counterparts.

Methodology

These are some of the findings from a study undertaken by Maru Public Opinion with its sample and data collection experts at Maru/Blue on August 15-16, 2022, among a random selection of 1517 Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada panelists. The results were weighted by education, age, gender, and region (and in Quebec, language) to match the population, according to Census data. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20. Respondents could respond in either English or French. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding.

Panel and data services provider Maru Blue is deeply rooted in the Maru/HUB technology platform and offers on-demand, high-quality, highly scalable online community samples of deeply engaged, known respondents. Excerpts from this release of findings should be properly attributed, with interpretation subject to clarification or correction. Maru Public Opinion is a professional services firm dedicated to improving its clients’ business outcomes. It delivers its services through teams of sector-specific research consultants specializing in the use of Insight Community and Voice of Market technology. Maru Public Opinion does not do any work for any political party. Maru Public Opinion polls with supporting detailed tables are found here: Maru Public Opinion Canada. Corporate information can be accessed here: Maru Group.

(Via Maru Group)

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