Canada-wide survey to gauge state of digital media sector

The Canadian Interactive Alliance (CIAIC) is surveying companies across the country to find how the digital media sector has changed since 2006. The data will be used by lobbyists to push for new policies and funding to stimulate the sector, primarily through better access to money, skilled labour and markets. The industry's first and only nation-wide survey was conducted in 2006. Considering the lightening pace of new technology development, mergers and acquisitions, there's no doubt more updated information is needed by both policy makers and regulators - particularly as the CRTC begins February hearings to consider regulating Internet content. CIAIC hopes its 2008 Canadian Interactive Industry Profile will provide an even more comprehensive picture than the last survey. "Last time (in 2006) we didn't get much respondents from the Atlantic provinces," says CIAIC executive director James Lewis "This time we've been working with people from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and sent the survey to companies in Newfoundland. New Brunswick has really seemed enthusiastic about this sector and you can see there is a lot of support there for this industry." Unlike other industries such as film and television production, the interactive industry is not routinely tracked by government agencies such as Statistics Canada. As such, it's up to industry to compile its own economic and operational profile. Similar surveys of the performing arts industry, for example, have guided public policy, government funding and private investment. "Its about presenting the government with the bare facts and letting the government decide for themselves where their priorities should be regarding this space," says Lewis. "This survey is important, we've heard from people in government, because there's no real census of the national landscape of new media." The online confidential survey is asking senior company executives to share information on a range of issues, including finances, staffing and Canadian ownership. Nordicity Group Ltd. has been contracted to analyze the results and a detailed report is expected in February. CIAIC hopes to have many of the results available for the CRTC's Feb. 17 hearing in Gatineau PQ. "Unlike other sectors in the economy, nobody knows where this is going yet. I don't think we've seen the ceiling in growth. This is part of the reason we think it's important to have things like the survey to quantify the industry, and with regards to the CRTC hearing, we think it's important not to cap the industry prematurely," says Lewis. "We've made a submission (to the CRTC) and obviously we hope that the CRTC thinks that our course of action is the best course of action. We'd like to see them refrain from trying to regulate digital content form. We think there should be more of a roundtable at the national level with other representatives of the federal government and people from the industry, and have more of an open consultative process rather than a hearing." The 2006 survey estimated there were 3,200 firms working in interactive media, with gross revenues over $7 billion. The industry as a whole employed over 50,000 people. Firms that grossed less than $10 million annually had average annual revenues of $592,100. More than 57% of these revenues were derived from fee-for-services, versus the development of intellectual property. The 2008 survey is being funded in part through Telefilm's New Media Fund. Other major contributors include the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund and the province of New Brunswick.

Canada-wide survey to gauge state of digital media sector

News | 01/07/2009 6:47 pm EST

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