Broadcasting in crisis, suggests CAB annual study

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has released a study on the state of the domestic industry — and it is not pretty. In fact, the survey stated that the industry is in an unprecedented structural crisis. Broadcasters no longer dominate the audio and video markets, and advertising revenues have plummeted, moving to foreign platforms, according to the report. Profitability, for both radio and television, has also declined, yet private broadcasters remain the cornerstone of news content. Kevin Desjardins, president of the CAB, was not surprised by the report, prepared for the organization by Communications Management Inc. “I think that it follows the trends that we’ve been seeing over the last several years,” Desjardins told The Wire Report. “They’re generally not positive in terms of where spending is going and the state of the Canadian industry, for both radio and television.” In 2005, private radio held 74.8 per cent of the market share, with internet audio being a mere 5.6 per cent, the report showed. By 2024, radio was down to 33.8 per cent while internet-based audio surged to 46.1 per cent. Private television posted 62.1 per cent market share in 2005, versus internet video at three per cent. Nineteen years later, TV was at 38 per cent, with internet video at 41.6 per cent. In 2005, newspapers garnered 38.4 per cent of advertising revenue, TV took in 31.5 per cent, radio had 13.7 per cent, and internet at 5.9 per cent. By 2024, internet ads represented 77.2 per cent of the marketplace, television was at 11.5 per cent, radio posted 4.6 per cent, and newspaper share declined to 3.2 per cent. In radio, profitability fell from $1.6 billion in 2015 to $1.1 billion two years ago. For television, private revenues declined from $1.9 billion to $1.4 billion over the same period. Desjardins maintained that competition from unregulated foreign outlets is causing pain, though he sees one hopeful sign on the horizon. “Getting some conclusion to the path of implementing the Online Streaming Act, I think, would be really important,” he offered. “It would help to support the news sector especially.” The CAB report stated that spending on news in 2024 totalled $1.75 billion. Most of that, $549 million, was by private TV. Newspapers were next at $350 million. The TV service of CBC/Radio-Canada pegged in at $205 million, with $150 million on digital platforms and $114 million for radio. Private radio spent $133 million on news content. All that spending on news while revenues decline is worrisome, Desjardins said. “They are getting to a point where I think the support for keeping journalists in newsrooms is going to get more difficult,” he stated. The report was issued to coincide with the CAB’s annual general meeting, but the president remarked there was nothing newsworthy from the confab. “It was good, boring governance,” he laughed. ppark@thewirereport.ca

Broadcasting in crisis, suggests CAB annual study

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By Paul Park
|February 20, 2026

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