Radio and Television Broadcasting Survey (RTBS)

This survey collects financial and operating data for radio, television stations and networks and discretionary and on-demand services. These data will be aggregated to produce national and regional estimates of the performance of this industry.

These estimates are used by regulatory and policy departments, the private sector, international organizations, academics, analysts and the general public to better understand this industry's contribution to the Canadian economy.

The information you provide may be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

• Block Information Confidentiality

  Confidentiality

  Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes.

  Completion of this survey is a legal requirement under the Statistics Act, the Telecommunications Act and the Broadcasting Act.

  This survey is conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. S-19, and under the authority of the Telecommunications Act and the Broadcasting Act, Section 37.

• Block Information on Data sharing agreements and record linkage

  Data sharing agreements and record linkage

  Data sharing agreements

  To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

  Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act.

  Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.

  For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon.

  The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

  Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under this section, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician, specifying the organizations with which you do not want to share your data and returning it in a separate envelope addressed to:

  Chief Statistician of Canada
  Statistics Canada
  Attention of Director, Investment, Science and Technology Division
  150 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0T6

  For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut as well as with the Department of Canadian Heritage, the "Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec" and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

  For agreements with provincial and territorial government organizations, the shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

  Note that there is no right of refusal with respect to sharing these data with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC has the legislative authority to collect this information on a mandatory basis pursuant to the Telecommunications Act and the Broadcasting Act.

  Record linkage

  To enhance the data from this survey and to minimize the reporting burden for respondents, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.

• Block Information on Topics covered in the survey

  Topics covered in the survey

  The survey asks questions about

  • business, consumer and property services
  • business performance and ownership
  • information and communications technology
  • television and radio industries.

• Block Information on Published data

  Published data

  Selected results will be published in tables 22-1000-04-01, 22-1000-05-01 and 22-1000-06-01.

  Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.

  Analysis: You will have direct access to Stats in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.

• Block Information on Survey-specific questions

  Survey-specific questions

  • What is the purpose of the Annual Radio and Television Broadcasting Survey?
  • Who is surveyed?
  • Why are the CRTC and Statistics Canada conducting a joint survey?
  • Who uses this information? Why is it important?

  What is the purpose of the Annual Radio and Television Broadcasting Survey?

  Statistics Canada will use selected data from the survey to produce national and regional estimates of activity in the radio and television broadcasting industries. These estimates become an integral part of the national and provincial economic accounts.

  In addition, estimates from the survey are used to report to international organizations such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and are an authoritative source of information on the industry for use by all stakeholders, for example to prepare reports submitted to bodies such as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and the Copyright Board.

  Who is surveyed?

  The survey targets all organizations licensed by the CRTC to operate private, public and non-commercial radio or television programming undertakings.

  Why are the CRTC and Statistics Canada conducting a joint survey?

  The Commission and Statistics Canada have agreed to integrate the requirements of both organizations for industry and market statistics into this data collection in order to avoid duplication, minimize response burden on the industry, make more efficient use of resources and promote coherence of the Canadian statistical system.

  Who uses this information? Why is it important?

  Data from this survey are used by:

  • Statistics Canada to construct national and provincial economic accounts;
  • the CRTC to monitor the industry's performance and adherence to regulations;
  • industry associations, provincial governments, Canadian Heritage and industry analysts to conduct economic studies and to analyze and develop policy;
  • industry consultants and other interested parties to prepare reports submitted to bodies such as the CRTC and the Copyright Board;

  Data from this survey are important because they allow for the measurement of the sector's contribution to the Canadian economy and supports informed decision-making in the development of cultural and industrial policies

• For more information about this survey (questionnaires, definitions, data sources and methods used): survey number 2724