Broadcasting Issues and Canada/US Relations
The survey reveals that Canadians' beliefs that government has an increasingly important role to play in maintaining culture and identity distinct from the US appear to be grounded as much in pride than in fear. Over 80% believe that Canadians currently have at least a moderate sense of their culture and identity.
On the broadcasting front, the survey shows that a strong majority of Canadians believe that Canadian content and programming are important in terms of their impact in helping to maintain and build Canadian culture and identity (73%). Eight-in-ten (78%) believe that the CBC has an important role to play in this regard.
These are the findings from a national broadcast issue public opinion survey conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting (FCB). Interviewing was conducted between May 4th and May 9th, 2004, among a representative cross-section of 1,100 Canadians. With a sample of this size, the national results are considered accurate to within 1773.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to 2001 Census data. Tracking data from a 2002 FCB national survey are included where appropriate.
Canadian Culture/Identity and Canada/US Relations
Canadians are very proud of their culture and identity. They overwhelmingly believe that it is something that we should be promoting. They also see a role for government in doing this, especially in the context of maintaining and building our culture and identity distinct from the US as our economic ties increase.
One of the more interesting comparisons across key subgroups is on the issue of the importance of strengthening Canadian culture and identity as our economic ties with the US increase. While 80% or more of residents in all regions agree with this, it is highest in Quebec (91%) and Atlantic Canada (89%). Women (91%) are also more likely than men (82%) to agree. While no real differences emerge by age, 90% of current Liberal supporters, 88% of current NDP and 93% of current Bloc supporters agree, with current Conservative supporters (79%) somewhat lower.
Indeed, there is a consistent trend throughout the survey, particularly results associated with culture and identity and related issues, which shows that women, Atlantic Canadians, Quebecers and current Liberal, NDP and Bloc supporters are generally more concerned with these issues, attribute higher importance to them and are more supportive of government action in these areas. Current Conservative supporters, men and Albertans tend to be consistently less so.
Canadians' beliefs that government has an increasingly important role to play in maintaining culture and identity distinct from the US appear to be grounded more in pride than fear. Over 80% believe that Canadians currently have at least a moderate sense of their culture and identity. Furthermore, a larger proportion believe that our culture and identity is stronger than weaker vis a vis the US than five years ago.
Canadian Content
The vast majority of Canadians believe that Canadian content and programming are important overall and in terms of their impact in helping to maintain and build Canadian culture and identity.
Across key subgroups, women (79%), younger Canadians (77%), and Quebec (82%) and Atlantic (83%) residents associate the highest importance to Canadian content and programming helping to maintain and build Canadian identity and culture. Residents in Alberta (61%) fall below. Politically, importance is reported by 77% of current Liberals, 82% of current NDP and 86% of current Bloc supporters, compared with 60% of current Conservative partisans.
Consequently, six-in-ten Canadians believe that there should be a required, minimum amount of Canadian programming on Canadian television. Furthermore, almost as many believe that the current regulations requiring one hour of Canadian programming in prime time is too little.
The CBC and Culture/Identity
A strong majority of Canadians believe that the CBC is important in helping to maintain and build Canadian culture and identity, and as a symbol of culture and identity. There is also widespread agreement that the CBC is one of the things that helps distinguish Canada from the US.
The CBC receives the highest ratings among 13 groups/organizations examined in terms of public confidence/trust to protect Canadian culture and identity on television. This cuts across regional lines. Furthermore, while the CBC has been able to maintain its rating from 2002, ratings associated with almost all of the other groups/organizations have declined somewhat. TVA ranks second to the CBC in Quebec, while the CTV Network ranks second in English markets.
While both CBC radio and television are seen as contributing to Canadian identity and culture by a significant number of Canadians, CBC television remains the focus for a majority.
Also noteworthy is that while the CRTC ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of confidence/trust ratings to protect Canadian culture and identity on TV, the vast majority of Canadians continue to see a need for the CRTC and its activities in Canada today.
CBC and its Mandate
Canadians continue to give the CBC positive marks in meeting its mandate of providing "radio and television services incorporating a wide range of programming that informs, enlightens and entertains." As in 2002, currently 81% of Canadians rate the CBC good or better in this regard.
Further questioning reveals that Canadians attribute a high level of importance to the issue of CBC's regional mandate. While not as high as its rating on meeting its general mandate, a majority nevertheless rate CBC television and radio positively in meeting the corporation's regional mandate. The generally positive attitudes that Canadians have toward the CBC in terms of its importance and mandate carries over into other attitudes toward the corporation. This ranges from issues such as a desire to see the CBC prosper to being able to meet regional needs.
What may be underlying the importance that Canadians associate with the CBC's regional mandate is a sense among many Canadians that neither people in other provinces nor the federal government understand the issues and concerns of people in their own province or region. These beliefs tend to decrease moving across the country from west to east.
CBC and Funding
Canadians across all regions continue to be more of the mind to maintain or increase the CBC's funding than to reduce it. This also cuts across partisan lines, although current Conservative supporters are more divided in their opinions.
In terms of governance, Canadians are generally divided in their opinions about whether or not the Prime Minister's power to appoint the CBC President and Board of Directors gives the government too much influence over the corporation.
Please open the attached PDF to view the embedded tables, factum and detailed tables.
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For more information on this news release, please contact:
Chris Martyn
Senior Vice-President
Ipsos-Reid Public Affairs
(416) 324-2900
