Television Audience Data Sources

Introduction

The Canada Media Fund has developed a method of tracking the performance of all programs funded by the CMF since its inception and captured within the Numeris databases. This methodology has been executed through the use of title matching algorithms developed by the CMF in conjunction with MediaStats and the independent consulting firm Figurs. While the information generated from this process is not yet available as a syndicated database to Numeris subscribers, it is available in the form of aggregated data outlined in the CMF Annual Report.

Data Source

Data for the 2013-2014 broadcast year, as well as the historical data from 2009-2010 through to 2012-2013 broadcast years, was sourced from Numeris data measurement systems. 

Metrics

The audience data upon which these charts were based have been derived from the 2013-2014 broadcast year (Weeks 1–53, August 26, 2013 to August 31, 2014), Total Canada, Persons 2+, average minute audiences (000) converted to total hours. The analysis used program-level data in order to calculate viewing levels by country of origin and genre.

Full Day

Full day is the equivalent of Monday to Sunday, from 2a.m. to 1:59a.m.

Peak Viewing Hours

In all aspects of this report, peak viewing was based on viewing to programs with start times falling between 7 p.m. and 10:59 p.m., and end times falling between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Definition of CMF-Funded Programming

Viewing to CMF-funded programming was based on viewing to English-language stations or French-language stations. These results take into account any project, past and present, to which the CMF (and formerly CTF) has contributed financing. It is important to note that Numeris does not currently identify individual telecasts by cycle number. It is therefore impossible to delineate which specific airing of a project may or may not have been funded. Due to these limitations in the Numeris dataset, CMF-funded projects for the purpose of this analysis included all cycles/years for projects financed by the CMF, even if only select cycles/years of the project were funded.

Data Universe

English

For all charts provided, audience data to English-language television was based on the cumulative audiences of the following broadcasters:

* indicates broadcaster did not submit specific program / episode lineup to Numeris despite being present in program-level analyses on nLogic / Nielsen software.

The above broadcasters have provided their weekly program schedules to Numeris and Numeris has reported these broadcasters’ viewing audiences by program for Total Canada during the 2013-2014 broadcast year. The aggregate viewing across Canada to the above list of stations represented 96.1% of all viewing to English stations reported by Numeris.

French

For all charts provided, audience data to French-language television was based on the cumulative audiences of the following broadcasters:

The above broadcasters have provided their weekly program schedules to Numeris and Numeris has reported these broadcasters’ viewing audiences by program for Total Canada during the 2013-2014 broadcast year. The aggregate viewing across Canada to the above stations represented 99.4% of all viewing to French-language stations reported by Numeris.

What’s Missing?

While the CMF audience analysis is based on a relatively complete viewing universe in the French market (99.4% as above), the viewing universe for the English market is slightly understated (96.1% as above).

The missing components include:

• viewing to Canadian stations/networks not reported at the program level in Numeris audience databases. This would include some digital networks;
• viewing to Canadian independent small market stations not captured in Numeris metered data systems, and viewing to non-network programming on stations affiliated with a conventional network (i.e. regional pre-emptions, specials, etc.); and
• viewing to some smaller-market U.S. and specialty channels.

The missing components do not include viewing to VOD/SVOD, streaming or over-the-top (OTT) services. These services have yet to be measured in any publicly commercial way in the Canadian market, and are therefore not calculated in the viewing universe.  At the insistence of the CRTC, various broadcasters and measurement companies are currently discussing ways in which to collect and distribute such viewing data for public and commercial consumption.

Country of Origin and Genres

For CMF-funded programming:

• Country of origin, in all cases, was considered to be Canadian (regardless of whether it was a treaty co-production or not).
• Genres included were Children’s & Youth, Documentary, Drama, or Variety & Performing Arts, depending upon the CMF eligibility requirements the program was funded under.

For all other programming:

Country of origin and genres were based on those provided via Numeris audience databases through the CMF Country of Origin and Genre Initiative, funded exclusively by the CMF and administered by Mediastats with participation from the CRTC, Numeris, and many broadcasters.

It is important to note that genre codes provided in Numeris audience databases adhere to CRTC genre definitions, and do not perfectly align with CMF genre definitions. For the purposes of this report, the following applies:

• The Children’s & Youth category* is comprised of the following genres as per CRTC classification:
  • 5A Formal Education And Pre-School
  • 7A Ongoing Drama Series
  • 7B Ongoing Comedy Series
  • 7C Specials Minis MOWS
  • 7E Animation
  • 7F Sketch Comedy/Comedy Other
  • 7G Other Drama

*For further clarification, see “Determination of Children’s & Youth Programming.”

• The Documentary category is comprised of the following genres as per CRTC classification:
  • 2A Analysis and Interpretation
  • 2B Long-Form Documentary

• The Drama category* is comprised of the following genres as per CRTC classification:
  • 7A Ongoing Drama Series
  • 7B Ongoing Comedy Series
  • 7C Specials Minis MOWS
  • 7E Animation
  • 7F Sketch Comedy/Comedy Other
  • 7G Other Drama

*For further clarification, see “Determination of Children’s & Youth Programming.”

• The Variety & Performing Arts category is comprised of the following genres as per CRTC classification:
  • 8A Music & Dance
  • 9 Variety

Determination of Children’s & Youth Programming

With the exception of the CRTC genre “5A Formal Education & Pre-School,” there are no obvious genre designations for Children’s & Youth programming. Yet, clearly, many programs are produced and broadcast in this country with the intent of targeting and reaching young audiences. For the purposes of this report, all programming in the following CRTC genres were categorized as either Drama or Children’s & Youth depending on the actual average demographic composition of programs falling in these genres.

• 7A Ongoing Drama Series
• 7B Ongoing Comedy Series
• 7C Specials Minis MOWS
• 7E Animation
• 7F Sketch Comedy/Comedy Other
• 7G Other Drama

If more than 50% of the average audience (i.e., all telecasts averaged together) for any program falling in the above CRTC genres were aged 2–17, the program was categorized as Children’s & Youth. If more than 50% of the average audience for a program were aged 18+, it was categorized as Drama.

All other CRTC genres were considered to be “Other.”

Digital Media Data Sources

The data provided in the Digital Media section of the audience report covers the fiscal year from April 1st 2014- March 31st, 2015.

comScore Tagging

Each year, the CMF continues to refine its collection of digital media data. This year’s process included eliminating data formerly collected from additional tools such as Google Analytics while exclusively focusing on the collection of data through one single source, comScore Digital Analytics. 

Challenges of accurate data measurement

In most cases, Convergent Stream projects are designed for audiences using website platforms (vs. mobile applications). In terms of supported content types, a larger portion of Convergent Stream projects have mostly been funded and classified as Rich Interactive Media experiences. These projects have been correctly tagged at the site level, collecting everything that supports the Rich Interactive Media content type.  The challenge had been to find solutions for tagging other CMF-funded projects funded at the event-level (rather than site level) such as such as video and games. Although events such as video and games have also been collecting the necessary data for CMF purposes, other non-funded elements have also been included in its collection resulting in extraneous data. 

Experimental Stream projects, due to the limitations of platform type and other technical challenges, are mostly being collected through other 3rd party analytic tools such as Flurry, App Annie and Steam. Challenges include assessing the utility of each of the measurement tools as well as evaluating the accuracy of aggregating data coming from a variety of different sources.

Future Steps

The CMF is currently working on technical solutions and processes to assist developers in tagging Convergent Stream projects at the event-based level. This process will provide the CMF refined sets of data that support the CMF-funded content types.

When a CMF project is unable to be tagged with comScore Digital Analytix, the CMF will continue accepting other viable sources of data for Experimental projects. Going forward, the CMF will collect this data through the creation of a new online reporting tool. This tool will distinguish the types of tools used, the types of metrics for each and how the CMF can best measure it.