Whether its in print or online, the latest from Vividata suggests Canada’s magazines and newspapers still have big reach across demographics.

The spring 2023 update of Vividata’s SCC Study of the Canadian Consumer not only explores TV and social media, but also magazines, newspapers, radio, podcasts and OOH. 

Magazines reach 79% of adults in both Ontario and Quebec, only slightly ahead of the 78% who read in the prairie provinces. In an average month, 66% of adults access print or digital magazine content. Digital magazine content is accessed by 22% of adults by their smartphone, increasing to 44% for those under 35 and 57% for newcomers to Canada. Food, travel, and health magazines are the most popular, followed by home décor, entertainment/celebrity and technology/science publications. 

Among magazine readers, 42% only read the print version, while 17% do so in combination with more than one digital device. Readers under 55 mainly access digital magazine content indirectly, such as through search or social media links.

Nearly two in three Canadian adults read or access print or digital daily newspaper content in an average week. The makeup of newspaper readers include print-only readers (25%), print and mobile readers (18%) and those who read print, computer, and mobile (17%). Only 11% read newspapers via computer only. Newspaper brand readers are more active on weekdays (47%) than weekends (35%). Those under 55 access digital more than older generations with, Gen Z, perhaps surprisingly, more likely to read only print than millennials or Gen X.

Community newspapers have an audience of two in five Canadian adults in an average week. Readership is highest for community newspapers in British Columbia, where 51% of people are weekly readers and 65% read monthly. Readership is stronger in smaller markets and increases with age – 55% of Boomers compared to 46% of total Canada. Community newspaper readers are interested in the flyers inserted in the papers, which they use for grocery shopping decisions (56%) and say they read the newspaper mainly for local news (79%).

Audio listenership has remained consistent over the past few years, with 78% of Canadian adults listening to audio content in an average week. However, time spent is on the rise, with Canadians now spending just over 13 hours on an average per week with audio content, compared to just under nine hours in 2021.

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity, reaching 29% of Canadians per week, up from 22% in 2021, with listeners spending nearly an hour listening to podcasts per day. The number of Canadians that only listen to radio and audio content by streaming increased by 48% over the past two years. At up to 69% higher, Gen X and Gen Z saw the greatest increases in those that only stream radio and audio content over the past two years.

While trending lower each year, conventional radio remains the most popular way to listen at 64% among all adults, compared to 76% in 2021. However, the audience for free or paid audio streaming services has grown from 43% to 54%, reaching 66% for those under 35.

The study also covers out-of-home advertising, finding that 57% of Canadian adults notice an OOH ad in an average week. That number increases to 68% for adults under 35 and 64% for newcomers.

Digital OOH ads specifically are noticed by 34% of Canadian adults, with 67% of those that noticed agreeing that digital OOH ads are “a good way to learn about a new business in the area.” Of those that noticed an OOH ad, 17% sought out the brand, product or service via online search or visiting the advertiser’s website, while 45% of newcomers that noticed an OOH ad were 2.6 times more likely to do so than the average Canadian.