Audience Results
While funding results in this report illustrate activities in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, audience results reflect the most recently completed broadcast year, specifically, 2009-2010.
Overall English-language Viewing Trends
Canadian vs. foreign programs
Overall, Canadians are spending more time watching domestically produced English-language programs than ever before. Although foreign programming continued to account for the majority of viewing in the English-language market, the full-day share of viewing to Canadian programs rose to 39%, three percentage points higher than the previous year.
CMF-funded genres vs. other genres
Overall, Canadians are spending less time watching English-language programs in the four CMF-supported genres - children’s & youth, documentary, drama and variety & performing arts (VAPA). The full-day share of viewing to programs in the four CMF-supported genres declined to 44%, four percentage points lower than the previous year, pointing to the continued popularity and increased scheduling of unscripted programs.
CMF-funded programs vs. non-funded Canadian programs
When examining viewership to Canadian programs in CMF-supported genres only, CMF-funded programs captured a 45% share of full-day viewing, rising 7 share points from the previous year and setting a 5-year record. In peak-viewing hours, CMF-funded programs captured a 52% share, rising 12 share points over the previous 4-year average.
Overall Viewing of English-language CMF-funded Programs
Among English-language programs in the CMF-supported genres, the share of viewing to CMF-funded programs has shown consistent growth, posting modest gains year over year. Results, however, also point to an increase in viewing to foreign programs - suggesting that growth in both of the preceding categories has occurred at the expense of viewing to non-CMF Canadian programs.
In the children’s & youth genre, the share of full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs grew by six percentage points, to 31% - the highest share in five years. Viewing to foreign programs however grew by two share points, to 63%. In peak viewing hours, results were even more favourable: viewing to CMF-funded programs grew by seven share points, to 44% - also the highest percentage in five years, while viewing to foreign programs slipped by one share point, to 54%.
In the documentary genre, the share of full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs grew by two percentage points, to 13%. Viewing to foreign programs however grew by eight share points, to 58%. This trend was even more pronounced in peak-viewing hours, during which viewing to CMF-funded programs increased by only one share point, to 11%, while viewing to foreign programs increased by 14 share points, to 65%.
In the VAPA genre, the share of full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs actually decreased by one percentage point, to 18%, while viewing to foreign programs rose by four share points to 73%. The pattern was even more apparent in peak-viewing hours, during which viewing to CMF-funded programs decreased by three share points, to 12%, while viewing to foreign programs rose by nine share points, to 80%.
Viewing showed a slightly different pattern in the drama genre: while the share of full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs remained stable at 5%, viewing to foreign programs declined by three share points, to 83%, pointing to growth in viewing to Canadian-produced dramas that were not CMF-funded. In peak-viewing hours, the trend was similar, with viewing to CMF-funded programs and Canadian-produced dramas each rising by one share point, resulting in a two share point decline in viewing to foreign programs.
CMF-funded vs Other Canadian vs Foreign Programs by Genre
Full Day - English
CMF-funded vs Other Canadian vs Foreign Programs by Genre
Peak Hours - English
Top Performing CMF-funded English-Language Programs
The following is a list of the top 20 English-language programs funded by the CMF which aired during the 2009-2010 broadcast year. A more detailed analysis of audiences by program title can be found in the Canada Media Fund Audience Report available on the CMF website.
| Broadcaster | Program Title | Genre | Duration (mins.) | Funding Year | Episodes Funded | Episodes Aired | Average Minute Audience |
| CTV | Hiccups I (Pilot) | Drama | 30 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 2,059,000 |
| CTV | Dan for Mayor I (Pilot) | Drama | 30 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 1,995,000 |
| Global | Rookie Blue I | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 13 | 10 | 1,805,000 |
| CTV | Flashpoint III | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 13 | 4 | 1,472,000 |
| CTV | Flashpoint II | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 18 | 18 | 1,449,000 |
| CBC | Keep Your Head Up, Kid: The Don Cherry Story | Drama | 120 | 2009-2010 | 2 | 2 | 1,357,000 |
| CTV | Bridge (The) | Drama | 120 | 2007-2008 | 1 | 1 | 1,223,000 |
| CBC | Rick Mercer Report VII | Drama | 30 | 2009-2010 | 19 | 19 | 1,115,000 |
| CBC | Air Farce New Year's Eve 2009 | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2009-2010 | 1 | 1 | 1,040,000 |
| CBC | Heartland III | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 7 | 7 | 1,038,000 |
| CBC | Heartland III1 | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 11 | 11 | 997,000 |
| Family | Vacation with Derek | Children’s & Youth | 90 | 2009-2010 | 1 | 1 | 972,000 |
| CTV | Bridge (The) | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 11 | 11 | 965,000 |
| CBC | Secret World of Shoplifting (The) | Documentary | 60 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 852,000 |
| CBC | Republic of Doyle I | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 12 | 12 | 823,000 |
| CBC | 18 to Life (Pilot) | Drama | 30 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 813,000 |
| CBC | Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2007-2008 | 1 | 1 | 800,000 |
| CBC | Cannabiz | Documentary | 60 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 765,000 |
| CTV | Hiccups I | Drama | 30 | 2009-2010 | 13 | 13 | 747,000 |
| CBC | Ron James Show | Drama | 30 | 2009-2010 | 12 | 12 | 725,000 |
Ten CMF-funded programs which aired in the 2009-2010 broadcast year achieved audiences of over 1 million viewers on average. This is a marked improvement over prior broadcast years, when three titles in 2008-2009 and two titles in 2007-2008 reached the million viewer mark.
Fifteen of the top twenty programs were dramas, achieving audiences that ranged from over 2 million to 725,000; two were variety and performing arts programs, achieving audiences of slightly over 1 million and 800,000 viewers; and two were documentaries, achieving audiences of approximately 850,000 and 765,000 viewers. For the first time, a children’s and youth project, Vacation with Derek, made the overall top twenty, attracting a record audience of 972,000 viewers.
The top performing CMF-funded series, Rookie Blue, garnered over 1.8 million viewers. By way of comparison, the top performing foreign series in a CMF-supported genre, Grey’s Anatomy, reached just under 2.9 million viewers on average, and only three other series (Criminal Minds, House and NCIS) reached over two million viewers on average.
Overall French-language Viewing Trends
Canadian vs. foreign programs
Canadian programs continue to account for the majority of viewing in the French-language market, with a 64% share of full-day viewing, unchanged from last year.
CMF-funded genres vs. other genres
Overall, Canadians are spending slightly more time watching French-language programs in the four CMF-supported genres – children’s & youth, documentary, drama and variety & performing arts (VAPA). Despite the slight increase, the 46% share of full-day viewing is maintained from the previous year.
CMF-funded programs vs. non-funded Canadian programs
When examining viewership to Canadian programs in CMF-supported genres only, CMF-funded programs captured a 34% share of full-day viewing, rising 3 share points from the previous year. In peak-viewing hours, CMF-funded programs captured a 48% share, equivalent to the previous 4-year average.
Overall Viewing of French-language CMF-funded Programs
Among French-language programs in the CMF-supported genres, the share of viewing to CMF-funded programs has rebounded, rising 15 percentage points from the previous year. A marginal but discernable trend of increased viewing to versioned foreign programming has however also become evident over the past five years.
In the children’s & youth genre, the share of full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs remained stable, at 49%, while in peak viewing hours, viewing to CMF-funded programs grew by four share points, to 75%, the highest percentage in five years.
In the VAPA genre, full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs increased sharply by 32 share points, to 71%, the highest percentage in five years - although much of this growth came from a single program Dieu Merci! which was financed by the CMF in 2009-2010. This change was also reflected in peak viewing hours, with viewing to CMF-funded programs increasing by 34 share points, to 74%, also a five-year record.
In the drama genre, full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs grew by two share points, to 15%, but viewing to foreign programs remained high at 62%. In peak viewing hours, viewing to CMF-funded programs increased by only one share point, to 26%, while viewing to foreign programs increased by three share points, to 48%, suggesting that the share of Canadian-produced dramas during peak-viewing hours is eroding.
In the documentary genre, the majority of both full-day and peak-viewing continues to go to Canadian programs that were not CMF-funded. Full-day viewing to CMF-funded programs decreased by two share points, to 8%, the lowest level of the past five years, while viewing to foreign programs increased by one share point, to 21%. In peak-viewing hours, viewing to CMF-funded programs decreased by four share points, to 11%, while viewing to foreign programs increased by two share points, to 26%.
CMF-funded vs Other Canadian vs Foreign Programs by Genre
Full Day - French
CMF-funded vs Other Canadian vs Foreign Programs by Genre
Peak Hours - French
Top Performing CMF-funded French-Language Programs
The following is a list of the top 20 French-language programs funded by the CMF which aired during the 2009-2010 broadcast year. A more detailed analysis of audiences by program title can be found in the Canada Media Fund Audience Report available on the CMF website.
| Broadcaster | Program Title | Genre | Duration (mins.) | Funding Year | Episodes Funded | Episodes Aired | Average Minute Audience |
| SRC | Petite Vie - Spécial Noël (La) | Drama | 90 | 2009-2010 | 1 | 1 | 2,766,000 |
| TVA | Effet Kurtz (L') | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2008-2009 | 4 | 3 | 1,865,000 |
| SRC | 15 ans de petite vie | Documentary | 60 | 2009-2010 | 1 | 1 | 1,585,000 |
| TVA | Lance et compte : le grand duel IV | Drama | 60 | 2007-2008 | 10 | 10 | 1,570,000 |
| TVA | Dieu Merci IV | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2009-2010 | 19 | 19 | 1,340,000 |
| TVA | Céline sur les plaines | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 2 | 1,297,000 |
| SRC | Parent (Les) II | Drama | 30 | 2009-2010 | 24 | 24 | 1,259,000 |
| TVA | Yamaska I | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 21 | 21 | 1,198,000 |
| SRC | Trauma I | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 10 | 10 | 1,189,000 |
| TVA | Gentleman (Le) I | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 8 | 8 | 1,119,000 |
| TVA | Destinées III | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 26 | 26 | 1,109,000 |
| SRC | Providence VI | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 22 | 11 | 1,092,000 |
| TVA | Laurent Paquin : tout est relatif | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2008-2009 | 1 | 1 | 1,084,000 |
| SRC | Boys III (Les) | Drama | 30 | 2009-2010 | 13 | 13 | 1,072,000 |
| SRC | Providence V | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 22 | 11 | 1,065,000 |
| SRC | Mirador I | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 10 | 10 | 1,015,000 |
| TVA | Rock et Rolland I | Drama | 30 | 2008-2009 | 10 | 10 | 1,003,000 |
| TVA | Série Juste pour rire 2009 | Variety & Performing Arts | 60 | 2009-2010 | 9 | 9 | 977,000 |
| TVA | Promesse (La) | Drama | 60 | 2009-2010 | 26 | 26 | 966,000 |
| SRC | Galère II (La) | Drama | 60 | 2008-2009 | 10 | 10 | 960,000 |
Seventeen CMF projects which aired in 2009-2010 achieved audiences of over 1 million viewers on average. This is a marked improvement over prior broadcast years, when eight titles in 2008-2009 and ten titles in 2007-2008 reached the million viewer mark.
Fourteen of the top twenty programs were dramas, achieving audiences ranging from over 2.7 million viewers to just under 1 million viewers; five were variety and performing arts programs, achieving audiences ranging from almost 1.9 million to just under 1 million viewers; and one was a documentary, achieving an audience of close to 1.6 million viewers. No children’s and youth program made the overall top 20 programs list, as the top-ranked program in this genre achieved an average audience of just over 200,000 viewers.
The top performing CMF-funded series, Lance et Compte, garnered over 1.5 million viewers. By way of comparison, the top performing foreign series in a CMF-supported genre, Dr. House, reached just under 900,000 viewers on average, and only two other foreign series (Beautés Désespérées and Esprits Criminels) reached over 500,000 viewers on average.
1 Heartland III was funded as a “split cycle” (same season funded in two separate fiscal years).
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