Fewer Canadian Watching TV: StatsCan

Tv

First Posted: 07/12/11 12:34 PM ET Updated: 09/11/11 06:12 AM ET

OTTAWA - Fewer Canadians are regularly watching TV today but those who do haven't curtailed their viewing.

Statistics Canada reports that the proportion of Canadians who said they watched television dropped from 77 per cent to 73 per cent between 1998 and 2010.

Those who did watch TV averaged about two hours and 52 minutes of viewing time a day, which StatsCan says hasn't really changed since 1998.

The number of Canadians who said they used a computer in their free time at home spiked since 1998, going from just five per cent to 24 per cent.

Those computer users averaged about an hour and 23 minutes of usage a day.

Video game use is also up, with three per cent of Canadians playing in 1998 and six per cent in 2010.

Gamers back then were spending an hour and 48 minutes playing each day, while the average was two hours and 20 minutes in 2010.

The figures are based on Statistics Canada's 2010 General Social Survey, which collected the daily habits of nearly 15,400 Canadians aged 15 and over in the 10 provinces.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST CANADA

Filed by Ron Nurwisah  | 
 
 
  • Comments
  • 10
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
07:17 PM on 07/12/2011
It’s small wonder people are turning a blind eye to Television.
The corporate number-cruncher’s quest for eyeballs, over any other consideration,
is turning sets off… and out… at an unprecedented rate.
Television, at its outset, probably more so than any other medium, except maybe for the book, held out so much hope for us.
But alas, the people who run television have let us down in their quest for the bigger buck.
As Television newsman and pioneer Edward R Murrow so aptly put it back in a speech he gave in 1958:
“This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.”
It may still be… but not in the grubby ‘profit pure and simple’ hands of the private enterprisers who are steering this ship into the rocks.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Charles Hamel
"we gather knowledge faster than we gather wisdom"
04:31 PM on 07/12/2011
Maybe when they pass legislation about regulating the volume of commercials, I'll think about watching tv regularly again. Otherwise, there are far greater things worth doing with my time that isn't periodically harassed by loud advertising I don't care for.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
abuckley23
Published author. Visit me at Planet Kibi!
04:02 PM on 07/12/2011
I think I'll just read a book...
01:22 PM on 07/12/2011
YES.....I only watch certain shows of interest(documentry and news) and pushed away the primetime infomerials.......
cdnman
Still a free spirit...
03:29 PM on 07/12/2011
As far as TV goes, thankfully I like to read.
photo
Leslie James Dalzell
One day at a time
01:11 PM on 07/12/2011
because it sucks! reality tv is here to stay and for that i will stay away! the only good shows are true blood, curb your enthusiasm, damages, nurse jackie, modern family, seinfeld and golden girls lol!
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
JackHoffman
Pundit
03:12 PM on 07/12/2011
Add Dexter, Breaking Bad and Boardwalk Empire for me ;)
photo
Jay from Ottawa
sovereignty sale, 1.3T OBO
12:33 PM on 07/12/2011
"Fewer Canadian Watching TV: StatsCan"

Good for you Canada !
11:59 AM on 07/12/2011
TV is the past, the new era is the age of the Internet and Gaming.
photo
tzoid
i've tried nothing and I'm all out fo ideas
11:43 AM on 07/12/2011
I'll post a comment when divorce Court ends