The Canadian Internet Project (CIP) released their “Year Two” report yesterday, an ongoing longitudinal study of the Internet, conventional media and emerging technologies in Canada. At over 350 pages, it’s huge – so far, I’ve only browsed it. However, three ideas are worth noting: two specifically raised by Professor Charles Zamaria (Principal Investigator and Project Director) in the CIP’s formal press release, and one from the report itself in light of Wednesday’s reaction from Canada’s acting community to Prime Minister Harper’s comments on cultural funding…

Traditional Media vs Online Media: it was refreshing to read that traditional media isn’t totally dead. Professor Zamaria noted that “conventional wisdom would suggest that Internet use has increased at the expense of traditional media. But the amount of time spent attending to conventional media by Internet users and non-users is virtually identical. In general, we found that Internet users are not finding time to be online by taking away from their traditional media diet. In many ways, media activity just begets more media activity.”

It’s the Experience: Professor Zamaria also noted that users aren’t just going online for information or to be entertained — but, also, “just to be there, and to be connected and share with others. Our finding that almost three quarters of all Internet users surf online with a specific reason or destination, and more than half do so on a regular basis, supports our contention that the Internet, for many, is as much an experience, as it is a valuable source of information and entertainment.”

Canadian Culture Online: at an ACTRA press conference here in Toronto, representatives responded quickly and hotly to the Prime Minister’s characterization that “ordinary Canadians” aren’t that concerned about culture cuts and that it’s a niche topic. Actor Colm Feore in particular: “We watch with particular interest those stories that are about us, that speak to who we are. Fundamentally, who we are as Canadians as differentiated by everyone else in the world and if we lost that, and lose sight of the value of that, it’s going to be gone forever.” (I should note that as I’m writing this, there have been over 650 comments posted on that CBC.ca article, plus some added attention on Technorati.) The CIP report states: “While the vast majority of Canadian Internet users view the Internet as a vital window to a globalized world, a considerable number also hope to find Canadian cultural content online. Nearly 60% of Internet users look specifically for Canadian content at least sometimes when they are online.” Interesting, given that the report also states that “45% of Canadian Internet users rank the Internet as important for entertainment” (among conventional media, only television and books ranked higher).

Below are some other CIP highlights*:

• Internet penetration in Canada increased to 78% in 2007 (an increase in 6% since 2004)
• Broadband access is found in 54% of all Canadian homes
• When compared to the rest of the world, Canadians continue to be among the heaviest internet users; and have been online for an average of nine years
• Half of Canada’s most elderly population — aged 60 and over — use the internet regularly (51%)
• Canadian internet users spent 17 hours a week online in 2007 (in 2004, this was 13 hours)
• 40% of Canadian Internet users have visited a community or social networking site and almost one in four do so at least weekly.

*(Zamaria, Charles and Fred Fletcher. Canada Online! The Internet, media and emerging technologies: Uses, attitudes, trends and international comparisons 2007. Toronto: Canadian Inernet Project, 2008.)

The Canadian Internet Project is a research initiative of the Canadian Media Research Consortium, under the direction of Charles Zamaria and Fred Fletcher in partnership with the following parties: the Government of Canada (Department of Canadian Heritage, Treasury Board Secretariat), Ontario Media Development Corporation, Telefilm Canada, Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada, Bell Canada (Bell University Laboratories), eBay, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

CIP is affiliated with the World Internet Project, a network of other research centres in 28 countries. In addition to trends, it looks at Canadians’ attitudes and behaviour towards media and technology. You can visit the CIP web site here: www.ciponline.ca.

• To access/download Canada Online! - The Internet, Media and Emerging Technologies: Uses, Attitudes, Trends and International Comparisons (.pdf), click here.