Canadian Ad Insider

The upfront season is fast approaching in Canada, with media buyers and planners stepping away from their desks (or home offices) to listen to broadcasters and digital properties vying for a bigger slice of the advertising revenue pie.

Once again dentsu Canada held its annual Media Day inviting industry leaders, partners from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal to come together and explore the complexities of Canadian-owned media.

This year's highly anticipated event showcased a myriad of fascinating trends and eye-opening realities that underscored the immense challenges and promising opportunities present in the ever-evolving landscape of the media industry.  Over the last year we have seen a number of changes within the media landscape with the closure of 36 local news outlets across Canada, including community newspapers and privately-owned radio stations.  No type of media seems to be safe whether it be radio, pure-play digital, the media industry continues to go through a drastic change. 

Some key highlights from the 2024 dentsu Canada Media Day include:

• Staggering 518 local radio, TV, print, and online news operations have ceased operations since 2008, leaving Canadians feeling increasingly disconnected from their local news sources
• Canadian-owned media outlets continue to be beacons of trust for Canadians.
  With 68% placing their trust in Radio Canada and 56% in the CBC as their primary sources of news, there's a clear indication of the enduring value these institutions hold in today’s society
• Canadian lifestyle content is in decline.  This is concerning because Canadian lifestyle content connects us all on a human level

According to dentsu Canada, Local Media Day is not just a platform to highlight the obstacles; it was also a call to action to celebrate and support the resilience of Canadian media.

Photo Gallery:

(click to enlarge)