Dated data
It will be in April when Statscan finally gets around to publishing data about the Canadian periodical industry through 2003. The industry has been relying on 1998-99 data since it was released March 18, 2002. A lot has happened in 7 years.
(That 1998-99 data left something to be desired because, for some reason, Statscan 'found' about 500 titles that it hadn't found in 1996-97, thus making comparison iffy or inadvisable not only with that round, but with the data of the previous 10 years.)
At least this time around, the questionnaire asked for the total number of pages, broken down into text, revenue and non-revenue, for the entire reporting period. This is an excellent improvement and will allow revenues and costs, to be analyzed by pages, as it never has been able to in the past. (Previous research asked for the number of pages in a "typical" issue.)
This may be the last time that a comprehensive census of the industry will be done. Statscan is reported to have decided it costs too much and is not a priority.
(That 1998-99 data left something to be desired because, for some reason, Statscan 'found' about 500 titles that it hadn't found in 1996-97, thus making comparison iffy or inadvisable not only with that round, but with the data of the previous 10 years.)
At least this time around, the questionnaire asked for the total number of pages, broken down into text, revenue and non-revenue, for the entire reporting period. This is an excellent improvement and will allow revenues and costs, to be analyzed by pages, as it never has been able to in the past. (Previous research asked for the number of pages in a "typical" issue.)
This may be the last time that a comprehensive census of the industry will be done. Statscan is reported to have decided it costs too much and is not a priority.
posted by D. B. Scott at
11:50 pm
2 Comments:
Just so's you know -- the Periodical Writers Association of Canada is designing a survey for professional writers in Canada, hoping to capture a lot of relevant data about the current business relationship between the magazine industry and its main source of content -- freelance writers.
We are looking at a December 05 release of data in the form of a published report (you know... if we can get the funding).
Anytime this industry gets some good data is a good day, particularly if it helps justify paying writers better.
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