Sixty-nine bucks

Statistics Canada has published a study of cultural industries in Ontario, compiled from a number of its other studies, and it is a very useful, and sometimes sobering, document. The 123-page report can be downloaded as a pdf here. The report was written by by David Coish of the Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Division in Ottawa.

Among other things, it reminds us of things we probably already knew, or sensed. For instance, that Ontario houseolds spend an average of about $69 a year on periodicals. And that these same households spend 10 times as much on cable and satellite television fees than they do on magazines.

Over the period 1996 to 2003 the average Ontario household increased spending on periodicals by 35.3% (while spending on newspapers dropped 9%). But the report points out that this "was only somewhat higher than the 27.7% increase in the [consumer price index] for periodicals from 1996 to 2003. Therefore, most of the increased expenditures appear to be due to price increase."

In other words, not losing ground, but not gaining, either.