Canadians tend to trust traditional media more than online, study says

According to a new study commissioned by the Information Technology Association of Canada, readers in Canada tend to trust traditional media more even though their eyeballs are frequently and increasingly straying online. A report on the study appeared on IT Business.ca

"The message is clear for marketers. Don't forget about TV, radio, newspapers and magazines when you consider advertising," said Lawrence Surtees, vice-president of communication research for IDC Canada.

There is a shift in viewing behaviour and marketing expenditures but "the existing media is not yet ready to go the way of the Dodo bird," Surtees, a former journalist, said.

Much of the older media's strength lies in the people's perception of its trustworthiness, the professionalism of its practitioners and the quality of its content, he said.

"Canadian are very tech savvy but also staunch traditionalists," said Bernard Courtois, president of ITAC.

The survey found that larger families tend to access and trust online media more than smaller families and almost 50 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 are likely to obtain information online.

Only 11.5 per cent of the respondents believe that online media is unbiased and just 12 per cent believe online media is accurate.

Surtees said older media sources have built a tradition of trust and quality that is backed by a large talent pool of professionals highly trained for their work. "The emerging media is just beginning to develop its own professionals."

As a result, most high profile online news sources are linked to traditional media outfits. "The successful traditional organizations realized that they can bring their content online to reach more consumers."

"Rather than shrink the market, the introduction of Web-based technology has expanded the pie," Surtees said.