ThinkTV update shows continued strength of television

The combination of linear and broadcaster streaming services still dominates across all age demos in Ontario and Quebec.
By Patti Summerfield
July 17, 2024

ThinkTV has released an update to its Total TV and streaming viewership report showing that the majority of Canadians in every age group watch both TV and streaming channels. Time spent watching Total TV, a combined measurement of linear TV and broadcaster streaming services, far exceeds time spent with YouTube, TikTok, and the other streaming services. That’s true not just for adults 18-plus, but also for younger viewers as well.

The majority of adults (60%) watch both linear TV and streaming. Of those aged 25 to 54, 64% view both linear and streaming TV while 19% watch streaming only and 17% watch linear only. The viewing habits of the younger 18 to 34 demo are similar with 62% watching Total TV, 24% watching streaming only and 14% only watching linear TV.

Looking at all adults in Ontario, 66% watch Total TV and spend 16.7 hours a week with video. They report spending 12% of their time or 3.1 hours viewing YouTube each week and 6% or 1.5 hours of their viewing time with TikTok, 6% with Netflix, and 6% with Prime Video. On average, Total TV reaches 83.4% of adults in Ontario weekly. YouTube has an average weekly reach of 55.5% in the province, Prime Video 47.2%, TikTok 40.0%, Netflix 31.9% and Disney+ 12.7%.

Total TV captures the greatest share of time spent with video among those aged 25 to 54 at 45%. YouTube follows with 18% of their video time and 10% each for TikTok and Netflix. The younger demo, 18 to 34 spend less time with Total TV, 39%, but more time with some other platforms such as 22% of their time with YouTube. Their viewing of other platforms includes 12% of time spent with Netflix, 11% with Prime Video and 9% of time with TikTok. Average weekly reach with 18 to 34 Ontarians is 72.8% for Total TV, 64.6% for YouTube, 52% Prime Video, 49.6% for TikTok, 40.5% for Netflix, and 14% for Disney+.

Viewing behaviour of francophone adults in Quebec differs from Ontario audiences with 56% of all adults accessing Total TV and spending 27.5 hours a week with Total TV. They report allotting 2.4 hours viewing YouTube each week and 1.2 hours with Netflix, and 1.0 hours with each Prime Video and TikTok.  On average, Total TV reaches 91% of adults in Quebec weekly. YouTube has an average weekly reach of 48.7% in the province, Prime Video 33.7%, TikTok 30%, Netflix 26.7% and Disney+ 8.5%.

For francophones aged 25 to 54, Total TV captures  63% of their time spent with video. YouTube follows with 16% of their video time, Netflix at 7%, TikTok with 6% and Prime Video 5%. The younger demo, 18 to 34, spend slightly less time with Total TV, 58%. Time with other platforms includes 19% of their time with YouTube, 7% of time spent with Netflix, 5% with Prime Video and 8% with TikTok.

On average, Total TV reaches 83.9% of 18-to-34 year-old adults in Quebec weekly, slightly more than in Ontario. YouTube has an average weekly reach of 54.4% in the province but Prime Video at 40.6% has less reach than in Ontario. TikTok (39.6%) and Netflix (38.2%) have slightly higher reach than in Ontario while Disney+ has less at 11.7%.