Death of literacy? Maybe not
More Canadians read a book than saw a movie in 2005, a survey reports. And art gallery and historic site attendance is up too
By James Adams, Toronto Globe and Mail
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Canadians are more likely to read a book than attend a movie, and they're visiting art galleries and historic sites more. At least that's what appears to have been the case two years ago, according to an analysis released yesterday of a "social survey" of 10,000 Canadians completed by Statistics Canada in 2005.
The analysis by Hill Strategies Research Inc. of Hamilton found that, in 2005, 17.4 million Canadians 15 years of age and older -- or 66.6 per cent of that total population group -- read at least one book in the course of 12 months. In fact, about four in 10 Canadians read at least one book a month in 2005. By contrast, in that same period, 15.9 million Canadians (61 per cent) went out to see at least one movie in a theatre or at the drive-in.
The level of book reading has remained stable relative to previous surveys of Canadian cultural activities done in 1992 and 1998, but there has been a decline in newspaper readership. In 1992, 93.2 per cent of Canadians said they read at least one newspaper that year; six years later, that figure was 88.7 per cent, and in 2005, 86.7 per cent. However, while the rate of newspaper reading declined, the number of readers has increased, thanks to a 22.6-per-cent hike in the overall number of Canadians aged 15 and up.
As a result, newspaper readers increased to 22.6 million in 2005 from 19.9 million in 1992.
A similar phenomenon occurred with magazine readership. In 1992, 80.2 per cent of Canadians read at least one magazine that year; in 1998, the number was 77.2 per cent, then it rose to 78.2 per cent two years ago. But despite the lower rate of readership, the actual number of individuals who found themselves reading one or more magazines in 2005 was 20.4 million, up 3.2 million from 1992.
With respect to art-gallery visits, seven million Canadians, or 26.7 per cent of the population 15 years old and up, attended at least one art exhibition in 2005. In 2002, the percentage was 24 per cent, and in 1992, 19.6. The difference between the 1992 and 2005 numbers represented an increase of 2.8 million gallery-goers, an impressive 67-per-cent jump over 13 years.
An increase also has been seen in Canadians travelling to historic sites. Almost nine million -- more than 33 per cent of the population -- visited the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in southern Alberta, Ontario's Sainte-Marie-among-the-Hurons and similar locales in 2005, an increase of almost three million from 1992 when 27.1 per cent of the population paid at least one visit to such sites.
Attendance at performing-arts events has remained relatively stable since the early 1990s. In 2005, 10.8 million Canadians, or 41.2 per cent of the population, attended at least one professional concert or live arts event, down slightly from 1992's 42.4 per cent, but up from 1998's 37.6 per cent.
Intriguingly, attendance at classical-music concerts seems to be trending upward. In 2005, 9.5 per cent of Canadians, or 2.5 million people, attended at least one live presentation of classical music, whereas in 1992 classical music-goers numbered 1.8 million, or 8.4 per cent of the population.
By James Adams, Toronto Globe and Mail
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Canadians are more likely to read a book than attend a movie, and they're visiting art galleries and historic sites more. At least that's what appears to have been the case two years ago, according to an analysis released yesterday of a "social survey" of 10,000 Canadians completed by Statistics Canada in 2005.
The analysis by Hill Strategies Research Inc. of Hamilton found that, in 2005, 17.4 million Canadians 15 years of age and older -- or 66.6 per cent of that total population group -- read at least one book in the course of 12 months. In fact, about four in 10 Canadians read at least one book a month in 2005. By contrast, in that same period, 15.9 million Canadians (61 per cent) went out to see at least one movie in a theatre or at the drive-in.
The level of book reading has remained stable relative to previous surveys of Canadian cultural activities done in 1992 and 1998, but there has been a decline in newspaper readership. In 1992, 93.2 per cent of Canadians said they read at least one newspaper that year; six years later, that figure was 88.7 per cent, and in 2005, 86.7 per cent. However, while the rate of newspaper reading declined, the number of readers has increased, thanks to a 22.6-per-cent hike in the overall number of Canadians aged 15 and up.
As a result, newspaper readers increased to 22.6 million in 2005 from 19.9 million in 1992.
A similar phenomenon occurred with magazine readership. In 1992, 80.2 per cent of Canadians read at least one magazine that year; in 1998, the number was 77.2 per cent, then it rose to 78.2 per cent two years ago. But despite the lower rate of readership, the actual number of individuals who found themselves reading one or more magazines in 2005 was 20.4 million, up 3.2 million from 1992.
With respect to art-gallery visits, seven million Canadians, or 26.7 per cent of the population 15 years old and up, attended at least one art exhibition in 2005. In 2002, the percentage was 24 per cent, and in 1992, 19.6. The difference between the 1992 and 2005 numbers represented an increase of 2.8 million gallery-goers, an impressive 67-per-cent jump over 13 years.
An increase also has been seen in Canadians travelling to historic sites. Almost nine million -- more than 33 per cent of the population -- visited the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in southern Alberta, Ontario's Sainte-Marie-among-the-Hurons and similar locales in 2005, an increase of almost three million from 1992 when 27.1 per cent of the population paid at least one visit to such sites.
Attendance at performing-arts events has remained relatively stable since the early 1990s. In 2005, 10.8 million Canadians, or 41.2 per cent of the population, attended at least one professional concert or live arts event, down slightly from 1992's 42.4 per cent, but up from 1998's 37.6 per cent.
Intriguingly, attendance at classical-music concerts seems to be trending upward. In 2005, 9.5 per cent of Canadians, or 2.5 million people, attended at least one live presentation of classical music, whereas in 1992 classical music-goers numbered 1.8 million, or 8.4 per cent of the population.
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