The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) held its 100th Anniversary Annual General Meeting on Thursday afternoon, marking the occasion with the release of Broadcasting in Canada, a new report painting a bleak portrait of the pressures confronting private radio and TV broadcasters.

The report, compiled by media consulting firm Communic@tions Management Inc., notes the profound shift in the audio and video space over the last two decades, that’s seen private radio’s share of ear fall from 74.8% in 2005 to 33.8% in 2024. Private television’s share of the TV market fell from 63.1% to 38% over the same period.

At the same time, the report highlights the concurrent advertising shift away from traditional mediums to digital platforms, with private radio’s share of Canadian advertising dropping from 13.7% to 4.6% over the last 20 years. TV advertising fell from 31.5% to 11.5%. The report says an estimated 58% of all advertising dollars in Canada now go to non-Canadian platforms, a number that was at just four per cent in 2005.

“The data point to an unmistakable conclusion: Canada’s private broadcasting system is in the midst of an historic structural crisis, with profound consequences for local news, community identity, democratic engagement, and the Canadian cultural ecosystem,” the report states. “The evidence is overwhelming: Without timely, coordinated intervention—and a modern regulatory and policy framework designed for global digital competition—the country risks the irreversible loss of vital broadcasting services that Canadians rely on every day.”

“Reaching 100 years is both a celebration and a call to action,” said CAB President Kevin  Desjardins. “Broadcasters have been central to Canada’s cultural, democratic, and  economic life for over a century. As we look ahead, Broadcasting in Canada underscores  the need for a modern, forward‑looking framework that ensures Canadian stories and journalism continue to thrive.”