VANCOUVER – Despite the plethora of options, the majority of Canadians are still unwilling to cut the cord to their cable company, according to a new Ipsos Reid study released Wednesday.
The latest issue of the Ipsos Canadian Inter@ctive Reid Report found that fewer than half (43%) of online Canadians agreed they would cancel their cable TV subscription before they cancelled their Internet service (only 24% strongly agreed with this statement).
Younger, tech savvy Canadians appear more willing to cut their cable subscription in favour of Internet access than older Canadians, the study continued. Among those aged 16 – 34, six in ten (64%) would keep their Internet over cable, compared to those aged 35 – 54 (41%) and those aged 55+ (28%).
At the same time, the traditional television screen remains the most popular device used to watch shows and movies, with 88% doing so on a weekly basis. Only half (56%) of respondents said that they watched video content on a laptop or desktop in the same time period.
“Canadians don’t have access to as much quality, free content as Americans, which may be holding Canadians to more traditional forms of media,” said SVP Catherine Dawson, in the study’s press release. “Until a similar variety and selection is available, walking away from cable isn’t a realistic decision for most Canadians.”
The study, conducted March 16 – 21, involved an online survey of 886 Canadian adults and was conducted via the Ipsos Online Panel.
