Media Technology Monitor (MTM)

The Media Technology Monitor (MTM) is an annual telephone survey and research product designed to monitor Canadians’ use and adoption of new and existing technologies. The first MTM questionnaire was distributed in 2005 and now consists of two annual surveys conducted in the spring and fall of each year.^[1]

The survey features questions that focus on current and emerging media activities and technologies such as, television across multiple platforms, radio use social media, and online audio. The results of the Media Technology Monitor are published through a series of syndicated reports and multiple short, targeted theme reports. The Media Technology Monitor reports are distributed to government agencies, broadcasters, and other media stakeholders across Canada who subscribe to the service.

The MTM is designed, implemented and analyzed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC/Radio-Canada).^[2] In 2011, the MTM coordinated with Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario to provide learning materials to the Communications Department.

History

The Media Technology Monitor has evolved from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Quality Ratings Survey (QRS) that began in 1997 to measure Canadians’ use and perception of Canada’s conventional and specialty television channels as well as some media technology behaviours. In 2005, the MTM was launched with a specific focus on media technology adoption and use among Canadians. In 2010, an online MTM portal was created to provide a more interactive experience for users. The portal allows users a quick and easy way to download MTM reports and trending data, as well as conduct custom analysis of the data with a proprietary data analysis tool.

Survey Methodology and Design

The Media Technology Monitor is released in the fall and spring of each year and collects a total of 12,000 responses through telephone interviews with 6,000 Anglophones and 6,000 Francophones aged 18+. The response rate for both surveys is 30%.^[3]

• Fall Survey - 8,000 Respondents (4,000 Anglophones and 4,000 Francophones)^[4]

• Spring Survey - 4,000 Respondents (2,000 Anglophones and 2,000 Francophones)^[5]

MTM survey households are selected by Random Digit Dialing (RDD) and the respondent within each household is randomly selected based on the most recent birthday method. The MTM uses telephone surveys to ensure that the respondents are representative of all Canadians by eliminating bias due to geographic location and connection to the Internet.

Current Topics

The Media Technology Monitor is revised every year to include emerging media trends and technologies. Recent MTM surveys have asked respondents about their behavior and consumption of:

• Conventional TV Use^[6][7][8]
  • PVRs / DVRs
  • VOD
  • Video streaming
  • Market share of TV service providers
  • Service provider
• Personal Audio^[9]
  • Satellite radio
  • Streaming radio
  • Podcasts
  • Traditional AM/FM radio use
  • Subscription radio
  • Online music downloads
• Internet Usage
  • Home Internet usage
  • Connection speed
  • Internet connected television
• High Definition Television^[10]
  • Number of HD TV sets
  • HD Receivers
  • Portable Media
  • Tablets, Laptops, MP3 Players
  • Audio/video content
  • Consumption frequency and location
• Wireless
  • Smartphone usage
  • Apps
• Social Media
  • Social networking behaviours

Results Featured in Published Works

• Digital Radio in Canada: From DAB to Multi-Platform Approaches, Brian O'Neill, Dublin Institute of Technology, 2007^[11]
• Broadcasting Policy in Canada, Robert Armstrong, University of Toronto, 2010^[12]
• CRTC Communications Monitoring Report, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2011^[13]
• The Political Economies of Media: The Transformation of the Global Media Industries, Dwayne Winseck & Dal Jong Jin, 2011^[14]

References

1. ^ CRTC Communications Monitoring Report (2011) - http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/policymonitoring/2011/cmr2011.pdf
2. ^ Broadcaster Magazine - http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/bbm-analytics-to-market-cbc-radio-canada-media-technology-monitor/1000045568/
3. ^ Official MTM Website - http://www.mtm-otm.ca/quest.asp
4. ^ Official MTM Website - http://www.mtm-otm.ca/quest.asp
5. ^ Official MTM Website - http://www.mtm-otm.ca/quest.asp
6. ^ Globe and Mail - http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/bye-bye-analog-hello-bidding-war-for-digital-airwaves/article2147741/
7. ^ Playback Online - http://playbackonline.ca/2011/06/06/one-in-10-canadians-have-tried-netflix-mtm-study/
8. ^ Genius Marketing - http://www.geniusmarketinginc.com/?p=835
9. ^ Mediacaster Magazine - http://www.mediacastermagazine.com/news/the-media-that-matters-most-hdtv-podcasts-mp3s/1000093251/
10. ^ TVB - http://www.tvb.ca/pages/BBM_MediaTechnologyTrends_htm
11. ^ Digital Radio in Canada: From DAB to Multi-Platform Approaches - http://arrow.dit.ie/aaschmedcon/9/
12. ^ Broadcasting Policy in Canada - http://books.google.ca/books?id=v8uRPaM_VoAC&lpg=PP1&dq=Canadian%20Media&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true dia-2011-09-09.doc
13. ^ CRTC Communications Monitoring Report (2011) - http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/policymonitoring/2011/cmr2011.pdf
14. ^ The Political Economies of Media: The Transformation of the Global Media Industries, Google Books - http://books.google.ca/books?id=vjuJiRkx33oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Political+Economies+of+Media:+The+Transformation+of+The+Global+Media++Industries&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false