Based on the most recent annual report on advertising from the Federal Government, only 5.5 per cent of the total media spend was allocated to newspapers. A total of $1,677,687 was spent on a combination of daily newspapers, community newspapers and Official Language, Ethnic and Aboriginal newspapers. By comparison, more than $15 million was spent on Television and more than $10 million was spent on the Internet, despite growing trust issues with digital advertising and limited internet access in non-urban Canada.
Research from December 2016 finds that almost three quarters (72 per cent) of Canadian adults feel that Newspapers are the most appropriate media for advertising government programs and services. Government advertising expenditures by media type are clearly not in line with where Canadians want to see ads.
News Media Canada has prepared a report on federal government ad spending that can be accessed here.