Canadian Heritage committee  Thanks for the invitation. Nearly six months ago, my colleagues and I—the Canadian Heritage group of representatives—were the first ones invited to appear before your committee, as you were beginning your study on the media and local communities. Since then, you have probably been able to appreciate the complexity of the subject and the diversity of perspectives.

Canadian Heritage committee  In French-speaking Quebec, I would say that people are a bit slower in adopting these new technologies. It's not that they don't exist, but there's—

Canadian Heritage committee  —a slight difference. In terms of programs, the Canada periodical fund helps companies and publishers adapt to new technological platforms.

Canadian Heritage committee  That's a very broad question. On page 8 of our presentation, you can see consumption patterns by age group. Nearly 80% of those between the ages of 15 and 34 turn to the Internet for their news. We will eventually die, and they will be in the habit of looking for that information on the Internet.

Canadian Heritage committee  For the Canada periodical fund, the contribution of the fund varies a lot per title. I'll use Maclean's as an example. The contribution of the fund to Maclean's may be—I don't have the exact number—let's say 5% of the cost of operating Maclean's. In the case of more niche publications, or community newspapers such as La Liberté—I'm sorry to pick on La Liberté, but it's a good example—the contribution, for various reasons, is a little bit more material to the business model of that community newspaper.

Canadian Heritage committee  Again, I'm not aware of any such analysis or study.

Canadian Heritage committee  Again, I'm going to answer your question through two lenses. In terms of app development, that's an eligible expense for periodicals receiving support under the Canada periodical fund. In the past, public programs provided funding to cover mailing costs. So instead of costing you $150 to receive your subscription of L'actualité, it cost you only $40 because the postage was subsidized.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. Community newspapers experienced a less significant drop in revenue than daily newspapers did. So there is the proof that, locally, the demand exists for a hardware store to place its ad in a printed paper—and you can attest to that. That is where small business at the local level turns when it wants to advertise and reach the public.

Canadian Heritage committee  Not that I'm aware of. I'm sure that some academics and universities.... I must say that for the Department of Canadian Heritage, the newspaper industry has not been our bread and butter. We're more with community newspapers. This is not an area that we'd follow, with policy analysts looking...that's why....

Canadian Heritage committee  It's for magazines and newspapers—Maclean's and La Liberté and community newspapers, not dailies. I want to insist on that, because there are no public funds going to the National Post, or The Globe and Mail, or Le Journal de Montréal.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. The advertising pie is growing, but the bulk of the revenue is spent on online advertising. Advertisers are buying space on Google News and other news platforms that aren't necessarily Canadian. That's the external reality. And it's happening, to a lesser extent, at the expense of community newspapers but, to a large extent, at the expense of dailies.

Canadian Heritage committee  I'd like to answer your questions through two lenses. First, our figures show that community newspapers experienced a drop—

Canadian Heritage committee  In answer to your question, the Canada periodical fund was evaluated in 2015. The evaluation recommendations and the management response to this recommendation are available online, and we could flip that material to the clerk of the committee. We are looking at the recommendations and are going to be adapting the program when and where it's required.

Canadian Heritage committee  I could speak for newspapers and some TV production. In newspapers, there's the Canada periodical fund for periodicals. It is what it is: $75 million. As I mentioned, this is the contribution for community newspapers and magazine publishers. In the audiovisual area, you have a fairly elaborate public policy tool kit, which includes tax credits based on labour expenses for independent producers.

Canadian Heritage committee  Madam Chair, I would like to decline answering that question. It's above my....