The imminent death of traditional media has been greatly exaggerated, apparently. The National Media Choice and Trust Poll commissioned by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) and conducted by IDC Canada reveals that despite our fascination and reliance on digital content, 95 per cent of respondents continue to turn to traditional media -- i.e. newspapers, radio and television -- for general news and 82 per cent for breaking news.

Still, online media is gaining in popularity. According to the survey:

• 42 per cent of respondents access some form of online media for general news
• 21 per cent of respondents turn to online sources for breaking news
• Larger families access and trust online more than smaller families
• French respondents trust online media more than their English counterparts
• Almost 50 per cent of Younger Canadians (18 - 24) are likely to get their information online

Credibility remains a major challenge for online news sources. Only
11.5 percent of survey respondents believe that online media is unbiased, and 12 percent believe that online media is accurate. It's suspected that traditional media has had decades to become part of Canadians' daily lives, and this familiarity still works in its favor.

"As was the case when broadcast media came along to challenge print, any new news media is viewed with skepticism, and the Internet is no different," concluded Courtois. "Once the industry begins to establish trusted checks and balances, and online news media becomes mainstream, this medium will become a more credible news source for the Canadian public."