North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2017 Version 3.0

A

Statistics Canada's Trust Centre: Learn how Statistics Canada keeps your data safe and protects your privacy.

51 - Information and cultural industries

This sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing and distributing (except by wholesale and retail methods) information and cultural products. Establishments providing the means to transmit or distribute these products or providing access to equipment and expertise for processing data are also included.

The unique characteristics of information and cultural products, and of the processes involved in their production and distribution, distinguish this sector from the goods-producing and services-producing sectors.

The value of these products lies in their information, educational, cultural or entertainment content, not in the format in which they are distributed. Most of these products are protected from unlawful reproduction by copyright laws. Only those possessing the rights to these works are authorized to reproduce, alter, improve and distribute them. Acquiring and using these rights often involves significant costs.

The intangible nature of the content of information and cultural products allows for their distribution in various forms. For example, a movie can be shown at a movie theatre, on a television broadcast, through video on demand, or rented at a local video store; a sound recording can be aired on radio, embedded in multi-media products or sold at a record store; software can be bought at retail outlets or downloaded from an electronic bulletin board; a newspaper can be purchased at a newsstand or received on-line. In addition, improvements in information technology are revolutionizing the distribution of these products. The inclusion in this sector of telecommunications services providers reflects the increasingly important role these establishments play in making these products accessible to the public.

The main components of this sector are the publishing industries, the motion picture and sound recording industries, the broadcasting industries, the telecommunications industries, and the data processing and hosting services industries.

There are establishments engaged in culture-related activities that are classified in other sectors of NAICS. The most important are listed as exclusions below.

  • Exclusion(s)

    • design activities (See 54 Professional, scientific and technical services)
    • duplicating information or cultural products in print form, or in the form of optical or magnetic media (See 31-33 Manufacturing)
    • performing in artistic productions, and creating artistic and cultural works or productions as independent individuals (See 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation)
    • preserving and exhibiting objects, sites, and natural wonders of historical, cultural and/or educational value (See 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation)
    • producing live presentations that involve the performances of actors and actresses, singers, dancers, musical groups and artists, and other performing artists (See 71 Arts, entertainment and recreation)
    • retailing information and cultural products such as newspapers, books, software and sound recordings (See 44-45 Retail trade)
    • wholesaling information and cultural products such as newspapers, books, software, videocassettes, DVDs and sound recordings (See 41 Wholesale trade)

512 - Motion picture and sound recording industries

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing and distributing video and audio recordings or providing related services, such as post-production services, exhibition services, and motion picture processing and developing services. Sound recording studios are also included.

  • Exclusion(s)

    • mass duplication of pre-recorded audio and video tapes, cassettes, diskettes, DVDs and CD-ROMs (See 334610 Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media)
    • retailing video and audio recordings (See 443146 Audio and video recordings stores)
    • wholesaling pre-recorded video cassettes and DVDs (See 414450 Video recording merchant wholesalers)
    • wholesaling sound recordings (See 414440 Sound recording merchant wholesalers)

5121 - Motion picture and video industries

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing and/or distributing motion pictures, videos, television programs or commercials; exhibiting motion pictures or providing post-production and related services.

51211 - Motion picture and video production

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing, or producing and distributing, motion pictures, videos, television programs or commercials.

512110 - Motion picture and video productionUS

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in producing, or producing and distributing, motion pictures, videos, television programs or commercials.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • music video production
    • production of television show programs or commercials

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • distributing film and video productions only (See 512120 Motion picture and video distribution)
    • mass duplication of audio and video recordings (See 334610 Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media)
    • providing post-production services, including motion picture laboratories (See 512190 Post-production and other motion picture and video industries)
    • videotaping special events (See 541920 Photographic services)
Date modified: