Variant of NAICS 2007 - Labour Force Survey (LFS) Industries

7 - Services-Producing Sector

15 - Information, Culture and Recreation

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 carriers and Internet access 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 (except exclusively on Internet), including software publishing, the motion picture and sound recording industries, the broadcasting industries (except exclusively on Internet), the telecommunications and related services industries (i.e., telephony, including VoIP; cable and satellite television distribution services; Internet access; telecommunications reselling services), data processing industries, and the other information services industries, including Internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portals. There are establishments engaged in culture-related activities that are classified in other sectors of NAICS. The most important are listed below.

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • duplicating information or cultural products in print form, or in the form of optical or magnetic media(31-33)
  • wholesaling information and cultural products such as newspapers, books, software, videocassettes, DVDs and sound recordings (See 41 Wholesale Trade)
  • retailing information and cultural products such as newspapers, books, software and sound recordings(44-45)
  • design activities (See 54 Professional, Scientific and Technical Services)
  • performing in artistic productions, and in 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)

517 - Telecommunications

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services over their own or leased networks, on a resale basis or over client-supplied high speed Internet connections. The establishments of this subsector are grouped into industries on the basis of the nature of services provided (fixed or mobile), the type of network used to deliver those services (wireline or wireless), and the business model they employ (facilities-based or resale).

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • the installation and maintenance of broadcasting and telecommunications systems by independent contractors (See 23 Construction)
  • offering limited Internet connectivity at establishments usually known as Internet cafés and a combination of other services such as facsimile services, training, rental of on-site personal computers for word processing, games rooms, or food services (see 56143 Business Service Centres or 722 Food Services and Drinking Places)

5171 - Wired Telecommunications Carriers

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services to their customer premises over network facilities operated by them. The establishments of this industry can own a network, lease a network or combine leased and owned facilities and their networks can integrate various technologies.

51711 - Wired Telecommunications Carriers

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services to their customer premises over network facilities operated by them. The establishments of this industry can own a network, lease a network or combine leased and owned facilities and their networks can integrate various technologies.

517111 - Wired Telecommunications Carriers (except Cable)^CAN

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and video entertainment services primarily by copper twisted pair links to the network. Establishments in this industry are generally known as telephone companies, incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and facilities based competitive service providers and they often provide a full range of telecommunication services to residential, business and wholesale customers. Establishments providing a similar range of services through a co-axial-based network are classified in 517112, Cable and Other Program Distribution.

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • installing and maintaining wired systems on contract (See 23821 Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors)
  • providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services to mobile telecommunication devices over network facilities operated by them (See 51721 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite))
  • providing access to satellite telecommunications facilities to telecommunications carriers and business users (See 51741 Satellite Telecommunications)
  • providing telecommunications services to customer premises or mobile telecommunication devices over network facilities operated by others on a re-sale basis or over a high speed Internet connection provided by others (See 51791 Other Telecommunications)
  • offering limited Internet connectivity at establishments usually known as Internet cafés and a combination of other services such as facsimile services, training, rental of on-site personal computers for word processing, games rooms, or food services (see 56143 Business Service Centres or 722 Food Services and Drinking Places)
  • operating coin-operated pay telephones (See 81299 All Other Personal Services)

• Example Activities:

  • Access-dependent VoIP services providers, facilities based, except wireless and cable
  • Facilities-based competitive service providers
  • Facilities-based telecommunication carrier, except wireless and cable operators
  • Incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs)
  • Internet service providers (ISPs), facilities-based (except cable)
  • Local telephone carrier, except wireless and cable operators
  • Long-distance telephone carrier, facilities-based
  • Telephone companies

517112 - Cable and Other Program Distribution^CAN

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and video entertainment on networks originally designed for the distribution of television channels. Establishments in this industry are generally known as cable, satellite and wireless cable television operators. They operate co-axial based distribution networks, satellite-based distribution networks and fixed wireless-based distribution networks and they primarily serve the residential market. The establishments of this industry can offer a range of telecommunications and video entertainment services or specialize in the latter. Establishments providing a similar range of services through a copper twisted pair based network are classified in 517111, Wired Telecommunications Carriers (except Cable).

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • installing and maintaining cable systems by independent contractors (See 23821 Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors)
  • broadcasting radio programs in a defined and limited format via operators of cable or satellite radio networks (See 51511 Radio Broadcasting)
  • broadcasting television programs in a defined and limited format via operators of cable or satellite distribution systems (See 51521 Pay and Specialty Television)
  • providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services to mobile telecommunication devices over network facilities operated by them (See 51721 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite))
  • providing access to satellite telecommunications facilities to telecommunications carriers and business users (See 51741 Satellite Telecommunications)
  • providing telecommunications services to customer premises or mobile telecommunication devices over network facilities operated by others on a re-sale basis or over a high speed Internet connection provided by others (See 51791 Other Telecommunications)
  • offering limited Internet connectivity at establishments usually known as Internet cafés and a combination of other services such as facsimile services, training, rental of on-site personal computers for word processing, games rooms, or food services (see 56143 Business Service Centres or 722 Food Services and Drinking Places)

• Example Activities:

  • Cable program distribution operator
  • Cable television providers
  • Cablevision services
  • Closed circuit television (CCTV) services
  • Direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service providers
  • Internet service providers (ISPs), cable
  • Managed VoIP services providers, cable
  • Multichannel multipoint distribution services (MMDS)
  • Multipoint distribution systems (MDS)
  • Satellite television operators
  • Television operation, closed circuit
  • Wireless cable television operators