Variant of NAICS 1997 - 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 creating and disseminating (except by wholesale and retail methods) information and cultural products, such as written works, musical works or recorded performances, recorded dramatic performances, software and information databases, or providing the means to disseminate them. Establishments that provide access to equipment and expertise to process information 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. In particular,

*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, including software publishing, the motion picture and sound recording industries, the broadcasting and telecommunications industries, and the information services and data processing industries. 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, videocasettes 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)
  • 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)
  • performing in artistic productions, and in creating artistic and cultural works or productions as independent individuals (See 71 Arts, Entertainment and Recreation)

511 - Publishing Industries

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing newspapers, periodicals, books, databases, software and other works. These works are characterized by the intellectual creativity required in their development and are usually protected by copyright. Publishers distribute, or arrange for the distribution of, these works.

Publishing establishments may create the works in-house, or contract for, purchase, or compile works that were originally created by others. These works may be published in one or more formats, such as print, electronic and on-line. Publishers of "multimedia" products, such as interactive children's books, multimedia CD-ROM reference books, and musical greeting cards are also included. Establishments in this subsector may print, reproduce or offer direct on-line access to the works themselves or they may arrange with others to carry out such functions.

5111 - Newspaper, Periodical, Book and Database Publishers

This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing (or publishing and printing) newspapers, periodicals, books, databases and other works, such as calendars, greeting cards and maps.

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • publishing software (See 51121 Software Publishers)
  • publishing music (See 51223 Music Publishers)

51114 - Database and Directory Publishers

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing compilations and collections of information or facts that are logically organized to facilitate their use. These collections may be published in one or more formats, such as print or electronic form. Electronic versions may be provided directly to customers by the establishment, or offered through on-line services or third party vendors.

• Exclusion(s):

  Establishments primarily engaged in:

  • printing, but not publishing, business directories, telephone books and similar products (See 32311 Printing)
  • duplicating electronic media, such as CD-ROMs (See 33461 Manufacturing and Reproducing Magnetic and Optical Media)
  • publishing encyclopaedias (See 51113 Book Publishers)
  • designing, developing and publishing computer software products (See 51121 Software Publishers)
  • providing on-line access to databases developed by others (See 51419 Other Information Services)

511140 - Database and Directory Publishers

This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in publishing compilations and collections of information or facts that are logically organized to facilitate their use. These collections may be published in one or more formats, such as print or electronic form. Electronic versions may be provided directly to customers by the establishment, or offered through on-line services or third party vendors.

• Example Activities:

  • Address list compilers
  • Business directory, publishing
  • Business directory, publishing and printing combined
  • Database publishing
  • Directories, publishing
  • Electronic database publishing
  • Mailing list compilers
  • Publishers, database
  • Shipping register, publishing
  • Telephone directories, publishing
  • Telephone directories, publishing and printing combined