Go to main content

Record Audiences in Canada Tuned In for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Average daily hours spent watching CBC’s Paris 2024 broadcast coverage doubled from Tokyo 2020

 Audiences also consumed a total of 614,000 hours of Paris 2024 content on CBC/Radio-Canada digital and streaming platforms,
up 153 percent over Tokyo 2020

More than 11 million Canadians tuned in to CBC/Radio-Canada’s extensive broadcast coverage of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games over 12 days with record increases noted across broadcast, digital and streaming platforms, illustrating increased interest in Paralympic competition in Canada. For Paris 2024, the national public broadcaster offered the most coverage in Canada of a Paralympic Games to date, inviting audiences across the country to cheer on Team Canada’s 126 athletes in 18 sports and celebrate a total of 29 podium finishes.  

“What a delight to see record numbers of Canadians tune in to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, a testament to the growing enthusiasm for Para sport. CBC/Radio-Canada was proud to bring every sport from archery to wheelchair tennis to audiences across the country, and to showcase the achievements of Canada’s incredible Paralympic athletes.”

Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada

Paris 2024 Audience Highlights 

  • More than 11 million Canadians tuned in for CBC/Radio-Canada's coverage of Paris 2024 on CBC and Radio-Canada networks.
  • Canadians spent an average of 1.2 million hours each day watching CBC’s Paralympic Games broadcast coverage, up 119 percent from Tokyo 2020. 
  • Audiences in Canada also consumed a record-breaking 614,000 hours of Paris 2024 content on CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital and streaming platforms, an increase of 153 percent over Tokyo 2020.
  • Time spent streaming Paralympics content on CBC Gem increased 537 percent from Tokyo 2020.
    • Connected TVs accounted for about 68 percent of the total time spent streaming Paris 2024 content on CBC Gem.
  • Over 4 million Canadians tuned in to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony on August 28 across English and French TV networks, up 118 percent over the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony.
  • On CBC, the Opening Ceremony garnered a 2+ average minute audience of 216,000, up 188 percent over the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony. 
  • 3.2 million Canadians tuned in to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony on September 8 across English and French TV networks, up 60 percent over the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony. 
  • The Closing Ceremony on CBC garnered a 2+ average minute audience of 194,000, up nearly 100 percent from the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony. 

CBC/Radio-Canada will continue to be Canada’s Paralympic Network for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games from March 6 - 15, 2026

TV Data Source: Numeris TV Meter, August 28 - September 8, 2024, Total TV, Ind.2+, Total Canada, Cume Reach & AMA. Data is based on unconfirmed, overnight audiences, generated by Instar.

Digital Data Source: Adobe Analytics, Paris 2024 Paralympics: All Platforms, August 28 - September 8, 2024.

 

-30-

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

 

For more information, contact:

Tanya Koivusalo, CBC PR

tanya.koivusalo@cbc.ca 

Related content

paralympic paris 2024

Discover

6 days ago

Northern Super League Unveils Expanded Broadcast and Streaming for Landmark Second Season

The Northern Super League (NSL) today unveiled an expanded lineup for fans to watch all the NSL action ahead of its landmark second season, beginning with a marquee opening night on April 24 that brings the league’s biggest rivalry back to centre stage.
March 17th at 10:00

Digital streaming of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games more than triples compared to Beijing 2022

Audiences in Canada consumed 1.63 million streams of Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games content on CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital platforms from March 6 to 15, more than triple the number of streams during Beijing 2022 (526,000). 
March 4th at 9:00

CBC’s Live Coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Begins March 6 with the Opening Ceremony

CBC invites audiences across the country to mark the official start of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, March 6 with live coverage of the Opening Ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. PT) on CBC and CBC Gem.
March 3rd at 13:05

Canadian Elite Basketball League and CBC Sports Reunite in Landmark Five-Year Broadcast Partnership

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) and CBC Sports today announced a landmark five-year broadcast partnership that will see marquee games air on CBC TV, including the first best-of-three CEBL Finals in league history, and all games live streamed on CBC Gem and CBC Sports YouTube.
February 23rd at 17:40

30.5 Million Canadians watched the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, with Record-Breaking Digital Audiences

CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 reached 30.5 million viewers in Canada across its English and French television networks and broadcast partners. CBC/Radio-Canada’s digital platforms drew a total of over 89 million streams, more than triple compared to Beijing 2022 (29 million).