2012 Economic Census
Business Help Site
Due Date
February 12, 2013
Sector 51
Information
This section provides information about Census coverage and reporting for establishments in the Information sector.
Establishments Covered
Information services establishments produce and distribute information; provide the means to transmit or distribute these products, data and other communications; and process data. NAICS classifies establishments in the Information sector using numbers that start with 51.
The Economic Census covers Information services establishments that operated during all or part of calendar year 2012. Businesses that make equipment to produce, transmit, or distribute information are classified in NAICS sector 31-33, Manufacturing. Examples of establishments included in the Information sector:
- Publishing establishments report, write, edit, produce, and issue copies of works for which they usually possess copyright; and that publish newspapers, periodicals, books, directories, greeting cards, mailing lists, and software.
- Motion picture and sound recording establishments produce and distribute recordings, and specialized production and postproduction services. Included are producers, distributors, theaters, exhibitors, and studios for motion picture, video, and sound recording. Note that wholesale distributors and mass reproducers of videocassettes and sound recordings are classified in other NAICS sectors.
- Broadcasting establishments create or acquire the right to distribute and broadcast content. Included are radio and television broadcasters, and cable and other subscription programming services. Radio and television broadcasters operate broadcasting studios and facilities for over the air or satellite delivery of programs. Cable and other subscription programming establishments operate studios and facilities for broadcasting narrowcast programs, such as news, sports and education, on a subscription basis.
- Telecommunications establishments operate, maintain, or provide access to facilities for the transmission of voice, data, text, sound and video. Included are telecommunications and related services; wired, wireless and satellite communications services; cable and other program distribution services; and other specialized telecommunications services.
- Internet and information service establishments provide Internet, web search portal and data processing services. Included are Internet Service Providers (ISPs), web search portals, data processing, web hosting, and related services. Data processing services include processing, storing, arranging access to, searching and retrieving information.
- Other information services establishments supply, store, arrange access to, search and retrieve information. Included are news syndicates, libraries and archives, telephone-based information services, stock photo agencies, and other information services.
Census Mail Package
Information services establishments with paid employees will receive a Census mail package with several types of materials. The materials are similar in content, but customized to make reporting easier for different groups of Information services establishments. Each establishment will receive either an Information Sheet and a Census form, or a Classification form. Companies with multiple operating establishments will receive the appropriate Information Sheet for every group of similar forms, and not necessarily one Information Sheet for every form.
Information Sheets provide general information about the Census and instructions for reporting selected items on the Census form. Information services establishments will receive Information Sheet SV-SI_I_12 or if they are enterprise support establishments, Information Sheet SV-SI-A_I_12. Multi-establishment businesses that are Consolidated Census reporters will receive Information Sheet SV-MP-Q_I_12, SV-IR-Q_I_12, and/or SV-TC-Q_I_12.
Census Forms describe each data item for Information services establishments, and provide instructions and formats for reporting them. Census forms for Information services establishments are numbered IN-51xxx.
Questions and Forms in this Sector
The letters PDF or the 
icon indicate a document is in the Portable Document Format (PDF). To view the file you will need the Adobe® Reader, which is available for free from the Adobe web site.
icon indicate a document is in the Portable Document Format (PDF). To view the file you will need the Adobe® Reader, which is available for free from the Adobe web site.
