IMPAC rep refutes claim that its national new media association is “in limbo”

The general manager of the Interactive Multimedia Producers Association of Canada (IMPAC) is dismissing suggestions that the fledgling association is losing momentum just nine months after its formation. Responding to recent comments made by a former executive of the group, Claude Dugas says IMPAC's low public profile should not be construed as an association in limbo (CNM, May 18/00). Rather he explains that the group's executive committee is working behind the scenes with both government and industry to develop a national agenda for digital media. Building a national association is part of that exercise, he adds. "There are few provincial government programs that can support the operations of a new media association, and, at the federal level, none exists," Dugas told Canadian NEW MEDIA. "We have lobbied the (federal) government hard over the last few months so that it could set up programs that better support, in the short term, the operations of a new media association. We are fairly confident our prayers will be answered shortly." He adds that like television, film, cable TV and other industries, new media producers will benefit from a strong national association. "You need a national voice. And it needs to be organized. IMPAC and its members are trying to develop that voice." IMPAC's New Media Action PlanInitiativesIn partnership/collaboration withStatusIMPAC Launch* Association action plan* Industry action plan* Membership drive* Sponsorship campaignCdn Economic Development (CED)OngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingIn developmentIMPAC Web Site - Phase 1Canadian Heritage /DFAIT/TelefilmOn goingSoftTeamTelefilm/DFAIT/Industry Canada/Canadian Heritage/CEDIn developmentWEM - VancouverCanadian HeritageOn goingBroadcast Asia 2000 (June/00)Canadian HeritageOn goingECTS - London (Sept/00)Telefilm/DFAIT/Industry Canada/Canadian HeritageIn developmentSoftworld/Baddeck Festival/DFAITIn developmentSingapore Partnership ProjectCanadian Heritage/DFAITOn goingSingapore Consortium ProjectCanadian HeritageIn developmentHuman Resource Study - CultureCultural Human Resources CouncilIn developmentHuman Resource StudyHRDCIn development Establishing a national association and developing the professional relationships necessary to make such an organ effective have preoccupied much of IMPAC's time and limited resources since its formation last October, "As we were setting up, it meant we have had to focus on developing and managing projects in order to sustain ourselves," says Dugas. "Lobbying on policy issues sometimes has had to take a back seat." "We thought it was important the government learned more about the industry and both its short term and long term needs," says Dugas. "Partnering on projects was the easiest way to educate the different departments. And, it allowed us to quickly establish our credibility with everyone involved on those projects. This credibility is now helping us in our lobbying/policy-making efforts." IMPAC's financial viability - at least for the foreseeable future - is closely tied to contract work it does for Industry Canada, Canadian Heritage, Foreign Affairs & International Trade, Telefilm and other government departments. In conjunction with Heritage, it has completed a Government Programs and Funds Guide, Copyright Clearance Guide and IMPAC Canadian New Media Guide. Down the road, IMPAC plans to produce two new media human resource studies - one for Canadian Heritage and the other for Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). Dugas says IMPAC has also helped to present Canadian exhibits at several industry trade shows, including E3 in Los Angeles and the Japan New Media Symposium this month. "We've managed IMPAC a little bit like a private company in the sense that we set up projects with the government, and we finance our activities and our administration through those projects," he explains. It's through such projects, he adds, that IMPAC is able to finance the administration, and maintain regular contact with the federal government on issues that concern the industry. Dugas doesn't believe that 100 per cent reliance on government funding in any way tempers the association's ability to lobby federal departments on important issues, saying the industry has few other options until it can become self-funding. He says raising enough money through member dues or through the regional new media associations won't be feasible for some time. "Producers are fairly poor. Not a lot of them make profits. Associations are fairly poor at the provincial level. So, it's not reasonable for me to ask them to pitch in $10,000 each to finance IMPAC." Lobby wins expected soon Dugas says the government is poised to make several announcements soon that should prove IMPAC's efficacy. Among those, he adds, will be a new funding mechanism and structural changes to Telefilm Canada. As for criticisms made by former executive VP Maxim Engel that the federal government moves too slowly to warrant a lobbying effort, Dugas says the feds have proven themselves open minded and willing to implement change. "They're part of the equation, as is the venture cap, as are the banks and the investors. Those elements need to be there. You cannot stop lobbying the government." Dugas also dismisses Engel's comment that IMPAC president Paul Allard, has ceased active participation in the association. He notes that Allard is currently travelling in Asia on behalf of the sector, and has laid a significant amount of groundwork to bring the federal bureaucrats up to speed on the industry's needs and to establish the association's credibility as a voice for new media in Canada. Another suggestion Dugas takes exception with is that Engel voluntarily left IMPAC because of frustration with the pace of change. Rather, Dugas says Engel was asked to leave following his resignation from the Toronto-based Interactive Multimedia Arts & Technologies Association (IMAT), which is a member of IMPAC. To be a member of the national association, Dugas says you have to belong to one of the regional new media associations. IMPAC is made up of five regional organizations, one each from BC, the west, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Each member has three votes. It is Dugas' hope that within the next year, IMPAC can bring more organizations under the umbrella, allowing each region to elect three members on a rotating basis. Dugas says there are up to 25 different associations that could potentially become members. The newly forming New Media Business Alliance is likely among the groups currently in discussions with IMPAC about membership.

IMPAC rep refutes claim that its national new media association is “in limbo”

News | 05/31/2000 4:00 am EDT

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