OMDC en route to new status as knowledge-based agency: Frappier

The Ontario Media Development Corp. (OMDC) is undergoing a large-scale restructuring that CEO Michel Frappier hopes will transform the organization into a knowledge-based agency, as well as give its senior managers more time to meet with the sectors it serves. In a candid interview with Canadian NEW MEDIA, Frappier set out his agenda for the OMDC as it enters the final two years of its current funding cycle, including initiatives to better funnel events funding and to map the new media and other sectors. The OMDC recently completed a broad eight-month program review (CNM, Dec. 13/01), which Frappier says has revealed the need to refocus some of its programs."The OMDC, if you look at its history, went from being the OFDC to the OMDC. When that happened, very little changed in terms of the structure that we deal with. Number two, a lot of our programs were based on convergence…I get there and convergence is dead… "I got my board to agree not on changing our vision or mission but evolving our strategic direction – it’s a lot of wordsmithing – to allow us to become more of a knowledge-based agency. Right now, a lot of our programs are force-fed on the sectors. The sectors don’t want convergence." Instead of offering convergence programs, Frappier says he’s moving the OMDC into an information-gathering role, possibly in partnership with groups at Canadian Heritage, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, and elsewhere. "OMDC’s mandate is jobs. One of the things that I want to do is move the OMDC toward a knowledge-based agency," he says. "We’re going to own the information. Information is power. We have six sectors and none of the sectors, except maybe for film and TV, have good information." Frappier hopes to budget funds this year to go to each sector to identify what the industries are, their challenges and opportunities. "If I can do that, I can turn around to my marketing people and give them the structure and say, ‘that’s what the situation is. Give me the solution,’" he says. "We had meetings with our sectors and what happened was a lot of our programs are not as innovative as I’d like them to be. I like this (Pioneering Content, CNM, March 21/03) program we’re doing now with CITO because that’s very innovative. That’s going to push people. But we have a lot of mentoring programs and market access. Everybody else is doing it. What can I be doing? If I do market research, the strategy or the process that comes out of it will be based…on the reality of the market…This way, not only can we help industry, we can influence policy. We’re not policy-makers but we agree that we can clearly be policy advisors." Further, much of the money currently spent on event sponsorships will be re-routed into fewer events but to those where the dollars can have a greater impact. For example, Frappier says, the OMDC supported the recent Digifest but insisted that the event showcase new works commissioned by the agency in return for sponsorship. He is also eyeing other events for ways to use sponsorship dollars tied to greater integration into event programs to help build world exposure. "I think you will see less programs from us but better funded programs and more innovative programs," Frappier says. "We don’t have the bodies to put into more programs or the money. The OMDC has sponsored a lot of stuff for which we didn’t get to say boo about." Frappier also hopes to fix the Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit, largely panned as irrelevant to the type of work being done by the Toronto new media production community (CNM, April 8/02). "It’s over-engineered. It’s too complicated, people aren’t using it," he says. But legislative changes are slow in coming, he says, adding that he’s disappointed with the recent Ontario budget, which didn’t deal with several proposed OMDC changes, including an initiative to "lend" tax credit money to companies in advance of fully processing claims. With its program review completed, the OMDC is now completing a request for proposals to develop a five-year plan for the agency in advance of its current mandate ending in two years. He says giving the government hard facts and a business plan outlining the resources it needs to fulfill its mandate will help ensure re-funding. "If we can establish a plan, structure and budget direction that’s well supported, then the government when they go into program review will say, ‘they know where they’re going, what they’re doing, what they’re going to achieve.’ …It’s a lot more reassuring to them than a crap shoot."

OMDC en route to new status as knowledge-based agency: Frappier

News | 04/16/2003 4:00 am EDT

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