Renew Canadian Culture Online program says national coalition of producers

The following is an October 7 letter sent by Canadian producers and associations to the Canadian Heritage minister. Dear Minister Frulla: As the newly formed Coalition of Canadian New Media Associations, we are writing to convey the importance of renewing the Canadian Culture Online Program (CCOP) beyond the 2004/05 fiscal year. We stand united in emphasizing the pressing need to increase its annual resources, particularly the amounts allocated to the Canada New Media Fund (CNMF) administered by Telefilm Canada. As you know, the goals of the CCOP are to increase the production of Canadian content for interactive platforms, including the Internet, encourage greater access to such works both domestically and internationally, and promote the overall development of the new media industry in Canada. These goals were established in recognition that Canadians – especially young Canadians – have very rapidly embraced the Internet and other interactive media as one of their primary access points to culture, information, entertainment and education. These new and innovative means of communicating present an unprecedented opportunity to encourage participation in Canada’s cultural life. Through these new technologies we have the opportunity to develop content that will strengthen connections among citizens and promote understanding across diverse Canadian communities. Further, a healthier domestic production capacity will help ensure that digital content made by Canadians can be shared with international audiences. The new media sector in Canada is significant in many respects. There are thousands of active companies across the country, employing tens of thousands of Canadians, and generating several billion dollars in annual economic activity. However, the size of the industry veils some troubling realities. As highlighted in a study commissioned by Telefilm Canada some 18 months ago, the new media sector faces formidable challenges that do not exist for other cultural industries. Further, given its limited resources, the CNMF can provide assistance to only about 15% of all applicants. While a wide breadth of federal policies and programs have been adopted for other cultural industries like feature film and television, the same cannot be said for new media despite the fact that this sector has a comparable level of economic and cultural significance to Canadians. We are extremely grateful for the support programs that have been put in place, and these programs have certainly helped generate some notable success stories. However, the federal cultural policy infrastructure for new media has not kept pace with the overall needs of this sector. A comprehensive federal policy strategy that establishes a clear vision for the future and a solid foundation for sustained growth in the industry would greatly aid the new media sector in Canada. Such a strategy should include specific initiatives ranging from dedicated professional development initiatives and tax credits to a multitude of targeted direct subsidy programs and strong regulation, the whole of which to ultimately support content and business development. We recognize that the development of such a strategy takes time and requires considerable consultation and discussion with all stakeholders. With a view to working closely with your department and other federal organizations in this regard, the major associations in Canada representing the new media sector have come together to form the national Coalition. We are confident that by working together we can eventually reach a point where new media works made by Canadians will be proudly celebrated in Canada and the rest of the world. As a first step towards this longer-term goal, it is crucial that the CCOP be renewed for at least five years and that, as recommended by Omnia Communications, the resources allocated to the CNMF be increased at least threefold to meet the substantial demand. Such action on behalf of your government would give immediate effect to the new Speech from the Throne commitments to foster cultural policies that aspire to excellence, reflect a diverse and multicultural society, respond to the new challenges of globalization and the digital economy, and promote diversity of views and cultural expression at home and abroad. In short, the new media sector in Canada aspires to be a key component in your government’s plan to build a prosperous and sustainable 21st-century economy for Canada, to strengthen the country’s social foundations, and to secure for Canada a place of pride and influence in the world. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to elaborate on the challenges facing the new media sector in Canada and discuss how we can all work together towards reaching our common objectives. Sincerely, (signed) Dan Fill Co-Chair CFTPA New Media Committee Lynda Brown Executive Director New Media BC Ian Kelso President New Media Business Alliance Christopher Wein Past President Alberta New Media John Jameson President Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Association Ryan Lejbak Past President Saskatchewan New Media Developers’ Association Michael Critchley President Innovation and Technology Association of Prince Edward Island Gilles Bertrand Directeur général Alliance NumériQC

Renew Canadian Culture Online program says national coalition of producers

Broadcast | October 29, 2004

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