CTF dips into reserves to create $2-million digital media program

Some 18 months after the idea was first conceived, the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) has finally announced a new $2-million pilot program for digital media. While the amount falls far short of the $25 million recommended more than a year ago by a CRTC Task Force, there's still hope that the federal government will broaden the CTF's mandate - and its funding base - before March 31 to finance a broader range of digital media content.Announced September 30, the one-year Digital Media Pilot Program will provide grants for audiovisual, multimedia and interactive projects that are associated with CTF-funded television productions."Aligning television programs with websites, webisodes, and mobisodes, allows producers to connect with their audiences in a more interactive way," Valerie Creighton, President of the CTF said in a release. "Storyline extensions, viewer feedback and behind the scene information can now be simultaneously shared with viewers on more than one medium, enhancing viewer experiences."The executive director of the Canadian Interactive Alliance (CIAIC) says it's heartening to see even a small envelop of new funding at a time when other federal programs for digital media and culture are being cut."We're a bit upset that 2008-62 (the CRTC's review of proposed amendments to the benefits policy) has been put on hold until after the CTF review but we're glad that the CTF is forging ahead and launching this digital media pilot program," James Lewis tells Canadian New Media.He says it's also good news to see digital media now enjoying some of the same exhibition rights as television. Under the program's guidelines, projects must be made available to the Canadian public "for at least three months contemporaneously with the associated television production"."That's something our association really pressed the CTF on when we were consulted. This puts an onus on broadcasters and television producers to get this content out there to Canadians rather than warehousing it on a website," says Lewis.Digital-only platforms nixedThe CTF's mandate restricts its funding of digital media to projects that are associated with a CTF-funded television program. Stephane Cardin, the CTF's VP policy & stakeholder relations, says the original plan was for a two-pronged program - one for television-related digital media and a second for content created for Internet or mobile digital platforms. The CTF also isn't permitted to divert television production funding to digital media."This $2 million was taken from our reserves. We couldn't take any of our existing resources away from our current programs," says Cardin. "The CRTC has announced that it might revisit its policy on independent production funds and more money could be directed to us, and they've also mentioned reviewing the benefits policies so that some benefits from transactions could be directed to the CTF for this purpose."He adds that discussions on these issues are underway between the CTF and officials in the broadcasting policy branch of Canadian Heritage, although the ultimate decisions on the CTF's mandate and funding renewal will rest with Cabinet and Treasury Board.More money for digital media content will be available as a part of a benefits package included in Teachers' purchase of BCE Inc., but Cardin estimates that will only provide the CTF with between $500,000 and $700,000 annually."If no additional sources of funding materialize and our mandate is amended to allow us to embark on straight to digital platform projects then the board will have to make a determination if additional funding can be redirected to that purpose or not. But we do hope some additional financing will materialize in the next fiscal."Digital Media Pilot Program applications will be administered by the Television Business Unit at Telefilm Canada on behalf of the CTF. Applicants must be linked to a television project that's already been approved for production funding from CTF.

CTF dips into reserves to create $2-million digital media program

News | 10/02/2008 8:19 pm EDT

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