Canadian broadcasters spent a combined $121 million in licensing ctcpf-supported Canadian programming, according to the fund’s activity report for fiscal 1997/98.

Of that amount, cbc/src contributed 32% of the $121 million in licence fees, 36% came from private conventional broadcasters, while specialty broadcasters provided 24%. The combined ctcpf budget for April 1, 1997 to March 31,1998 was $197 million – $100 million for the Equity Investment Program and $97 million for the Licence Fee Program.

The ctcpf (now the Canadian Television Fund) contributed $177 million to the production of 330 television programs and 17 feature films, bringing 1,911 hours of new programming to the airwaves.

Another $89.1 million went towards the financing of 46 dramatic productions, amounting to 418 new hours of programming.

Over $28 million in funds went to 183 documentaries, generating 568 new hours of programming and totaling $97 million in production activity for the genre.

The fund played a role in 53 children’s projects, making up 517 new hours of programming. Overall, $33.9 million was contributed to these projects including animated and live-action programs.

Thirty-one variety programs received $8.1 million in funds, while 17 performing arts projects benefited from $1.6 million in funding.

More than $40 million – 25% of funding – went to the regions, a slight decrease from last year’s 28%. However, the hours of regional programming for broadcast to domestic audiences in ’97/98 increased to 366 from 308 the year before.

Seventeen feature films – three from b.c., one from Newfoundland, six from Ontario and seven from Quebec – were supported, with the ctcpf committing $16.4 million through non-recoupable advances and equity investments.