The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund has announced a revised mandate that will further facilitate the long-term partnering between the broadcast and Web sectors and increase the national and global profile of industry stakeholders.

The fund was established in 1997 to promote interactive content and creative partnerships between producers in digital media and broadcast television. Broadcast programs that have benefited from the fund include Epitome Pictures’ Degrassi: The Next Generation and Breakthrough Films and Television’s I Love Mummy.

According to executive director Andra Sheffer, the revisions are a result of direct communication with the production community.

‘We did a lot of background research,’ says Sheffer. ‘The advantage of a fund like this is that we can react quite rapidly and implement changes.’

The fund has also redrawn its guidelines for project funding, in response to the needs of returning producers.

‘Innovation was the focus in the first five years,’ Sheffer says. ‘We were asking for innovation in technology and in marketing, and that was very successful. But what happened was that we had producers coming to us saying, ‘We have this great new technology, why can’t we use it again?”

There will therefore be a shift from focusing on ‘innovation’ to a new emphasis on ‘excellence.’ Sheffer is quick to point out, however, that ‘evaluators will still lean towards innovative projects.’

The funding changes to a project’s new media component include an increase to 75% of production costs to a maximum of $250,000, a new funding bonus to match any cash contribution from a broadcaster up to $50,000, and eligibility for second and subsequent seasons to apply for full funding.

Changes were also approved for the TV programs associated with the new media projects. Among these is an increase in grants up to 75% of the Canadian broadcaster’s licence fee to a maximum of $75,000, eligibility for TV productions that have not completed principal photography, and eligibility for prodcos to apply for up to three projects per year.

Sheffer explains how the fund is better equipped today to accommodate producers, who have traditionally found it difficult to mount interactive projects.

‘In our first year we only had $2 million, and we now have [$6 million in ’03/04 for 25 to 30 projects], which means if producers don’t get Telefilm or Telus or one of the other sources of funding, they can still go ahead with projects,’ she explains. The July 16 DTH decisions are expected to reduce the Bell Fund to $4.5 million in ’04/05.

Sheffer says the fund still hopes projects will find revenues in the international market, but says the Bell Fund is happy it can trigger projects that would not otherwise go forward.

A new study conducted by the fund entitled Beyond Ratings states that all broadcasters now offer some type of TV program information online, from show listings to micro-sites to full-blown rich media websites. The study also reports that broadcasters have yet to determine the cost-benefit ratio of micro-sites versus high-end rich media properties.

The fund’s complete revised guidelines will be posted on the website as of early August.

-www.bellfund.ca