The Canadian Television Fund has wrung out another $11 million for English-language dramas and bolstered CTV’s and CHUM’s production fortunes for 2004.

The new money, announced June 1, comes from two sources: English-language drama’s 60% share of the fund’s annual $15-million reserve, and the $5 million previously set aside for the genre’s ‘Special Initiative.’

The latter source had been earmarked for audience development. However, a lack of consensus on the best use of that money and the over-demand by producers convinced the CTF to invest the money in production instead and shelve the initiative until next year.

CTV regained some ground in its application for MOWs. Three two-hour movies shared $5.25 million, including Tripping the Wire (Galafilm), Plague City: SARS in Toronto (Slanted Wheel Entertainment) and Spirit Bear: The Simon Jackson Story (Tapestry Pictures).

CHUM saw its popular Murdoch Mysteries (Shaftesbury Films) movies given $2 million for two new two-hour installments, or episodes three and four.

New Vancouver-made series Godiva’s (Keatley Films) was the lowest-ranking production in the original roster of CTF winners May 12 – a situation that saw it turned from a 13-part one-hour series into a CHUM MOW getting $1.5 million. The new CTF money increases the contribution to $3 million and the restaurant series will do six one-hours this year.

G-Spot (Serendipity Point Films) gets $2.35 million for eight half-hour episodes set to air on The Movie Network, Movie Central and W Network.

By province, Ontario got $7.85 million or 71% of the new money, while B.C. got $1.5 million (14%) and Quebec the balance of $1.75 million (16%). With the additional $11 million, the CTF investment for English-language drama is now $96.2 million for 2004.

-www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca