The National Screen Institute‘s Totally Television training course will run for the next seven years with a new infusion of cash from Bell Media.

Program sponsor Bell Media has pledged an additional $930,000 in funding to keep the program running through 2020. Bell has been a sponsor since the program’s inception in 2002.

The NSI Totally Television training program connects teams of writers and producers with executives from the major Canadian networks. The teams also work with showrunners and executive producers to fine tune their concepts.

The ultimate goal of the program is for the teams to land development deals for their shows with a broadcaster.

Since the program’s launch, it has produced 12 series that went into development. Five of those series went to air, and one was piloted.

Successful shows that came through the course include Less Than Kind, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, and Wapos Bay.

The Odds, a feature film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, was also produced through the program.

“It’s a great endorsement from Bell Media. It speaks to the success of the program, and the results, frankly, in terms of programs developed…that go on to get made,” John Gill, CEO of NSI, told Playback Daily.

“That’s what I think is outstanding in this program. It not only develops great talent, but great content as well,” he added.