The Canada Media Fund (CMF) has outlined the budget and key changes for its programs in the 2024-25 fiscal year, including more flexibility to tap into funding.

The funder will have a slightly lower budget for the year, coming to $357 million compared to roughly $366 million in 2023-24. The budget is based on contributions from the federal government and BDUs, as well as tangible benefits, recoupment and repayment revenues.

The budget also includes the second half of a two-year $40 million investment from the government to support French-language content and underrepresented communities.

Among the key changes to the guidelines is the ability for Canadian-owned distribution companies to contribute financing to unlock funding for linear content programs. A spokesperson for CMF confirmed that a Canadian broadcaster will still be required to trigger funding.

Other flexibility measures are the merging of the Development and Performance Envelopes into a single Broadcaster Envelope. The envelope will include incentives for licensing content with greater gender and diversity representation and the creation of an International Participation factor.

There will also be modifications to rules around Canadian key personnel for Indigenous producers working in the north and “the removal of barriers to production across the circumpolar region.”

As was previously announced, CMF has retired the Convergent and Experimental streams, which have been replaced by three pillars: Ideation, Creation and Industry.

The Ideation pillar includes the Conceptualization and Prototyping programs under Interactive Digital Media (IDM) and development and predevelopment support for Linear; Creation includes the POV, Diverse Languages, Indigenous, and other production programs; while Industry covers CMF’s sector development support and its partner programs.

CMF said it will increase genre allocations for French and English Children & Youth and Documentary content, and also increase its IDM funding. The funder will also divide the calculation between one-off docs and docuseries to incentivize broadcasters to license more one-offs.

The Diverse Languages Program has been shifted from a selective program to an envelope for diverse-language broadcasters, which CMF said will allow “more autonomy and predictability in their funding.”

The Slate Development Pilot Program has been renewed, with plans to introduce an IDM Iteration Program and an Expanded Trigger Program in the fall.

The Pilot Program for Racialized Communities will remain an ongoing program under CMF. The pilot program was created with the support of a $60 million three-year investment from the federal government, which will sunset on March 31.

CMF said it will also encourage more collaboration, including increased participation of the Indigenous Screen Office in the Indigenous program.

Information sessions on the guideline changes will take place on April 11.

“In 2024-2025, the CMF will offer more flexibility and balance to the industry as we await a new regulatory framework following the adoption of the Online Streaming Act,” said CMF president and CEO Valerie Creighton (pictured) in a statement, adding that the CMF “remains dedicated to supporting underrepresented creators and EDI initiatives” and is “furthering our transition to a content-centric, platform-agnostic funder.”

Photo courtesy of the Canada Media Fund