On Dec. 22, the Canadian Television Fund released its new guidelines, offering producers a detailed treatment of the new ways in which the CTF will help fund domestic television production, and how it will dole out over $200 million in 2004/05.

The new guidelines are currently available at www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca.

As previously reported in Playback, producers will now apply for CTF funds via broadcasters, who will dole out money on a per-genre basis subject to CTF approval. Although broadcasters will be expected to pay licence fee minimums set by the CTF, the move raises concerns that control over television productions may move away from creatives in favor of corporate interests.

Another big change is the elimination of the EIP and LFP as separate funds. Producers will now only have to make one application for licence fee top-ups, equity investments or a combination of both. And in an effort to solve the current drama crisis, a percentage of the single fund has been earmarked specifically for dramatic productions.

The fund has also created a stream for the following special initiatives: Aboriginal-language productions, French-language production outside Quebec, development financing, versioning assistance, English-language drama initiatives, and feature film productions with a broadcast window.