Over-the-air broadcasters carved up most of the spoils, and at least one specialty was shut out, as the Equity Investment Program made its much-anticipated funding announcements April 25 for English and French television drama, children’s and variety programming.

In the overheated drama category, oversubscribed as with all categories, few major surprises emerged. On the English side, cbc notched up approvals for six series licensed solely by the pubcaster, plus a miniseries it’s supporting with two others, and one limited series it’s licensing with Showcase. cbc also landed eip money for two tv movies, including the intriguingly titled Monsters On Our Eyelids.

ctv’s approvals were weighted heavily toward mows, with seven receiving funding, including new instalments in its murder mystery franchise. The bce network-in-waiting will also see funds for three series, with two being new.

CanWest Global secured funding for four series, three new and one returning. Global, ctv and cbc each have new series in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax, but none has received eip funding for English drama from Montreal.

Showcase also makes a strong showing among eip contenders, having licensed one series on its own – and that a hefty one at 52 half-hours – and chipped in on three other series and a major miniseries.

wic, its fate in the crtc cards, has licensed two movies.

Other nets/specialties or pay channels in the English eip drama coffers include chum (one movie), ytv (one continuing series), src (part of one miniseries) and Super Ecran and TMN-The Movie Network (both part of one limited series).

In French drama, 14 series and movies will see eip bucks, with 13 of the projects produced out of Montreal and one in Ontario. Of the total, src has licensed three series on its own and part of a fourth, plus three tv movies. tva weighs in with three series, two telefilms and a one-hour production. Canal Famille has one series on the eip drama list, while Tele-Quebec has one movie and tfo is co-licensing one series.

At Comedy Network, none of its 10 commissioned productions seeking eip funding was successful, whereas all but one of its estimated 18 programs (including new Halifax-based series The Itch and Liography) were successful in their bids for lfp funding.

‘All the producers are looking at alternative financing, but I know that some of these projects won’t happen this year,’ says Comedy gm Ed Robinson.

In comparison, two of Comedy’s returning productions received eip funding last year.

Robinson won’t speculate as to why the network was shut out and, at press time, was awaiting a meeting with Telefilm to discuss the situation. However, he expressed disappointment that his efforts to fund new Canadian production talent have been curtailed. ‘We’re thrilled and delighted to fund new producers,’ he says. ‘You’d think that would be something that Telefilm would want to support.’

Subjective criteria – such as ratings and recoupability of the investment – seem to have played a prominent role in the elimination of many titles, especially those tied to third-tier specialty channels with neither the track record nor audience penetration to compete with the main networks.

The following is a partial list of all drama programming to receive eip financing. The complete list is on the Web at: www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca, under funding results.