The Shaw Children’s Programming Initiative and the Shaw Television Broadcast Fund have together committed more than $6.5 million to Canadian programming for children and families.

Recipients include: Forefront Entertainment’s The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, Radical Sheep Productions’ Amigo, Cambium Entertainment/Catapult Productions’ Monster By Mistake, and Breakthrough Enterprises’ Children of Chelm.

Funding was also directed at some returning children’s and preschool programs such as Verite Films’ Incredible Story Studio, Cinar’s Caillou, Minds Eye Pictures’ Mentors and Radical Sheep Productions’ Panda Bear Daycare and Ruffus the Dog.

Among the new programs receiving funding are: Catalyst/Tele Images Creations’ Tales from the Longhouse, Cherrywinkle Productions’ Rockabye Bubble, Minds Eye/ Moose Jaw Light & Power Artistic Productions’ Prairie Berry Pie and Golden House Productions/Kudos Productions’ Magician’s House.

Other fundees include Catalyst/ Cellar Door Productions’ Crumbfest: The Series, HipHop Productions’ In Tha’ Mix, Cinar’s Normal, 32-Mile/ Indian Grove Productions’ Marilyn Bell Story, Sound Venture Productions’ Toy Castle and Devine Entertainment’s The Inventors’ Specials (versioning) and Artists’ Specials.

For development, King Summit Motion Pictures’/E.F.& F. Productions’ Whizz Kids received funding.

Remaining recipients include Amberwood Productions’ Hoze Houndz, Big Time Talking Pictures’ Freaky Stories, Tele-Action’s Radio Active, Les Productions Sogestalt’s Tohu-Bohu and Cine-Groupe’s Kit & Kaboodle.

Overall, the scpi approved $2.9 million in funding commitments and the stbf made equity investments of nearly $3.6 million.