The new Canadian Media Fund (CMF) which will be replacing the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) is beginning to develop the industry consultation process.
In the first year the key policy issues will be concretized through focus groups and a submissions process. This will create the policies and programs that the CMF will undertake in years following.
Valerie Creighton, President and CEO of the CTF, says “this consultation with the industry is critical to a successful launch of the CMF and we look forward to hearing the great ideas this process will generate.”
A “virtual town hall” space will present the briefing papers by the CTF on August 6, 2009. Industry stakeholders are invited to respond to these issues with written submissions, and there will be a chance to review the input received. Following that, there will be focus groups at the provincial, territorial and national level. The idea of “open government” is working for President Barack Obama, so why can’t it work for the CMF.
According to Creighton, “the priority is to ensure that production and broadcast cycles are not destabilized as the CMF program is developed and implemented. The result of the industry consultation will be the program guidelines for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, which will implement the policy direction from the Government. The industry will also be asked for their views on the ongoing consultation process beyond the implementation year.”
As of now, the plan is to implement the amalgamation of the CTF and the CMF on April 1, 2010.
For more information, visit www.ctf-fct.ca.
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