CTF Announces $242 million in Broadcaster Performance Envelopes Allocations for 2007-08

TORONTO, March 30 – The Canadian Television Fund (CTF) is pleased to announce its Broadcaster Performance Envelopes (BPEs) allocations for fiscal 2007-2008. Via BPEs, more than $242 million will be injected into the Canadian television industry over the next 12 months to support programming including Drama, Children’s and Youth, Variety & Performing Arts and Documentaries, in English and French languages.

The CTF allocates production funding to eligible Canadian productions through its Broadcaster Performance Envelopes (BPEs) and its Special Initiatives Streams. Of the CTF’s total program budget of $265 million, English-language envelopes total $167.7 million, and $74.5 million has been allocated to French-language envelopes. The remaining funds will be allocated to Development financing and through Special Initiatives for Aboriginal Production, French Language Production Outside Quebec, Quebec Regional Production and Versioning. Individual broadcaster BPE allocations will be posted by April 16 on the CTF website at www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca/broadcasters.

“Stable and predictable funding is critical to Canada’s television industry. The CTF is pleased to maintain its financial commitment to support the development and production of high-quality, distinctively Canadian programming throughout the country,” says Valerie Creighton, CTF President.

Implemented in 2004, Broadcaster Performance Envelopes are allocations currently made to 65 Canadian broadcasters to licence Canadian independent productions. No broadcaster directly receives funding from the CTF. Financing is only provided to eligible projects from Canadian producers with broadcaster licencing agreements.

The Television Business Unit at Telefilm, administers CTF project applications and began accepting applications for the 2007-2008 fiscal on March 1, 2007. For details, please consult
www.canadiantelevisionfund.ca/producers.

Over the past ten years, the CTF has contributed 2.2 billion dollars to support 4,470 productions. This has resulted in more than 23,000 hours of great television for Canadians and has triggered more than 7.4 billion dollars in production volume across the country.

For further information: MaryBeth McKenzie, Director of Communications, mmckenzie@canadiantelevisionfund.ca, (416) 214-4429, or (416) 554-7489