TORONTO – The Bell Fund has developed a new funding program to prepare digital media projects for adaptation to broadcast television and new audiences.
OnLine to OnTV will fund the early stage development of existing, successful digital media projects such as web series, games and e-books, to create materials that demonstrate the viability of the project for traditional broadcast. Digital media producers who have not had previous television production experience will partner with proven television production companies and collaborate in pitching to broadcasters.
In addition, the TV Development Digital Pilot Program, launched last year by the Bell Fund on a one-year trial basis, has been extended through 2014. Enthusiastically received by the industry, this grant allows producers and broadcasters to test potential new television concepts online and on mobile devices, providing creative opportunities for audience feedback and measurement. Fifteen projects from 14 broadcasters have been funded since October 2012.
The Bell Fund has invested more than $125M in the production of over 1000 cross-platform projects in the past 15 years. It receives annual contributions of approximately $14 M from Bell TV as part of its broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) contributions to the industry, and its revenues include the interest generated by a $10M endowment resulting from BCE-CTV benefits, and contributions from Aliant.
