TORONTO – The CBC, Bell Media and Shaw Media are the top three English broadcaster recipients of Performance Envelope allocations for 2013-2014 as announced today by the Canada Media Fund.
Of the CMF’s program budget of $360.7 million, $173.3 million has been allotted in Performance Envelopes for 21 English broadcasters. CBC will receive $58.1 million, Bell Media $32.6 million and Shaw Media will receive $27.3 million. Thirteen French broadcasters will share $85.7 million, of which Radio-Canada will receive $32,7million, Groupe TVA $22 million and Astral (French) $16.4 million.
CMF’s envelope system was designed to provide a greater degree of funding predictability to both broadcasters and producers by allocating funds to broadcasters at the beginning of each fiscal year based on past performance in commissioning and airing convergent projects. It is calculated by measuring a broadcaster's performance against that of other broadcasters in each genre and language, based on five weighted factors: audience success – total hours tuned, audience success – original first run, historic performance, regional production licenses, and digital media investment. The envelope funds are divided among the drama, children’s and youth, documentary, and variety and performing arts genres.
In December 2012, the CMF announced the factor weights used to calculate the 2013-2014 Performance Envelope allocations, which included modifications to two factors in the French-language Envelopes. This year, in order to simplify the funding process, performance envelopes were allocated by broadcast ownership group or individual broadcaster (as applicable) rather than by individual channel or station.
On April 5, 2013, broadcasters were also allocated envelopes that they can use to support development projects. These envelopes were calculated by using two factors weighted at 50% each: historic performance in development and the share of total 2013-2014 Performance Envelopes. Development allocations by broadcast ownership group or individual broadcaster (as applicable) can be found on the CMF website by clicking here.
