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Canada Media Fund Focus Group Sessions Coming to a City Near You

CTF [1]Ottawa – The Canada Media Fund [2] launched its consultation with the industry [3] through two virtual town halls on August 6, 2009, and now they’re traveling across Canada to conduct regional focus groups and gain further input for its programs. The Q & A PDF report from the August 6 Town Hall can be read here [4] or you can access the taped version of the town hall here [5]. The full tour schedule is posted below, or can be read on the CMF site. Background information on the Consultation Process is also available in PDF [6].

Briefing notes detailing the key policy issues are also available from the CMF site in PDF format [7]. These issues will be discussed during the industry consultation process. Industry stakeholders are invited to submit written responses to the above policy issues. Industry participants can send their submissions [8] to the CMF in Word or PDF format until September 4. According to their web site, no submissions have yet been received.

Key Issues

1. Program Allocations – Convergent & Experimental Streams
2. Convergent Content
3. Video on Demand
4. Audience Success & Return on Investment
5. Marketing & Promotion
6. Television Content in the Convergent Stream – Allocations by Genre
7. Documentary Production
8. Canadian Elements of CMF Projects
9. Third-language Production
10. Broadcaster-affiliated & In-house Broadcaster Production
11. Performance Envelopes. Eligible Entities
12. Audience Success & the CMF – Emphasis on original, first-run, prime-time programming
13. English Regional Production

Focus Group Meeting Schedule:

Regina – September 8
Winnipeg – September 9
Halifax – September 21
Fredericton – September 22
Charlottetown – September 23
St. John’s – September 24
Iqualuit – September 25
Calgary – September 28
Vancouver – September 29
Vancouver – September 30 (Aboriginal Focus Group)
Whitehorse – October 2
Toronto – October 14
Toronto National Focus Group – October 15 (By Invitation)
Montreal – October 21 (French Market Focus Group)
Montreal – October 28 (English Market Focus Group)
Ottawa – October 29 (French Language Producers Outside Quebec)
Ottawa National Focus Group – November 5 (By Invitation)
Montreal National Focus Group – November 25 (By Invitation)

Also from the CTF site: “The sessions will be moderated, and a light lunch will be served. The purpose of the Focus Groups is to obtain the input and expertise of industry stakeholders, such as yourself, as we create the policies and programs of the CMF. Discussions at the Focus Groups will centre on the key policy issues we outlined during our virtual town hall on August 6, 2009. Through the approach used during the sessions, the following are some of the questions that will be addressed:

* What are our common sector and business needs, and how do we align those aspects with
stakeholders’ discrete business goals?
* How can we leverage your feedback to deliver on the goals of the policy and the publicly-funded program?
*How do we gain awareness, understanding, alignment, and commitment among various stakeholders?

To register for one of the focus group sessions, please complete this form. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rachel Coley, Administration Manager via email [9] or by phone at 1-877-975-0766.”