Community TV calls for production funding
With the campaign for digital spectrum over, Community TV picks a new fight.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
Bolstered by their boost to digital spectrum, Community TV stations have found a new calling, by asking for a slice of Screen Australia funding.
The Australian Community Television Alliance (ACTA) has written to Arts Minister Peter Garrett to ask for funding for new programmes which it argues develops new industry talent.
Secretary Laurie Patton said, “As the responsible Minister, Mr Garrett has the authority to instruct Screen Australia to allocate some of its substantial funds to Community Television producers and to do so would be well and truly in keeping with the primary purposes of the organisation.”
But the Community TV sector may have set itself for another long campaign. Screen Australia has several initiatives to foster new talent, but its investments in film and television are on the principle of a future return.
“If Screen Australia re-allocated just a small portion of its $60 million dollar production budget to Community Television producers we could see hundreds of new programs created,” Mr Patton said.
One Response
“Hundreds of new programs” seems a long shot, but no doubt a small amount of funding to CTVA would be better spent and go far further than on some larger scale and budget projects.
Good luck to them.