Coimisiún Na Meán has announced funding of €6.4m for broadcasters and independent producers under the Sound & Vision 4 Broadcasting Funding Scheme. The funding will be used to make programmes about Irish culture, heritage, and experience, for broadcast on both radio and TV services.
A total of 35 radio projects and 22 TV projects received funding in Round 49 of the Sound & Vision scheme. Coimisiún Na Meán has announced funding of €6.4m for programmes centred around Irish subject matter for radio and TV at a national, local and community level.
This round of the scheme saw 145 applications seeking funding of over €15.9m. The 57 successful projects have a total value of approximately €6.4m: €543,000 for 35 radio projects, and €5.86m for 22 TV projects, across 20 community, commercial and public service broadcasters. The funding covers a wide range of genres and formats, supporting diverse content for Irish audiences. 40% of the funding supports the production of programmes in Irish, or in both Irish and English (bi-lingual).
46% of the funding will go to documentaries, 22% to dramas, 16% to entertainment, and 16% to animation programmes. Children’s programming and contemporary society were the most popular genres recommended for funding (25% each), followed by History / Heritage (19%), Arts/Culture (15%), science/nature/ environment (11%), and Media Literacy (3%). Of the projects recommended for funding, 52 will be produced by independent producers/production companies, approximately 98% of the total recommended funding.
In regards to female representation, between 66% – 83% of the roles for producer, writer, and editor in the funded projects will be filled by women. Director (30%) and Director of Photography (33%) roles continue to consist of a male majority.
Notable projects funded in this round include:
The Lost Children of Tuam
Produced by Element Films for RTÉ One, this feature drama film will tell the story of how Catherine Corless, an amateur historian, uncovered the truth about the Tuam Mother and Baby Home and how her campaign provoked a change in Ireland and beyond.
Báite
Produced by Danú Media for TG4, this drama takes viewers back to the summer of 1975, where Peggy Casey, owner of the local pub is fighting to keep her business and her family together. However, when a body is found in a nearby lake her hopes appear to be dashed. This programme was developed through the Cine4 scheme to develop original feature films in the Irish language.
Maddie + Triggs
Produced by Turnip and Duck Ltd for RTÉjr, this animated series follows the adventures of a little girl called Maddie, who is vision-impaired, and her doggy best friend Triggs and their lives in the colourful town of Higgledy-Piggledy.
Borders and Lies
Produced by Mind the Gap Films DAC for Virgin Media One, this documentary focuses on media literacy and anti-immigration protests in Ireland and the role played by social media. Using real-life stories and expert analysis, it will look at the challenges and opportunities of media literacy in a digital era.
Untold Ireland
This documentary series to be produced by and broadcast on Newstalk FM will amplify the voices of sometimes marginalised communities from across Ireland, including members of migrant communities, the Traveller Community, people with disabilities and the LGBTQI community.
Douglas Stories
Produced by Cork Community Television, this documentary series will see the older residents of the Cork suburb relating the stories of their lives there since the 1930s and how life has changed in that time.
“The Sound & Vision scheme supports the development of culturally valuable broadcast content for Irish audiences that reflects and shapes Irish society,” said Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner. “The volume of applications to this round of the scheme, coupled with the level of funding sought, shows the ongoing high demand for funding to produce such programming. We were delighted with the standard of applications received and believe that the projects recommended for funding will result in a diversity of high-quality content on Irish culture and heritage across community, commercial and public service broadcasters. Many of these will also be available online and on various players, further increasing their impact.”
The Sound & Vision scheme is funded through the television licence fee. A full list of the successful projects being offered funding for round 49 is available to download here.
