€5.136m has been allocated to 29 TV projects and 93 radio projects in the latest Sound & Vision II Scheme but only €574k will actually support radio.
The other €4.562m goes to TV work, distributed as ever between a range of community, commercial and public service broadcasters across the country.
But 54% of radio applications were rejected for being under-developed, according to Michael O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the BAI. He says: “There were a number of key issues which arose through the assessment and which the BAI will seek to address with various stakeholders over the course of the year. Specifically these included the fact that 54% of radio applications were rejected at the assessment stage.
“An analysis of the applications received has indicated that a large number of applications are under-developed, with a focus on the quantity of applications submitted, rather than addressing the quality of the proposals.”
The projects being offered funding will explore the themes of Irish culture, heritage and experience and the successful projects also include an adult/media literacy series.
Highlights of this twentieth round of the Scheme include:
- 305 applications were assessed by the BAI in this round, encompassing 24 different genre/format categories. The total amount of funding requested was €20.08m.
- The package of funding recommendations includes all qualifying radio projects and 50% of the qualifying television projects.
- The two most supported programme formats are documentary, which received 35% of the total funding allocation and drama, which received 28%. Other formats supported included entertainment (10%) education (11%) and animation (5%)
- Programmes in receipt of funding will be broadcast across 39 different channels; 8 television and 31 radio.
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