Sound and Vision funds remain in popular demand

Demand for public money to make television and radio programmes continues to exceed supply, with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland revealing that it received 296 applications requesting a total of €17.07 million in its latest Sound and Vision round.

Most of the 214 radio producers and 82 television producers are set to be disappointed. The authority indicated late last year that it would have three funding rounds of up to €3.5 million in 2013, although in the first round, announced in April, the grants awarded totalled €4.4 million. This was still less than a quarter of the €18.44 million that was sought by producers.

The authority is due to publish the winners of this round in early September, while the deadline for applications for the final round of 2013 falls on September 19th.

The Sound and Vision scheme is funded by 7 per cent of licence fee money collected from taxpayers, with its awards granted to independent sector producers who want to “explore the themes of Irish culture, heritage and experience” in either contemporary or historic contexts and have an agree- ment in place with a broadcaster to air the programme.