Programmes for Waterford listeners to receive €10 million of funding under Sound & Vision Scheme

Coimisiún na Meán has today (10.09.24) announced the awarding of over €10.1 million of funding under the latest round of the Sound & Vision Scheme. 

Round 53 will fund the production of 91 projects across TV and radio by independent producers and broadcasters around the country, including new projects for County Waterford.

95% of total funding as part of Round 53 has been provided to independent producers and 30% of all funding going to projects in the Irish language or bilingual. 

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán said: "The Sound & Vision Scheme has gone from strength to strength, continuing to fund programming for Irish audiences, with a focus on Irish culture, heritage and experience. We are delighted to announce that Round 53 is the largest single round in Sound & Vision history, with over €10.1 million allocated to 91 new projects across TV and radio including animation, drama, documentary, entertainment and educational programming. Sound & Vision remains a vital funding source for broadcasters and independent producers, enabling them to create programming for audiences that would otherwise not get made.

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"Funding from Round 53 will contribute to An Coimisiún’s ambition of developing a thriving media landscape for Ireland that reflects the diversity of our people and traditions. Of the 35 television productions funded, 80% feature women as producers and 54% have women as directors. I would also like to thank Minister Catherine Martin for the allocation of an additional €2 million in funding for children and young people’s programming, which recognises the important role of children as creators and consumers in Ireland’s media landscape. We look forward to seeing and hearing the projects funded under this Sound & Vision round on our screens and on our airwaves."

Projects funded under Round 53 of the Sound & Vision Scheme include:

• Election ’24 – This unique collaboration between the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Electoral Commission for broadcast on Oireachtas TV will invite the audience to peek behind the curtain of a General Election and will educate Irish viewers about our democratic process.
• First Timers on The Front Line – This series, for broadcast on Virgin Media Television will follow a group of trainees at the National Ambulance Service training hubs across the country and join them as they battle to save lives while getting their qualifications. 
• John Hume san Eoraip/John Hume in Europe – This bilingual documentary for TG4, while exploring the last half century of Irish and European history, will tell the story of one of the most transformative political figures of the 20th century, whose work helped to create one of the most successful peace processes of modern times. 
• Mondays with Maddy – A production for RTÉ Junior, this series will explore a heartwarming bond between Maddy, an energetic six-year-old and her lively 80-year-old Grandad, who was dementia. Each episode follows the duo as they playfully get lost in the moment.
• Yesterday’s Girl/Ar Ais Arís – This eight-part series for TG4 is a live action, Irish language Young Adult drama following a trio of teen friends, who accidentally bring back a young girl, Fiadh, from 11th century Ireland to the present.
• Ours to Protect: Series 2 – The return of this radio documentary series, a collaboration between the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland 16 commercial radio stations, about climate change and climate action will produce over 2,800 hours of valuable programming for radio listeners across Ireland.

Projects of particular interest to listeners in County Waterford include:

• Mise & Mo Ghairm – WLR FM
• Labhraimid Gaelige i nDún Garbhán – WLR FM
• Dúchas nah Éireann – The Heritage of Ireland – WLR FM

Round 53 will support the production of 35 projects for television, totalling €9 million and 56 radio projects, totalling over €1.1 million. 

175 applications requesting over €21 million were submitted for consideration under Round 53 of the Sound & Vision Scheme and just over €10.1 million of funding awarded.

Approximately 30% of the recommended funding (over €3 million) will support the production of Irish/Bilingual projects, and 95% of the funding (over €9.6 million) goes directly to the independent production sector. 

Round 53 consists of funding from the television licence fee, and funding of €2 million secured by Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, with 13 projects across television and radio being allocated funding for programming focused on children and young people.