[webcast-l] £10 Million To Channel Into Digital Media Fund

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Broadcaster Channel 4 has teamed up with Advantage West Midlands (AWM)
and film agency Screen WM to launch a new fund aiming to kick-start a
new wave of investment in public service digital media content.

Channel 4's Four Innovation for the Public Fund (4IP) has been backed
by £5 million from the broadcaster along with a further £5 million
from AWM, with West Midlands companies able to apply for investment
ranging between £20,000 and £1.5 million.

4IP, which will run for at least two years, is planned for launch in
July, and its editorial focus will be on working with the best talent,
both individually and within digital production companies, to deliver
publicly valuable content and services across digital media platforms
- such as made for mobile content, social networking sites, like
Facebook, and online drama series.

Mick Laverty, Chief Executive of AWM, said the announcement underlined
the West Midlands' position as a leading player in the digital media
world:

"The region is home to over 20% of the UK's games developers
nationwide, the national centre-of-gravity for serious games, Channel
4's largest independent producers and an embryonic but growing
interactive media company base.

"The new fund will not only support development amongst our home grown
talent, but will encourage further investment from major digital media
companies outside of the West Midlands through commissions and
collaboration."

Suzie Norton, CEO of Screen WM, said:

"Securing a major broadcaster like Channel 4 to base their
commissioning hub for 4IP in England and Wales in Birmingham is a
major coup for the region, and positions us at the cutting edge of
digital media production in the UK.

"The fund will provide fantastic opportunities for screen media
companies across the West Midlands to lead innovations in areas such
as online drama, interactive education and games development."

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Mike Whitby, said:

"This is fantastic news for Birmingham and positions this youthful and
diverse city at the cutting edge of digital media content creation in
the UK."